every seed its own cultivar
hundred varieties (addictive!)
We will be picking several hundred bushels of fruit this year. The peak will come with the foliage so that's the time to stock up. Those who come out several times through the season get to taste the widest range of apples.
masthead quiz (answers below)
We invite people to come to the farm for apples on fall weekends. We are not a pick-your-own orchard but rather make tree-ripened fruit available for sale when varieties come ready. You find out about the apple selection each week and other orchard news by signing up for our newsletter.
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Pristine kicks off our harvest season, along with purplish-red William's Pride and 'anything but' Redfree. Duchess of Oldenburg establishes exacting first standards for really good apple pie. Thin-skinned Red Gravenstein with its snap and tang is a wowser. We're just as excited about Zestar for its early season crunch and delightful lemony zest.
All-purpose Wealthy hints of strawberry when fully ripe. Look to Akane for sprightly perfection. St. Edmund's Russet could teach pears a thing or two about flavor. Lost Nation Macs straddle the sweet/tart divide, followed by crisp Cortland in early October. Macoun fans will be intrigued by the denser flavor of this variety when grown organically. We consider tree-ripened Spartan to be a late season jewel.
Sweet Sixteen will get thinking about bourbon lollipops. The all-star from the Minnesota breeding program has to be Honeycrisp, described as being 'explosively crisp' for good reason. We love Fireside for its orange glow and respectable keeping ability. SnowSweet will prove worth the wait.
People go bonkers for our very own Bonkers, a disease-resistant variety originally designated NY 35. Liberty and GoldRush round out this grower's preference category. Pink Pearl surprises with bright pink flesh and tang . . . interest in such red-fleshed varieties has us looking for more. Our newest release will be rightfully known as Delerious.
Honeygold transcends what it means to be mellow, Spencer brings a red glamour of its own, while Shizuka throws a bronze caramel curveball into the golden lineage. Our numerous heirlooms include Ashmead's Kernel, Belle de Boskoop, Rhode Island Greening, and Black Oxford. Lastly, did you know Calville Blanc has far more vitamin C than any orange?
MAJOR REWRITE: An acre of orchard that makes a decent living for organic growers needs to produce a modest 400 bushels of fruit annually, a select 70% of which can be sold at sixty-four dollars a bushel to appreciative and understanding customers. The other 30% of the crop needs to average twenty dollars a bushel, whether as cider, utility fruit, or value-added products. That amounts to $20,000 gross per acre minimum, which in my mind makes a diversified farm effort that includes a small community orchard feasible. I also would add that no one grower go much beyond 4 acres or so of fruit, particularly here in the East. These are the benchmarks for making organic orcharding economically feasible.
Local people who enjoy fresh, local apples need to take the above goals to heart. Paying a farmer $2.00 to $3.00 a pound for select organic apples is a healthy bargain.The true future of sustainable agriculture lies in the hands of people willing to invest in local skill and resources. Small is beautiful indeed!
Payment by cash or personal check works. We sell our fruit for approximately $2 to $3 a pound, depending on quantity. A half-bushel filled to the brim will average 22 pounds in weight and costs $44. A half-peck bag costs $14. You are welcome to mix varieties in the same bag. Cider Club members receive a 10% discount on bagged apple prices.
looking left to right:
Melrose
Winter Blush (aka Fallawater)
Black Oxford
Baldwin
Golden Russet
Erwin Baur
Bethel
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