All lovers of heirloom apples, check the link below.

[nctomatoman]

http://www.treemendus-fruit.com/

This company, Tree Mendus fruit in Michigan, is incredible - they grow hundreds of varieties of heirloom apples (Ashmeads Kernel, Golden Russett, Esopus Spitzenberg, Kandil Sinap - you name it, they have it) - you can call them, ask them what is ripe, and they will send you what you want - one of this or one of that, a flat of what you want.

A few years ago, my wife and I sampled through dozens of heirloom apples. They are just really nice people over the phone as well...best to start calling early in the season (late Aug/early Sept) to see how their crops will be, what's doing well, what is coming in when, etc.

Tasting heirloom apples is as much fun as (gulp!!!...) tasting heirloom tomatoes!

[cdntomato]

Thanks for the link, Craig.

The Aussie-Canuck collective is also taking over a large historic organic orchard. Will let you know what there is (as yet another bribe to get you and Sue into this neck of the woods 8) )

Jennifer, who loves Snow (the apple)

PP, now you HAVE to come back....but only after I get to OZ :wink:

[Althea]

It's nice to see a source of heirloom apples. Who knew?

We ordered an apple tree from St. Lawrence Nursery in N.Y. last year. They are affordable and they have a huge selection, although they specialize in northern hardy apples. You might be a little far south. Our tree arrived in great shape and is grew very well its first year here.

Here's a link to the site:

http://www.sln.potsdam.ny.us/

[nctomatoman]

Also, see the link to Southmeadow Fruits in the other thread on Fruits that Lori started (Starks and Southmeadow both discussed)

[Andrey_BY]

I just regret I can't send you cuttings of our beautiful northern apples, pears, plums, cherries, grapes, currants and even peaches and apricots

We have so many such Russian and Belarusian varieties hardy to Zone 3/4 like that (Ukrainian, Moldovian and from Russian South are normally less hardy). This is an old gorgeous apple-tree of our neighboor near his dacha-house. Every year it is loaded with hundreds of delicious and pretty apples with an excellent sweet-tart balance as we love most here in Eastern Europe :wink:

[cdntomato]

Oh my, Andrey. That's heart-stoppingly gorgeous.

Jennifer who so wishes apple seeds bred true

[feldon30]

I have not had the opportunity to eat rare, older apple varieties like the ones mentioned, but my mouth really waters at the idea.

I take every opportunity I can get to buy varieties like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Braeburn or anything else "off the beaten path" at the markets. I find Red Delicious to be anything but.

I do make applesauce from scratch when I make pork chops. It's really easy. Peel, core, and slice 3-5 medium tart apples into 1/2" wedges. Transfer to a 2 qt saucepan and toss with 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup water, and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon. Cover and boil for 15-18 minutes or until apples are just softening. I then use a potato masher.

Jennifer,

In the Seed Savers Exchange, apple varieties are traded by shipping scion wood which is ready to be grafted. You can grow 2-3 different kinds of apples on 1 tree if you really wanted. It's a huge subject, in some ways as complex as tomatoes. And I realize it's probably very difficult to trade this kind of thing across the Canada-U.S. border unless you do it in person. It's probably easier to get prescription meds across.

[duajones]

I didnt realize there were heirloom apple varieties available, never even thought of actually. im not much for baked or applesauce or such, but I do enjoy eating them fresh, always have. Which varieties stand out for fresh eating Craig?

[nctomatoman]

Now you are testing my memory! I've tried so many that are incredibly delicious - lots of different flavor nuances, textures, etc....Some that come to mind - Kandil Sinap, Blue Pearmain, Esopus Spitzenberg, Newtown Pippin, Golden Russet, Hudson's Golden Gem, Holiday, Melrose, Spigold, Baldwin, Ashmead's Kernel, Belle de Boskoop, Hoople's Antique Gold, Jefferis, Maiden Blush, Pitmaston Pineapple, Fameuse, Summer Rambo, York, Winter Banana and Yellow Bellflower are all varieties I've tried from Tree Mendus at various times, and really enjoyed!

Now don't ask me for specific flavor characteristics for each (though I could probably come up with a few!).

Holiday is a great all purpose apple that puts the ones from the supermarket to shame!

[cdntomato]

Confirmed yesterday that what is in the orchard is unknown (some historical and some new varieties being bred by former owner). Professor Good (Botany at Queen's, my uni) passed away 10 years ago and his wife (now in her 86th year) was not very much part of the orchard management, to her regret. Son from Calgary came in a few years back and had an arborist prune, but not an arborist specializing in fruit trees. Sigh. Will try to locate any possible uni colleagues who might remember the work Professor Good was doing. I'm itching for archives (and what a surprise that is )

It'll be a challenge, and I'm making the case to Mrs Good and the other collective members for the resurrection and cataloguing of the orchard to be some U of Goo's Master's or PhD thesis. If it's going to be done, let's do it right and document it properly.

EFAO had an Eco-farmers day this past weekend. 2 other members of the collective went to the grafting workshop given by a botanist from MacDonald College, the ~ Goo U = at McGill University in Montreal. Will check out scion wood and expertise at SSE. Seeds of Change has some interesting info too. Thanks for the nudge!

Jennifer
(Craig, Snow = Fameuse)

[feldon30]

duajones,

I know they are not heirlooms, but if you have only been exposed to, say, Red and Golden Delicious, MacIntosh, and Granny Smith, and you have an H-E-B in Corpus, I'd look for Braeburn (sweet, even spicy), Pink Lady (when it's at its peak, it tastes like cotton candy), and Honeycrisp (another very sweet apple, this one has so much sugar it tends to turn to alcohol if allowed to sit too long). I have also enjoyed Jazz apples. I have not tried Empire yet.

As with all things, just because you are buying a variety is no guarantee it will taste like it is supposed to. Climate, and growing and harvest practices can change the flavor dramatically. I've had flavorless Braeburns (something I never thought would happen) and almost funky tasting Honeycrisps.

I know apples seem to be getting more attention right now since the strawberry and citrus crops from California have been decimated by crushing frosts.

[dcarch]

Off topic. What the h e c k !
dcarch

[Big_Red]

Interested in heirloom apples? Here's a great supplier of apple trees for southern regions.

http://www.bighorsecreekfarm.com/

[redbrick]

Oh my, where to start? My personal favorites are Keepsake for a spicy sweet dessert apple, Paradise and Pome Grieve for sweet dessert apples, and Ditlow's Hard Winter for a sweet-tart dessert apple. For baking apples, just about any mix is just wonderful!

As far as I can tell, Ditlow's Hard Winter exists as a single branch on a tree in an Amish orchard the next county over. With luck, I'll be able to graft my own tree next week, but I haven't recieved the scionwood yet. I'm getting nervous about that...

If you really want to start your own orchard, I'd definitely recommend learning to graft, but with a word of warning. It is EXTREMELY addictive!!! (Ask me how I know)

BTW, the proper culture for Red Delicious calls for vigorous pruning. Close to the ground. With a chainsaw!

I'v included some pics from last year's Fall Fruit Tasting meeting with the Back Yard Fruit Growers club in Lancaster County PA.

[Patrina_Pepperina]

You are ALL killing me!!!!! *groan* I would consider giving up my entire family to live somewhere with an heirloom apple orchard, and land for tomatoes, chillies, citrus, avocados, pumpkins, potatoes, corn, melons, grapes, pomegranates, and a few other things of course

Meanwhile, this is the best I can do. It's an Azerbaijani pomegranate bush.



PP