Orchard Varieties

Apple season usually begins around mid-August. We offer over 20 varieties of apples, which we harvest all throughout the fall and into November. U-pick and Ready-picked availability changes throughout the season, so please check our Today’s U-pick Availability page or call us directly for more information. We take special orders for boxes of apples (40lb and 20lb) as well.

  • Early Season Apples
  • Mid Season Apples
  • Late Season Apples
  • Pears

Variety:

Description:

Akane Basket

Akane

Harvest Period:
mid-late August

Flavor: Tender, crisp flesh, sweet-tart & juicy
Parentage: Jonathan x Worcester Permain
Introduced: 1937
Origin: Morioka Experimental Station, Japan

Special Characteristics: Makes pink applesauce if skin is left on during cooking
Best Use: Fresh eating, cooking, saucing
Storage: Fair

Gala

Gala

Harvest Period:
early-mid September

Flavor: Fine, crisp, sweet, aromatic
Parentage: Golden Delicious x Kidd’s Orange
Introduced: 1960
Origin: New Zealand

Special Characteristics: Small apple, perfect for lunchboxes
Best Use: Fresh eating
Storage: Good

Gravenstein 2015

Gravenstein

Harvest Period:
mid-late August

Flavor: Sweet-tart & juicy
Parentage: Unknown
Introduced: 1500’s
Origin: Italy

Special Characteristics: The most well-known saucing varieties
Best Use: Saucing, baking, juicing
Storage: Fair

Honeycrisp

Honeycrisp

Harvest Period:
early-mid September

Flavor: Juicy, crisp, very sweet
Parentage: Keepsake
Introduced: 1960’s
Origin: University of Minnesota

Special Characteristics: Winner of taste tests for fresh eating, but very versatile for all purposes
Best Use: Fresh eating, baking, saucing
Storage: Good

Idared

Idared

Harvest Period:
early-mid September

Flavor: Sweet-tart
Parentage: Jonathan x Wagener
Introduced: 1930’s
Origin: Idaho Ag Experimental Station

Special Characteristics: Flavor becomes sweeter with age
Best Use: Fresh eating, cooking, saucing
Storage: Good

Lodi

Lodi

Harvest Period:
mid-late August

Flavor: Medium-sized green, sharp & flavorful
Parentage: White Transparent
Introduced: 1900’s
Origin: New York State Research Station, Geneva, NY

Special Characteristics: 
Best Use: Cooking, saucing, juicing
Storage: Fair

Variety:

Description:

Cox Orange Pippin

Cox Orange Pippin

Harvest Period:
late September

Flavor: Firm texture, aromatic, exceptional flavor
Parentage: Ribston Pippin
Introduced: 1825
Origin: England

Special Characteristics: Distinctive orange hue and russetted skin
Best Use: Fresh eating, cooking, juicing, cider
Storage: Good

Elstar

Elstar

Harvest Period:
late September

Flavor: Sweet-tart, aromatic flavor
Parentage: Golden Delicious x Ingrid Marie
Introduced: 1955
Origin: Holland

Special Characteristics: Popular variety in Europe
Best Use: Fresh eating, cooking, drying, juicing
Storage: Good

Empre

Empire

Harvest Period:
late September

Flavor: Crisp, juicy, mildly tart
Parentage: Red Delicious x McIntosh
Introduced: 1945
Origin: New York

Special Characteristics: Classic apple variety with McIntosh characteristics
Best Use: Fresh eating, cooking
Storage: Very good

Jonagold

Jonagold

Harvest Period:
early October

Flavor: Crisp, juicy, sweet tart
Parentage: Jonathan x Golden Delicious
Introduced: 1943
Origin: New York State Ag Experiment Station

Special Characteristics: Very popular, all-purpose variety
Best Use: Fresh eating, saucing, baking
Storage: Good

Jonathan

Jonathan

Harvest Period:
mid September

Flavor: Balanced, sweet-tart flavor
Parentage: Spitzenburg seedling
Introduced: 1826
Origin: Woodstock, New York

Special Characteristics: Excellent flavor makes this a common parent to many more modern varieties
Best Use: Fresh eating, saucing
Storage: Fair

King

King

Harvest Period:
mid September

Flavor: Firm flesh, very flavorful
Parentage: Chance seedling
Introduced: 1700’s
Origin: East Coast, United States

Special Characteristics: Often develops water core, a desireable concentration of sugars in the flesh
Best Use: Fresh eating, baking, cooking
Storage: Good

Liberty

Liberty

Harvest Period:
early October

Flavor: Sweet-tart, delicious
Parentage: Macoun
Introduced: 1978
Origin: New York State Research Station, Geneva, NY

Special Characteristics: Dark red skin produces pink applesauce when cooked.
Best Use: Fresh eating, saucing, pies
Storage: Good

McIntosh

McIntosh

Harvest Period:
mid September

Flavor: Excellent flavor, mildly tart, aromatic
Parentage: Unknown (Fameuse)
Introduced: 1820’s
Origin: St Lawrence Valley, Ontario Canada

Special Characteristics: Heirloom variety with very short window of availability
Best Use: Saucing, pies
Storage: Fair

Melrose

Melrose

Harvest Period:
mid October

Flavor: Crisp, juicy, balanced flavor
Parentage: Jonathan x Red Delicious
Introduced: 1944
Origin: Ohio Ag Experiment Station, Wooster, Ohio

Special Characteristics: An excellent all-purpose apple
Best Use: Fresh eating, saucing, baking
Storage: Good

Mutsu

Mutsu

Harvest Period:
mid October

Flavor: Crisp, sweet and juicy
Parentage: Golden Delicious
Introduced: 1930
Origin: Japan

Special Characteristics: Also known as ‘Crispin’
Best Use: Saucing, baking, juicing
Storage: Good

Rome Beauty

Rome Beauty

Harvest Period:
mid October

Flavor: Sweet, mild, refreshing flavor
Parentage: Unknown
Introduced: 1816
Origin: Ohio

Special Characteristics: Retains shape when baked for beautiful presentation
Best Use: Cooking, drying
Storage: Good

Spartan

Spartan

Harvest Period:
late September

Flavor: Crisp, juicy with wine-like flavor
Parentage: McIntosh x Unknown
Introduced: 1926
Origin: Summerland Research Station, BC

Special Characteristics: Sweet honey scent increases with age
Best Use:  Fresh eating, saucing, juicing, drying
Storage: Fair

Esopus Spitzenburg apples grown by Michael Cirone (See Canyon) in San Luis Obispo, at the Santa Monica farmers market, 9/15/10 ?? David Karp

Spitzenburg

Harvest Period:
mid October

Flavor: Firm, juicy flesh, aromatic, spicy flavor
Parentage: Unknown
Introduced: 1800’s
Origin: Esopus, New York

Special Characteristics: Thought to be Thomas Jefferson’s favorite
Best Use: Fresh eating, saucing, juicing, pies
Storage: Very good

Winter Banana

Winter Banana

Harvest Period:
mid October

Flavor: Sweet and tangy with aromatic, juicy flesh
Parentage: Unknown
Introduced: 1876
Origin: Cass County, Indiana

Special Characteristics: Excellent variety for making hard cider
Best Use: Fresh eating, cooking, juicing, drying
Storage: Good

Variety:

Description:

Braeburn

Braeburn

Harvest Period:
mid-late October

Flavor: Crisp, juicy, tender skin, excellent flavor
Parentage: Lady Hamilton x Granny Smith
Introduced: 1952
Origin: New Zealand

Special Characteristics: One of the best keeping of all the apples
Best Use Fresh eating, cooking, juicing, drying
Storage: Excellent

Fuji

Fuji

Harvest Period:
mid-late October

Flavor: Crisp, juicy, well-balanced flavor
Parentage: Delicious x Ralls Janet
Introduced: 1962
Origin: Japan

Special Characteristics: One of the most popular modern apple varieties
Best Use: Fresh eating, pies
Storage: Excellent

Granny Smith

Granny Smith

Harvest Period:
late October

Flavor: Very firm, tart and flavorful
Parentage: Rome Beauty x French Crabapple (?)
Introduced: 1860
Origin: Australia

Special Characteristics: A favorite of those who love a tart apple
Best Use: Fresh eating, saucing, juicing, hard cider, pies
Storage: Excellent

Newtown Pippin

Newtown Pippin

Harvest Period:
early November

Flavor: Full-flavored, aromatic, high in vitamin C
Parentage: Unknown
Introduced:  1700’s
Origin: Newtown, Long Island

Special Characteristics:  Made famous by Thomas Jefferson
Best Use: Fresh eating, saucing, hard cider, pies
Storage: Excellent

Northern Spy

Northern Spy

Harvest Period:
mid-late October

Flavor: High quality, somewhat tart, aromatic
Parentage: Unknown
Introduced: 1840’s
Origin: Rochester, New York

Special Characteristics: Introduced by farmer Oliver Chapin
Best Use: Fresh eating, saucing, cider, pies
Storage: Good

Roxbury Russett

Roxbury Russet

Harvest Period:
mid-late October

Flavor: Very flavorful, dense flesh
Parentage: Unknown, likely of European heritage
Introduced: 1625
Origin: Roxbury, Massachusetts

Special Characteristics:  Distinctive russetted skin
Best Use: Fresh eating, drying, hard cider, pies
Storage: Very good

Stayman Winesap

Winesap

Harvest Period:
mid-late October

Flavor: Moderately tart, firm and juicy
Parentage: Unknown
Introduced: 1800’s
Origin: Eastern United States

Special Characteristics:
Best Use: Fresh eating, saucing, juicing, pies
Storage: Very good

Variety:

Description:

Bartlett Green 2015

Bartlett

Harvest Period:
late August

Flavor: Sweet, tender and juicy, traditional flavor
History: Originally named ‘Williams’ pear
Introduced: 1765
Origin: England

Special Characteristics:  Most popular variety for canning
Best Use: Fresh eating, cooking, canning
Storage: Very good

Bartlett Red 2015

Red Bartlett

Harvest Period:
late August

Flavor: Sweet, juicy, identical in flavor to yellow Bartlett
History: Discovered as a ‘bud sport’ on yellow Bartlett
Introduced: 1938
Origin: Zillah, Washington

Special Characteristics: Beautiful, deep red skin
Best Use: Fresh eating, cooking, canning
Storage: Very good

Apple Blossom

Anjou

Harvest Period:
late September

Flavor: Sweet with slight citrus flavor
History: Named after the Anjou region of France
Introduced: 1800’s
Origin: Belgium

Special Characteristics: An excellent all-purpose variety
Best Use: Fresh eating, cooking, canning, desserts
Storage: Very good

Apple Blossom

Comice

Harvest Period:
early November

Flavor: Sweet, extremely juicy with creamy texture
History: Also known as Doyenne du Comice
Introduced: mid-1800’s
Origin: Angers, France

Special Characteristics: The sweetest, juiciest pear when fully ripe
Best Use: Fresh eating, desserts
Storage: Very good

Apple Blossom

Asian Pears

Harvest Period:
late August – early September

Flavor: Sweet, crisp, juicy flavor
Variety: Nijisseiki (aka ’20th Century’)
Introduced: Unknown
Origin: Asia

Special Characteristics: Distinctive texture, somewhere between an apple and a pear
Best Use: Fresh eating, drying
Storage: Very good