The apple orchard included about 25 trees ranging in age from 20+ years to five years. Many of the trees have been planted within the last seven years and are just beginning to produce fruit.
Here is a list of the apples we selected.
Gala – The Gala apple is a crisp, sweet and juicy apple. We chose it because it will handle the heat of our Indiana summers…and because it cross pollinates well with Golden Delicious.
Golden Delicious – Golden Delicious apple is a popular variety. It is a large all purpose apple with golden skin. We chose it because it’s a good pollinator for most other apple varieties and it ripens from September to October.
Granny Smith – The Granny Smith apple is a great pie apple. The skin is bright green. It is a firm, sweet/tart apple that is good for eating, cooking, and cider. Its use in making cider is a big reason we grow them.
Newtown Pippin – We selected the Newtown Pippin Apple (also known as the Albemarle Pippin) because it was cultivated by both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. It’s still grown today for its superior flavor. Originally grown as a dessert apple, it is now commercially used primarily for cider.
Red Delicious – The Red Delicious is a great choice in this area as it yields heavily when pollinized with a Golden Delicious. Ours are the Dietrich strain of Red Delicious which are said to have the best taste of the Red Delicious strains.
Red Rome Beauty – The Red Rome Beauty is a medium-size apple with a fine, juicy flesh that is used primarily for baking. We chose it to combine with other varieties for making cider.
[Pictured: Looks like it’s time to get squeez’n!]