Learning About Heirloom Apple Varieties:
A two set volume of Apples of New York, by S.A. Beach, Horticulturalist at the NYS Agricultural Station, Geneva NY, Volume 1 was printed in 1903 and remains the sentinel work for defining the characteristics of heirloom apple. Many books and websites are available to provide descriptions of fruit flavor, understand the growing habits, flowering timing, and fruiting tendencies of these trees which will require research to best fit your needs.
Finding heirloom apple to taste:
There are many regional orchards in the Northeast that carry heirloom apple and prior to investing in a single backyard tree or full on apple orchard it would be beneficial to learn about the varieties that best suit your needs and tastes (fresh eating, cider, marketing…). Here are a few sites that may be of interest.
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, Montgomery Place Orchard: Known historically as the “Wayside Stand”, is the beehive for our farm and our greater farming community provide an endless variety of heirloom apple to the community. The quote from Liberty Hyde Bailey from The Apple Tree (1922) tells the story… “Why do we need so many kinds of apples? Because there are so many folks. A person has a right to gratify his legitimate tastes. If he wants twenty or forty kinds of apples for his personal use, running from Early Harvest to Roxbury Russet, he should be accorded the privilege. Some place should be provided where he may obtain trees or scions. There is merit in variety itself. It provides more points of contact with life, and leads away from uniformity and monotony.” Antique varieties at the historic Montgomery Place Orchard site, now owned by Bard College, include Baldwin…In the 1860’s, the Baldwin was the leading commercial variety in New York. Other favorites of the Montgomery Place orchardists and farm family, Doug, Talea, Adam and Caroline include Northern Spy, Black Twig , Winesap, Golden Russet, Jonathan, Ashmead’s Kernel, Kidd’s Orange Red, Cox Orange Pippin, Pitmaston Pineapple, Belle de Boscoop, Blue Permain…. the list goes on. Well worth the visit!!
Milton, NY, Locust Grove began its life in 1820. Overlooking the Hudson River Valley, the Kent’s farm offers a perfect location for orchard fruit. Well drained soils and a temperate climate offer optimal conditions to produce a variety of fruits and vegetables. Heirloom varieties abound with new cidery is slated to open in 2021.
Ithaca, NY: Black Diamond Farm, Trumansburg, New York Dr. Ian Merwin is a Cornell University professor, research horticulturalist and apple grower He owns and manages a 64-acre orchard Black Diamond Farm near Trumansburg, New York that produces 88 varieties of apples. He and his wife, Jackie, consider to be distinctive and top quality, some of them old and rare, and others new but not widely known, such as disease-resistant apples from the Cornell and PRI (Purdue-¬Rutgers-Illinois) fruit breeding programs. They create craft hard cider made entirely from our own apples, superb summer fruit thru December, specializing in amazing heirloom apple varieties.
Coastal Maine: ‘Out on a limb CSA‘ carries over 100 different heirloom and curious apple varieties for members of their CSA.
Dummerston, VT: Scott Farm, 707 Kipling Road, Dummerston, VT: 120 varieties, the majority being heirloom varieties in their pick your own orchard with on-farm workshops and plant sales. Scott Farm, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has been in active cultivation since 1791. This 571 acre farm has been owned since 1995 by The Landmark Trust USA, a non-profit organization whose mission is to rescue important but neglected historic properties and bring them back to life.
Middlefield, CT: Lyman Orchard in 150 South Street in Middlefield, CT. Established in 1741, the farm is located on 1,100 acres in the beautiful Connecticut River Valley through a history spanning ten generations and 275 years of apple production.
Broad Brook, CT: Applebrook Farm, 216 East Road, Broad Brook, CT. They produce more than 30 types of apples, about a third of them including Cameo, SnowSweet, Shizuka and Golden Russet are heritage fruit.
Roxbury, CT: Maple Bank Farm, 57 Church Street (Route 317), Roxbury, CT. Maple Bank Farm is one of the oldest family-run farms in the United States. It has been in the Hurlbut family since its formation in the late 1700’s. Jonathon Hurlbut has farmed in Roxbury since the early 1700’s. The Hurlbut’s settled the original farm in the center of Roxbury on six acres, granted to him by the King of England. He established what is now Maple Bank Farm in 1730. Heirloom apple varieties grown include Astrachan, Baldwin, Gravenstein, Lansing Seedling, Opalescent, Seek-No-Further.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Purchasing heirloom apple trees:
Maine: Fedco Trees: A cooperative business owned by consumer and worker members who share proportionately in the cooperative’s profits through our annual patronage dividends. They grow cold-hardy selections especially adapted to our demanding Northeast climate. They carry Scionwood and apple varieties on a variety of rootstock. Orders should be placed by late fall / early winter with deadlines beginning February.
Shipping begins in early March through April based on planting zone.
New York Cummins Nursery, 1408 Trumansburg Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850
Scott Farm will hold its Annual Fruit Tree & Perennial Plant Sale in May. Scott Farm 707 Kipling Road, Dummerston, VT 05301. 802-254-6868
California: Trees of Antiquity, 20 Wellsona Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446, U.S.A Ph. (805) 467-9909 with 184 varieties of apple, most being heirloom varieties.
Missouri: Stark Bro’s Nurseries & Orchards Co. is the world’s oldest continuously-operating nursery beginning in 1816. In 1893 the brothers held the first International New Fruit Fair, which encouraged growers to send samples of new varieties for judging, from which sprang the Red and Golden Delicious apple. These became the parents of 60% of todays apple selections. Stark carries 24 heirloom varieties.
Virginia: Meredith Leake, 533 Wolftown-Hood Drive, Hood, Va 22723 (540) 948-4299. Call for directions and/or appointment & shipping information.
