Know Your Fruit

Apples

How Do I Pick Apples?
As you enter, inquire with our sales associates about the designated picking area(s). When you find a ripe apple, grasp the stem between your index finger and thumb. Give it a slight twist and gentle tug. Please do not yank the fruit off the tree, as it causes others to fall off and can easily break the branch. For more information on identifying ripe apples, check out the apple section.

How Do I Store Apples?
Apples are best kept refrigerated whenever possible. They can be kept for several months if refrigerated at a temperature as close to 32 degrees F as possible.

What Causes the Yellow Translucent Color in the Flesh at the Center of The Apple? Did They Freeze?
No, they did not freeze. This phenomenon is called “water core” or “sugar core.” It is caused by extremely high sugar content that occurs more often in the early varieties like Red Delicious, Empire, and Jonathan. They are perfectly good to eat but will not store as well as the later varieties available in October.

Mid-Late August to September

Gala

Mildly Sweet and Juicy, Perfect for Slicing & Salads

Ginger Gold

Mild & Sweet, Best for Eating Fresh & Salads

Early-September

Honeycrisp

Crisp, white flesh. Sweet, juicy, eating.

McIntosh

Blushed-red to deep red; tart and aromatic. Good for eating & making sauce.

Mid-September to Mid-October

Cameo

Crisp white flesh – tangy flavor – keeps well.

Cortland

Crisp white flesh – best for salads, eating.

Crispin

Yellow to green; very large in size.  Sweet & juicy, but mild.  Good for eating, making sauce, & salads.

Empire

Deep red w/ firm, yellowish flesh.  Sweet with a flavor all its own.  Good for fresh eating, making sauce, & salads.

Golden Delicious

Yellow to greenish yellow.  Sweet and juicy.  Good for baking, eating, & salads.

Idared

Red cheeked w/ yellow spots.  Firm & juicy; tart.  Good for eating, baking, & making sauce.

Jonathan

Bright to dark red.  Flavorful, slightly tart.  Good for eating, baking, & salads.

McCoun

Dark red to blushed-red.  Very crisp; juicy, slightly tart.  Good for eating & desserts.

Red Delicious

Bright red and juicy. Sweet, but mild. Good for eating & salads.

Spartan

Dessert Apple – white flesh – sweet and crisp.

Mid-October to Closing

Arkansas Black

Deep red. Very hard, crispy flesh w/ mild flavor. Good for eating & salads; stores well.

Braeburn

Red w/ some yellow coloring. Firm w/ mild flavor. Good for eating & baking; stores well.

Fuji

Pinkish red w/ yellow flesh. Crisp, sweet, & juicy. Mild flavor. Good for eating, making sauce, & salads.

Granny Smith

Firm with strong tartness resembling that of a lemon. Bright white flesh that resists browning when sliced

Red Rome

Red. Crispy, mild flavor. Good for baking & eating.

Stayman Winesap

Red with thin yellowish striping/banding. Crisp, juicy, winey. All purpose; stores well.

Yellow Newtown Pippen

Yellow w/ very hard flesh. Quite sweet. Good for eating & baking; stores well.

Peaches

How Do I Pick A Peach?
As you enter, inquire with our sales associates about the designated picking area. When you find a ripe peach or nectarine, grasp the stem between your index finger and thumb. Give it a slight twist and gentle tug. Please do not yank the fruit off the tree, as it causes others to fall off and can easily break the branch. For more information on identifying ripe peaches and nectarines, check out the peach section.

How Do I Store a Peach?
Peaches taste best when they are not refrigerated, but if they ripen early and you want to keep them longer, you will have to either refrigerate them or freeze them. Peaches freeze particularly well.

How Do I Freeze a Peach?
Peel the fruit; you may find that blanching the peaches first makes skin removal easier. Slice the peaches and remove the pits. You may also want to sprinkle them with sugar according to your taste. Place the slices in a totally full (no air) plastic freezer container and freeze right away. We recommend adding Fruit Fresh (available in the canning supplies section of most supermarkets) to inhibit browning of the fruit.

July

Glengold

Sentry

August

Cresthaven

Fantasia

Flavortop

Glohaven

Jerseyqueen

Lady Nancy

Loring

Raritan Rose

Redhaven

Sugar Giant

Summer Beauty

Sunglo

September

Encore