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nafex - RE: [NAFEX] Taste before planting Apple varities

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  • From: "Bruce Hansen" <brucedhansen@sbcglobal.net>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [NAFEX] Taste before planting Apple varities
  • Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 11:34:51 -0500



-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of Charles Paradise
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 6:53 PM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: [NAFEX] Taste before planting Apple varities



Bruce Hansen wrote:
Please see response to each point, below.
> Charles:
>
> Have you grown Wolf River, Ark Black, Gala, Braeburn and Spitz?

My experience:
Wolf River: tasted twice: once in an assortment from Applesource [I think]
and once at an apple day in Massachusetts [an apple that can pass out of
existence with no loss, unless it grows better apples in another area] A
short list of large apples 10X better than Wolf: Tsuru [forgive spelling],
Danvers Sweet, 20oz Pippen.

I wonder if all those folk in Wisconsin and Minnesota were really stupid?

Ark Black - again, I think in an applesource assortment...but it may have
been from elsewhere.

Did you ever try one out of storage in February?

Gala - know that tree well because my father planted one of 'em in 1970's
and it grew beside the Northern Spy the Spy is still here. Gala is a good
growing, heavy-bearing tree that is capable of splitting and losing wood,
that's what killed ours. An OVERLY SWEET apple that keeps better than any
apple of its season [ripen approx aug 24 here]. IT is recommended if you
really know you like sweet apple. And it does grow well as I say.

Sweet apples have their purpose. That is why they are grown.

Spitz have tasted 2 or 3 times grown from Illinois and Massachusetts. High
flavor but a little too dry to be in the class of Northern Spy. It might be
better than spy if it had more juice.

Thomas Jefferson liked them, but then again he simply grew his own food.

If anyone is planting trees, they should be getting apple assortment boxes
EVERY FALL, as from Applesource in Illinois. [Do you have any clue how much
pruning you're in for? Well worth a buck to taste an apple before you even
contemplate planting it] And you should go to orchards and taste, taste
taste and keep complete notes of your ratings. And go to fairs where apples
are available to taste. And swap apples to taste with other NAFEX members.
Do everything you can to taste apples before you plant, and as you are also
doing, get reputation for its growth ease.

I prune every year. It is pretty easy and keeps me fit. I have hundreds of
trees. I grow antique apples out of passion, not ease of life.

AND take advantage of the many experts in apple varieties within NAFEX, we
have a 94-year old, we have one who keeps complete computer database of all
growth specifics as well as taste. I am the least expert, but there are way
too many apples being grown that are junk. We also have apple selectors
like Victoria Caron and apple breeders like Garfield Shults. Have we tasted
their apples? We should.

Part of the reason I raise antique apples is to preserve the gene pool. One
of the all time greatest apple genetic experiments happened in America in
the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. We threw most all of those apples away
for marketing and ease of business. From what you have said, you may not be
the best person to determine what is a 'junk' apple.


Charlie Paradise



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