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Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association

2 hours ago

Shenandoah Valley Apples – Third in a five-week series by EMG Joan

September brings an abundance of apple varieties, with Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Rome being widely available. Also available but not as common are Empire, Honeycrisp, Nittany, and Ida Red. You may have to really search for Crispin (also called Mutsu), Paula Red, Yatika Fuji, and Grimes Golden.

Red Delicious and Golden Delicious need no introduction. Rome, also called Rome Beauty, has become more popular over the years and is excellent for baking, drying, and dessert.

Empire and Honeycrisp are excellent eaten fresh and for desserts, pie, and cider. Empire was developed in the late 40s and is a cross of McIntosh and Red Delicious. Nittany and Ida Red are both excellent for applesauce and apple butter. Ida Red is also good for desserts, pies, and cider. Crispin is good for applesauce, apple butter, and jelly. Paula Red is a tart apple that is good eaten fresh. Yatika Fuji is similar to Fuji.

Grimes Golden is believed to be a parent of Golden Delicious and is especially well known for making hard cider and brandy. According to Tom Burford in "Apples of North America" it was especially cherished in our Blue Ridge Mountains, and old still sites are often surrounded by Grimes Golden trees still bearing “small, sooty-blotched fruit of extraordinary flavor, even after fifty years of neglect”.

Did you know? Because Golden Delicious is such an excellent pollinator it earned the nickname “Rooster Tree” for its pollination prowess.

You can find local orchards and farmers markets from the on-line resources below.
www.virginiaapples.net/virginia-apples www.vdacs.virginia.gov/vagrown/ www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/.../348/348-127/348-127_pdf.pdf

Pictured: Empire Apples, from a Shenandoah Valley Orchard (a few years ago), taking a bath.

Quote from Burford, Tom. Apples of North America. Portland/London, Timber Press, 2013.

DISCLAIMER: Commercial products are named in this publication for informational purposes only. Virginia Cooperative Extension does not endorse these products and does not intend discrimination against other products which also may be suitable. ... See MoreSee Less

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