We spotted an apple in our trees from the kitchen window. I investigated and four Earliblaze apples were ready to pick. A handful of Red Delicious need ripening. The scent of autumn is in the air.
I drove to Wilson’s Orchard and picked Ginger Gold, Burgundy, Sansa, and Red Gravenstein apples. Trees were loaded with fruit and no one else was picking. It was like paradise without the serpent.
Our apple buying is pretty regimented. In the eight years I worked at the orchard I learned where the apples live and the order in which they ripen. I usually skip most of the early season apples, although I planted a Zestar! tree at home for future early use. When Ginger Gold is ripe, It’s time to start traveling to the orchard and get my exercise walking up and down those hills. I mostly know where all the varieties grow.
My favorites are Burgundy, Crimson Crisp, Honeycrisp, Gold Rush, and the various Jonathan varieties. I also like Red and Golden delicious picked from a tree. Who can stomach the ones sold at the grocer? Although the orchard reduced the amount of trees in the u-pick section, plenty of varieties continue to grow there. It looks to be an excellent harvest this year.
There is no mistaking the rapid approach of autumn. The beginning of the apple harvest, along with the appearance of squash bugs, withering cucumber vines, and weeds getting overgrown are telling a story if we would but listen.
Despite this year’s challenges, the cycle of renewal and growth continued for another year.
Journey Home 
3 replies on “Apple Season 2022”
My Red Delicious cultivar is Stark Brothers. It tastes delicious! Wilson’s Orchard had some Hawkeye trees, yet I’m not sure of the exact parentage. You could ask them.
LikeLike
Delicious Apples as you may know, started life as the “Hawkeye” from Iowa.When the apple was sold to Starks Nursery, the name was changed as soon as the owner took the first bite of what previously was called the Hawkeye when he confirmed how good the apple was, and from that point forward it became the “Delicious” Apple. Through the use of modern genetics and attempting to create conformity, large size and an apple that would easily ship and not readily bruise, has taken a very good apple and turned it into the “crap” apple it is today. There are those who have managed to keep something of the original apple going and although I have not tried growing it as yet, will, once I find the stock to grow out.
LikeLike
Seed Savers does have an original cultivar as I understand it, Eventually I will get root stock from them to get as close to the original as is possible.
LikeLike