At Apple Hill Orchard, we have 22 varieties of apples! On average, from mid August through October, we harvest one to two new varieties each week.  All apples can be eaten or cooked, but some are better suited for eating and some are better suited for cooking pies, or baking cakes, or topping salads.

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When making apple sauce or apple butter, we recommend mixing two to three varieties of apples. 

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The optimal storage temperature for apples is 33-34 degrees. Apples should be stored separate from other produce in your crisper. The crisper helps hold humidity in the drawer. Wet paper towels can be placed in the crisper to help add moisture. 

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Ginger Gold (Late July)
A late summer apple, Gingergold is a mildly sweet apple with a slightly more sharp taste than Golden Delicious. Good for eating early in the season, Gingergold cooks down to a nice white apple sauce. Gingergold is not the best keeper but cans really well.

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Premier Honeycrisp (Late July)

Premier Honeycrisp ripens several weeks before Honeycrisp. Crisp and juicy, Honeycrisp is honey sweet with a slightly tart taste. It cooks well for apple pies or apple sauce. Like most early season apples, they do not keep well for long periods of time.

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Gala (Mid August)

Gala is the most produced apple in the United States. Known as a great, sweet, eating apple, Gala also cooks well. It is one of our favorite apples to fry in a frying pan. Gala holds it's shape when cooked. Gala is also great for salads and has an average storage life.  

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Arlet / Swiss Gourmet (Mid August)

Arlet is a tart apple great for pies but is also favored for eating. Every year Arlet gains more and more popularity among our customers. It cooks well for apple butter and sauce; it is an average keeper in the fridge. 

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Honeycrisp (Late August)

Honeycrisp is a thin-skinned apple packed full of sweet crisp and juice. They are best known as an eating apple but are good for cooking into pies or sauce. Honeycrisp does not keep for a long time.

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Jonagold (Late August / Early September)

Jonagold is a cross between a Golden Delicious and Jonathon. It has a thin skin like Honeycrisp but is slightly more tart. Jonagold is great for eating, pies, muffins, breads, cakes, sauces, butters, preserves, jelly, and jams. Jonagold is an average keeper; if storied properly, this apple will keep for several months.

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Early Fuji (Late August / Early September)

Oh, so sweet! Early Fuji has a dense, white flesh with a nice, crisp texture. Ripening several weeks before Fuji, they are an exceptional eating apple that also cooks well in breads and muffins. Because they are sweet, you may want to add less sugar than the recipe calls for. Early Fuji is also great a top salads and is an average keeper.

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Golden Delicious (Late August / Early September)

Golden Delicious is historically one of the most popular apples for our region. It is not surprising considering it's a well-balanced apple, good for all things. They have a mildly sweet taste, are good for eating, cooking, dehydrating, and baking. Golden Delicious is a good keeper in proper storage and hangs well on the trees for a prolonged u-pick season. We typically begin harvesting in early September and will continue well into October.

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Empire (Late August / Early September)

Empire is a cross between McIntosh and Red delicious. It is firm, crisp, and tart like a McIntosh but with a hint of sweetness. Empire is a good pie and cooking apple and has an average storage life.

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Mutsu / Crispin (Late August / Early September

A large apple, Mutsu is slightly sweet with a sharp, tangy, acidic taste. Mutsu holds it's shape when cooked and is excellent for cooking whole. It is an average keeper. 

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Red Delicious (Late August / Early September)

The most popular apple in the world, Red Delicious is a good snacking apple. Every batch of apple cider we make contains Red Delicious because it is such a well-balanced, sweet-flavored apple. Like most other apples, Red Delicious keeps best in the refrigerator, otherwise it will get soft. In proper storage, it keep for several months. 

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Cameo (Late September)

Cameo is a dense-fleshed apple, sweet in taste with a hint of citrus flavor. When cut open, Cameo resists browning and is perfect for salads or fruit and cheese trays. We have found Cameo to be an excellent keeper in storage, and we really like to dehydrate them. 

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Stayman Winesap (Late September / Early October)

Stayman Winesap is considered by many to be the best pie apple. The taste is mostly tart with a hint of sugary spice; it is an above average keeper.

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Red Rome (Early / Mid October)

Red Rome is a beautiful red apple. It has a thick, glossy red skin with a firm, white flesh. Sometimes you'll find streak of red in the flesh. Rome is just tart enough to be a perfect apple for baking. Generally not considered an eating apple, Rome is an average keeper in the cooler. 

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Fuji (Mid October)

Crisp, juicy, and sweet, Fuji is favored for eating, dehydrating, and baking. When cooked, Fuji tends to hold its shape and reduced sugar can be added to the recipe. Fuji is an excellent keeper. 

 

Granny Smith (Mid October)

For those who love a sour, tart apple, Granny Smith ranks #1. It is uncompromising in its crisp, sharp taste. It can be eaten fresh but is primarily known as a pie apple. Because of it's high acidity, Granny Smith stores excellent in refrigeration. 

 

Goldrush (Mid / Late October)

In appearance, Goldrush resembles Golden Delicious. In taste, there is no similar apple. It is a balanced taste of sweet, tart, acidic, and spicy. It's a great apple to eat, cook, bake, and dehydrate. Goldrush is a good keeper.

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Pink Lady (Mid / Late October into November)

Pink Lady apples have a hard, crunchy bite with a tart taste, followed by a sweet finish. Pink Lady apples store excellently, and they are a good all-around apple. We often have Pink Lady apples on the tree into November. It pares well with other fruits and cheeses, dehydrates well, cooks great, and is perfect for fresh eating. 

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