Falling for Apples
Falling for Apples
Nothing is as quite as iconic to New Jersey as the versatile apple. Apples connote health (apple a day keeps the doctor away) as well as affection (apple of my eye) and are one of the 3rd most valuable crops in N.J. right after tomatoes and blueberries, according to the State Department of Agriculture. Apples… Read More »
Nothing is as quite as iconic to New Jersey as the versatile apple. Apples connote health (apple a day keeps the doctor away) as well as affection (apple of my eye) and are one of the 3rd most valuable crops in N.J. right after tomatoes and blueberries, according to the State Department of Agriculture. Apples are part of the rose family and grow in every state in the US!
Apples have a long history, originating in Central Asia, making their way to America and specifically New Jersey with the early settlers. Apples were primarily used in our region for apple cider and hard apple cider (also known as Apple Jack) as growing apples was more conducive to the climate of the early settlers than growing wheat, barley or hops at the time. Apple production was one of the earliest agricultural crops in the ancestral roots of our region and are still an important crop to us today. We farm over 50 different varieties of apples on 35 acres using the apples for our own apple cider, apples for sale and for our farm to table catering on our farm. Apples are in season here in Chester, NJ. from August through end of November, if whether conditions are just right.
The oldest variety of apple known to New Jersey is the Winesap, according to the US Department of Agriculture, which was planted in the late 1700’s. Winesap is a favorite apple for those that prefer slightly tart, all purpose apples. We grow a variety of apples so that you can try them all and enjoy exploring the delicious uses for them all. Our early apples were ready for harvesting mid August and include Zestar!, Red Free, & Ginger Gold. We are in full swing of our apple harvest and right now we have Zestar!, Sansa, Summer Rambo, Red free, Ginger Gold, Mollies Delicious, Red Gala, Yellow Gala and Honeycrisp, with more coming in season each week and available for picking in our fields or for sale in our markets.
Apples are loved for their portability and that they can be eaten in so many ways both cooked and raw, sweet or savory creating endless possibilities to enjoy them. Some helpful hints to add more fruits, specifically apples, into your regular meals is grating them raw into salads, breads, muffins, pancake batter to add sweetness and texture. You can also try cooking them to make sauces, fillings, jams and preserves which can accompany meats, cheeses along with complimentary root vegetables. However you choose to eat apples, your meals will benefit from the added nutrition, crunch and variety once introduced.
The apple industry has changed over the years with the introduction of growing dwarf apple trees from rootstock. This enables farmers and consumers alike to enjoy easier access for apple pickers with these shorter trees. There is also increased yield per acre and faster bearer fruit as opposed to previous apple production where you might have to wait ten years to begin to bear fruit on trees. Now with this new method of dwarf apple trees on rootstock we are able to produce fruit in 2-3 years which provides improved food access while diminishing food insecurity.
We hope you have the opportunity to try this easy recipe curated by our Culinary & Education Specialist, Miss Jenn, which features our beloved Honeycrisp apple. This apple along with many of the early varieties are best for snacking and eating out of hand or making into recipes. You won’t be able to resist that crisp sweet tart flavor of this delicious variety of apple!
Best wishes from our farm kitchen to yours!
