last of the storage apples :)

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This afternoon, I made a big pie & have two bowls of slices ready for more baking. There's about a peck & a half which I'll move to the upstairs fridge shortly. The spare fridge is turned off for the season. Sue

[fireweed farm]

What variety kept longest?

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I still had Jonafrees, Arkblacks & a Red (I forget if the tree is Paula or Ida Red.) The latter wrinkle a little, but few spoil if kept chilled. The Arkblacks are even still a little crunchy , but more of them will get a rot spot. Sue

[ldc]

I picked the first couple dozen of 2 unknown green variety summer apples here this a.m.!!!! And the OP still has some left from last fall??? WOW! ldc

[Common Tator]

ldc, there aren't too many varieties that ripen in Spring. You probably have either Anna or Dorsett. I have both varieties in my yard at the house in the Burbs in Orange County California. We have no real winter here and warm weather most of the year. Now that those trees are mature, we get two crops per year. One in the Spring, and one in Fall.

Most varieties of apples need a certain number of freezing hours per year, which varies by variety. At our ranch in the mountains we have a 100 year old apple orchard with old fashioned varieties, Rome, McIntosh, Winesap, Stayman and a few others. The only reason they grow in Southern California, is because our ranch is at about 5700 feet elevation, and we do get real winters up there.

A friend of ours has done a great deal of research on warm weather apple varieties, and has written books and started his own small nursery. http://kuffelcreek.wordpress.com/