Seasons
A guide to apple season in the Hudson Valley
When to come, which varieties to look for and how to pick an apple properly. Notes from our orchardist after a lifetime among the trees.
Walt Hendricks5 min read
The Hudson Valley has grown apples for more than three centuries. Our own orchard holds around 400 trees and 26 varieties, some planted by the farm's first family in the 1840s. Every autumn, guests ask the same questions, so here are the answers I give them.
When to come
Apple season runs from late August to late October, but each variety ripens at its own pace. Early apples are crisp and tart and do not keep long. Late apples are denser and sweeter, and many improve after a few weeks in a cool cellar.
- Late August: Paula Red and Ginger Gold, best eaten straight from the tree
- Mid September: McIntosh and Honeycrisp, the valley's most popular pair
- Late September: Macoun and Empire, ideal for snacking and pies
- October: Northern Spy, Esopus Spitzenburg and Golden Russet, for baking, cider and keeping
If you can only come once, aim for the last week of September. You will find the widest choice on the trees, and the leaves are just beginning to turn.
How to pick an apple
Do not pull. Cup the apple in your palm, lift it upward and give it a gentle twist. A ripe apple comes away easily with its stem attached. If you have to tug, it needs another week. Pulling damages the spur, the small branch that will carry next year's fruit.
Look for apples on the outside and top of the tree, where they get the most sun. They are usually the sweetest. Place them in your basket rather than dropping them, because bruised apples spoil quickly.
An apple tells you when it is ready. You just have to ask it gently.
Our Esopus Spitzenburg trees are my favourites. The variety was discovered a few miles from here in the 1700s and was said to be Thomas Jefferson's favourite apple. It is spicy, sharp and wonderful in a pie.
Guests are welcome to pick in our orchard every weekend in September and October. Bring your basket to the barn and we will help you press a jug of cider to take home. Keep your apples somewhere cool and dark, away from bananas, and the late varieties will stay crisp until Thanksgiving.
