This weekend we all (J&S+R and P&K) went up to check out Cider Hill Farm on the recommendation of a friend of Sylvia’s. After a nice lunch of savory crepes at the Noshery in Amesbury Center, we were on our way. The weather was warm enough, and there was mist of varying lightness all afternoon. This orchard was not kidding when they included the word “hill” in their name! As the baby wearer, I was definitely aware of a lot of upping and downing over wet grass and dirt. This would have been much easier if the weather had been drier. The fields are labelled by row, but it was at times challenging to be sure you had the apple you thought you did. I wish the labelling had been better, but I’m pretty sure we figured it all out. We rounded out our trip with a visit to the chickens and goats (the chickens have a special underpass from the main chicken coop area to a field nearby!) and the farmstand, where we picked up apple donuts, cider, and a nice sized blue hubbard to keep us through the winter. The cider donuts are reputed to be the best, but I still would hold out for Smolak’s when they are freshly warm. The farmstand is “full service” with produce, grocery items, gifts, and – my favorite – labelled bins of apples. FROM NOW ON, Sylvia and I have resolved to check for bins like this when we go picking, because then we can just pick out the taster apples at the stand and then go picking for pie apples without having to use a map to find individual varieties.
Marking the apples in the field was not going to work this trip because everything was wet, so instead we took pictures of the apples and made notes about which picture went with which apple. It made for some detective work when we got home but was a good solution.
Pioneer Mac – Tasted 10/4/16
Everything’s small this year with the drought, so I don’t know if this was a typical size for a Pioneer Mac, but it was on the small side. It looks Mac-ish, red over brown/green with prominent cloudy white lenticels. Smells like a Mac. Flesh off white. Nice juicy flavor – sweet-tart and not too soft (but definitely not hard). A warm cidery taste. None of the powderyness that comes with an extrasoft Mac. Nice enough. Like.
Hudson’s Golden Gem – Tasted 10/4/16
A tall apple, almost rectangular. It has russeting over yellow-brown with sparse white lenticels. A spicy smell when cut. Flesh pale warm yellow. It has a potato-like firmness but is easily chewable. Tastes sweet with a tiny bit of tart to counteract it. Not super complex, but a nice eating apple. Like.
Snow Sweet – Tasted 10/5/16
Dark pinky red over yellow, with lenticels some of which are russety and some of which are pale white. The one I tasted had leaf shadows. I remember discovering that these are sun-prints where a leaf has shaded the apple and that area remains lighter. It’s really a cool effect. It has a tart scent. The flesh is white but the red of the skin did not “leak” into it, which rightly suggested that it wasn’t going to be too tanniny. Taste – oooh, surprisingly delicious! Juicy, a bit citrusy, with a nice bite feel (not too soft or hard). It is not a “oh, hmm I’ll try it some more,” but “I want more of that. Great first inpression. Love.
Carousel (Now known as Cameo)– Tasted 10/5/16
A big apple, shaped like a yellow delicious. It tan-yellow with red painted over it. The lenticels varied from sparse to tight over the apple. When cut it smells green-tart and the flesh is pale yellow-green. Tastes tart, but not very interesting. Not too hard or soft. Meh.
Jonaprince – Tasted 10/6/16
Largish apple with red painted over green and varied white lenticels. Odd weak scent, kindof savory, like chicken (?!? – but then Sylvia does say my nose is weird sometimes). Flesh pale brownish, juicy-looking. A total lack of citrus taste, bland, odd, sweetish. Meh.
Stay Brite – Tasted 10/6/16
Dusty medium apple, red over browny yellow with cloudy white lenticels. Smells Mac-ish when cut. Pale flesh. Nice tart taste with some sweet. Perfect biting hardness. A hard-candy-like intensity of flavor, nice texture. Love.
Jonamac – Tasted 10/9/16
Medium apple, reddy brown to deep red over green. Irregular green lenticels are especially noticeable over red areas. Smells mac-ish but sweeter. White flesh soft but not unpleasant to bite, white with no red in skin. Not much different in taste from a Mac. Sylvia says would be a good cooking apple. Like.
Gibson Golden – Tasted 10/9/16
Smallish green apple with a browny red blush and dark lenticels. Pale green-yellow flesh. Nice texture, nice hardness. Sweet sharp smell, juicy. Tastes sweet but not overdone, a bit citrusy. Sylvia added that it was juicy with a lovely texture. Like.
Newtown Pippen – Tasted 10/9/16
Small green apple with subtle darker green painted over, and also subtle lenticels. Pale green-yellow flesh. Hard. tart. Not much besides that. Meh.
Stay tuned for more apples to be added to this blog as I eat them!
thegardenerd 