Have you ever tried a truly ripe Granny Smith apple? If you have only eaten one from the grocery store, probably not. Most commercially grown apples are picked early, weeks before ripeness, and stored in CO2 controlled cold storage facilities, to prevent ripening and spoilage.

When ripe, a Granny Smith apple will mellow from its characteristically bright green skin to a yellow-green with a subtle blush. Studies have concluded that cool nights followed by warm days when UVB and light is incident on the fruit skin will bring about blush formation.

Granny Smith in the Hudson Valley are usually optimally ripe, with best flavor, the first week or so into November. This is usually weeks beyond typical apple season, another reason why people tend to pick them too early. We resist as they are worth the wait!

We will also open two additional wonderful late season apples:

Winecrisp is a true "dessert apple", decadently dense with a firm, crisp sweetness.

Cripps Pink aka Pink Lady® is a sweet-tart apple, high in both sugar and acid, with a crisp bite and effervescent finish. Its beautiful, bright white flesh is slow to oxidize, making it ideal for snacks and salads.

Come celebrate and pick this amazing apple, 10am until dusk. We’ll also have a pop-up food vendor, bonfires, s’mores, warm drinks and likely some new release cider and wine offerings at the Taproom!

(Image below courtesy of apple database, Pomiferous.com)