Grandpap's Apple Orchard
Grandpap's Apple Orchard |
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| See also our orchard and the apple links at the bottom of the page:. |
Over a hundred years ago, my great grandfather, Joseph Henry Henderson, planted an orchard on his farm in the south-west corner of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, and just over the county line from Armstrong County. There were already a few apple trees near the house and one old tree growing by itself near the creek. It had small, bitter tasting, yellow fruit. Grandpap, perhaps in jest, called it their Johnny Appleseed tree. Johnny Appleseed did not believe in grafting, so all his trees were seedlings of unknown origins, and few were good for anything except making cider. Suggesting a tree was one Johnny Appleseed had planted was not a compliment.
My great grandfather planted an orchard of a hundred apple trees. He probably obtained his trees from a traveling entrepreneur selling bare-root whip orchard packages that included more than a dozen varieties. It is possible instead that he ordered the trees from a catalog, perhaps one from the Peter Henderson seed company. Peter Henderson, a well known and well respected horticulturalist in his day, is not related to my Henderson family, but my father tells me that his father always ordered from his catalog and his grandfather may have as well.
Grandpap maintained his father's original orchard and made significant changes, discontinuing some varieties, removing trees and adding others. One of his wife's cousins, Bob Fulton, was an expert in grafting apple trees and did much to enhance and improve the orchard. Behind his own house, Bob Fulton had a tree with eleven different varieties grafted to it. Sometime in the early 1920s Grandpap enhanced the enterprise by having an apple cave built into the side of a hill. It was reinforced with walls and a concrete slab for a roof. Fourteen different varieties were kept in the apple cave. There were more varieties than that grown in the orchard that were used in their season, but were poor keeping and not stored.
The apple business was a family operation. All the children had apple information grilled into them so they could serve customers. It wasn't enough that they could sell the apples; each child had to be able to recommend different apples. To this day, more than 75 years later, Dad has retained his memory for the apples and their qualities. The list of apple varieties on this page are those my father remembers from the orchard with his memory of their description.
Each apple variety was well suited for the Mid-Atlantic region, fit the early twentieth century standard for being commercially viable, but had a different quality and purpose. Grandpap judged the quality of an apple variety primarily on its use (favoring versility) and keeping quality. In the age before mechanical refrigeration and controlled atmosphere storage, an apple's natural keeping quality was one of its most important qualities. With a head for business and marketing, Grandpap also paid attenttion to flavor and appearance. My grandmother had her own opinion on the apples, having some favorites for pies and others for fresh applesauce. For canning it didn't matter. For apple butter and canned applesauce, she used whatever apples were in danger of spoiling.
Cider-making was a big event in the fall. It was always made with a blend of apples, but the base for most ciders were Baldwins.
The orchard was probably at its peak in number of vigorous trees during the 1920s and early 30s, when my father, Joseph R. Henderson, was growing up. Apple sales were a significant source of income, supplementing the Henderson dairy operation. Apples were sold as an addition to the dairy products along the milk route. They were also available to customers who came directly to the farm. When the dairy operation was expanded after World War II, the orchard became less important and the trees were no longer maintained. Today only a few of those apple trees remain.
My great-grandfather's neighber (and cousin) Thomas Hood planted an orchard with trees from the same agent (or catalog) at the same time. His son Cree Hood continued the orchard. Many years later my uncle Bob, fresh out of the army after World War II, bought the Hood farm, and he and his brother, my uncle Carl, spent several years and a lot of hard work and money trying to revive and expand the old orchard. Finally the year came when there were prospects for a good harvest so the orchard might begin to pay for itself. Unfortunately, a late frost killed off the blossoms and my uncles's hopes. They gave up on the orchard entirely, after that, my father told me.
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Variety (and links to images) |
Ripening Time (in Pa.) |
Origin |
Size and Color |
Notes Based on My
Father's Memories |
| Baldwin NY, ML, TM, VV |
Sept. to Oct. | near Lowell, Mass., before 1750 |
Large. Dark red predominant over yellow |
There were more Baldwin trees than any other variety. It was the apple most asked for by name. My grandpap liked the Baldwin because it had a pleasing appearance and good size, kept all winter, and was the most versatile apple, excellent for fresh eating and good for both cooking and baking. It had an excellent flavor, not too sweet nor too tart. |
| Banana (Winter Banana) TM, AT, ML, VV |
October | Case County, Ind., before 1880 |
Very large. Off-yellow with pinkish blush on one side |
Not a very popular apple, and only one tree was grown. It had an oddly sweet flavor and aroma. The fruit bruised easily and didn't keep long before turning mealy. Even with its odd flavor, it was primarily an eating apple; it wasn't very good cooked or baked. |
| October | Pennsylvania, before 1700 |
Medium. Yellow, striped and spotted with red |
About all Dad remembers about this apple is its name. | |
| October | Rhode Island, before 1700 |
Large. Yellow green |
It was simply called a Greening, so which variety of greening is not clear, but probably a Rhode Island Greening. It was favored for applesauce and pies. Since it was so tart, it was not an eating apple. A good keeper. | |
| Grimes Golden NY, TM, ML, AT, VV |
Late Sept. | Brooke County, WV, before 1805 |
Medium to Large. |
Another favorite apple. Sweet, not tart, and very flavorful. The trees were bountiful and full of apples. Some years, however, since the blossoms were more susceptible than others to damage by frost, they didn't get a crop. It was equally good for fresh eating, sauces, and baking into pies. They kept well, except for a tendancy for the skin to shrivel. |
| Jonathan
NY, AT, ML, VV DW |
Sept. | New York, before 1830 |
Small to medium. |
Although they had very good sweet-tart flavor, they were small and thick-skinned, so not good sellers. Since Jonathans don't store well, they weren't kept in the apple cellar. They were a much better fresh eating apple than for either sauces or baking. My Grandpap used them in a special way. They were the free apple he was willing to hand out to kids begging for apples while delivering milk and fruit to Iselin. |
|
Variety (and links to images) |
Ripening Time |
Origin |
Size and Color |
Notes Based on My
Father's Memories |
| King (Tompkins King or King of Tompkins County) TM, AT, HH, DW ML, VV |
October | near Jacksonville, NY, before 1805 |
Extra large. Red stripes over yellow |
Both Dad's and Grandpap's favorite eating apple. It was large and rich flavored -- sweeter than the Baldwin, with still a hint of tartness. The apple could get some members of the family in trouble because of size of the fruit. The younger ones couldn't finish one they started, and my grandpap would get upset when he found half eaten apples lying around. It was used for both fresh eating and cooking, but it was better for cooking when it not quite ripe. Not as good a keeper as the Baldwin. |
| McIntosh
VT, ML, AT, VV DW |
Sept. | Ontario, before 1800 |
Medium. Red blush over green and & yellow-white |
Because they were smaller in size and didn't keep long before turning mealy, they were not a top seller. My grandmother did like the McIntosh for baking. My dad remembers her saying, if you bring me some McIntoshes, I'll make some pies. |
| Northern Spy NY, ML, TM, AT, DW, VV |
Late Sept. to Oct. | East Bloomfield, NY, before 1800 | Red stripes over yellow |
My grandpap kept only a few trees of Spies, in contrast to his cousin, Cree Hood, who swore by the Northern Spy and had more of them than any other variety. Many customers considered the Spy the very best apple for pies and other baking. What my grandpap didn't like about the Northern Spy was that it bruised too easily, and that caused problems for both handling and keeping. He would remark that a high percentage of the Hoods' apples went to waste. Northern Spies were also more difficult to pick. Short stemmed, they had to be pulled off with a more elaborate twist. Though only a short extra time per apple, when picking many bushels, the time added up. |
| Pippin (probably Fall Pippin) NY, ML, |
Sept. | Uncertain. Before 1800 |
Large. Greenish yellow. |
Sweet, good for fresh eating, especially after mellowing, but not especially attractive. Dad only remembers Pippins being called just that, but since the fruits ripened earlier in the season than the storage and cider apples, it probably was the Fall Pippin. Becoming ripe when they did, they were good sellers for that part of the season. |
| [Summer] Rambo TM, ML, VV |
August | France, before 1600 |
Yellow green
|
Remembered fondly because it was one of the first apples to ripen in the summer. Highly flavored. My grandmother liked to use them to add flavor to pies and applesauce. Not one of Grandpap's commercial apples, since, as is true of most summer apples, they didn't keep well. This variety is different from the Rambo apple that is believed to have been introduced before 1700 by Peter Gunnarsson Rambo, one of the original settlers of New Sweden and one of our ancestors. It is not clear whether Rambo brought apple seeds or seedlings with him from Sweden. In contrast, the Summer Rambo is thought to be of French origin. Only North Americans corrupted the original name of Summer Rambour to Summer Rambo, probably because of the popularity of the Rambo, which was also called the Winter Rambo. The Summer Rambo, or Rambour d'Ete, is said to have originated in the village of Rambure in Picardy. |
| Rome Beauty NY, AT, ML, VV DW |
October | Ohio, before 1820 |
Large. Red stripes |
Beauty does have its own rewards. My grandpap liked to set out the Rome Beauty apples for display. They did attract attention, being large, and often perfectly round, and having a beautiful shape of red. They were a good seller, even though they were only average in flavor for eating apple or in cooking. One very good quality that Grandpap appreciated was that the fruit didn't bruise when it was dropped. |
| Russet (Roxbury) NY, AT, TM, ML, VV |
October | Massachusetts before 1650 | Medium. Russetting over reddish brown |
Good in cooking and excellent for flavoring cider, but not as good for eating fresh. Simply called the Russet, Dad remembers it was more reddish than yellow, so of the two most common russets of the time, Roxbury and Golden Russet, the Roxbury is more likely. The skin of the Roxbury is green and bronze with an occasional reddish blush, while the Golden skin varies from grey-green to golden bronze to coppery-orange. Both are coated with a variable amount of leathery russet. |
|
Variety (and links to images) |
Ripening Time |
Origin |
Size and Color |
Notes Based on My
Father's Memories |
| Sheepnose (Black Gilliflower) NY, TM, VV |
Sept. | Uncertain, probably Connecticut, before 1800 |
Large. Dark red with fainter red stripes. |
This was one of the best flavored apples, but not a crisp apple. There was only one tree, and it grew near the house, not part of the orchard. The apples were not sold commercially, and they got mushy and rotted quickly after they dropped. Its shape was elongated, so it did resemble a sheep's nose. |
| Stark TM |
October | Ohio, before 1870 | Medium. Dull red over yellow |
The Stark was a good apple, but neither exceptional in flavor nor appearance. It was a good keeper. Dad is not sure how Grandpap acquired the Stark trees. The Hendersons were the only orchard growers in those parts with them. Because of lack of competition, the uniqueness of the Starks meant they often won prizes at the county fair. |
| Stayman Winesap ML, VV DW |
October | Leavenworth, KS, before 1870 |
Large. Almost solid red |
Another good all purpose apple. Sweeter than the Baldwin, but with a pleasant aroma and a strong sweet and sour contrast. Early to blossom, but one of the last trees to ripen, some customers waited in long anticipation year year for them to go on sale. Another excellent keeping apple. |
| Wealthy ML, AT, VV |
Early Sept. | Minnesota, before 1860 |
Medium. Solid red when fully ripe |
Very juicy, with a good texture. The trees were very hardy and produced good all purpose apples. Since the fruit ripened sooner than the winter apples, they were the best selling apple until the Baldwins were picked. Since the fruit was small and less flavorful, even though its season extended longer than some of the other fall aples, when it had more competition later in the season, it did not sell as well. |
| Wolf River TM, ML, VV |
Late Aug. to Sept. | Wisconsin, before 1880 |
Huge. Red stripes over yellow |
The huge size of the Wolf River would catch everyone's attention, but unfortunately it was pretty dry and flavorless. When cooked, it shriveled down to nothing. Another downside was that it didn't store well. Grandpap didn't sell them, but, because of their size and appearance, he placed a Wolf River as a novelty right on top each bushel he sold. Mother could enter Wolf Rivers at the Indiana County Fair and count on winning first prize, since at the fair appearance not culinary aspects were judged. There was only one Wolf River tree and it was part of the old orchard. |
| Yellow Transparent VT, ML, AT, VV |
early August | Russia, before 1800 |
Medium. Yellow green |
Beloved because it was the first apple to ripen each year. It was only fair to eat fresh, but when there are no other apples around, the taste was pretty good. Not sold, but used by the family. Prized for applesauce by my grandmother. |
| York Imperial, AT, HH, ML, VV |
October | York, Pa., before 1830 |
Med. to Large. Yellow with brownish-red stripes |
Another apple that was featured in display, although some were distinctly "lop-sided." It kept better than the other varieties and didn't bruise. It stayed crisp over time. Its flavor was a bit bland, but its reputation was for its flavor to improve with age. |
| Variety (and links to images) |
Ripening Time |
Origin |
Size and
Color |
Notes Based on My Father's
Memories |
| Ben Davis NY, TM |
Late Sept. | unknown, probably Tennessee, Kentucky, or Virginia, before 1860 |
Yellow with red mottling |
The Ben Davis apple was considered a worthless apple, at least in that part of Pennsylvania. The apples were small, hard, dry, and tasteless. Its sole redeeming quality was its keeping quality. After one of Dad's uncles waited five years for his first apple trees to bear, he discovered they were not an assortment of commercial apples as had been claimed, but all Ben Davis instead. In disgust he chopped down every single one of the trees. [In Southern States the Ben Davis has had a better reputation.] |
| Maiden Blush NY, AT, HH, VV |
Aug. to Sept. | Burlington, NJ, before 1820 | Red cheeked or blushed over yellow |
Dad remembers his mother speaking fondly of the Maiden Blush tree that grew near her house when she was growing up. The fruits were very pretty with their blush of red on one side. However, none were grown in my Grandpap's orchard, since the fruit was too tender to be a commerical apple. |
| Smokehouse ML, TM, VV |
September | Lampeter, Lancaster County, Pa., before 1830 | Red shading over greenish-yellow |
The Smokehouse was another tree that grew near where Dad's mother's house. Smokehouse apples were a good, sweet, and faintly spicy. Dad doesn't know why Grandpap didn't include them in the orchard. |
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This page maintained by: John R. Henderson (jhenderson@ithaca.edu),
Ithaca College Library.
Last modified: December 11, 2007
Author: John R. Henderson, Ithaca College Library
URL: http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/apple.html
