Harvard orchards are selling 19 different apple varieties this week. Where did they originate? Some, such as Fuji, Macoun, and Empire, are “cultivars,” created by crossing varieties. But many grew from “chance seedlings.” According to multiple internet sources, the Red Delicious apple was born when a seedling sprouted between rows of other apple trees on Jesse Hiatt’s farm in Iowa. Although he chopped the unruly seedling down many times, it kept growing back, and he eventually gave in, finally entering and winning a contest with his new apple variety. In Australia, Maria Ann “Granny” Smith discovered a seedling that would bear her namesake apple in her compost pile. In Massachusetts, Baldwin apples originated from a chance seedling on a farm in Wilmington, and the oldest cultivated apple in the country, Roxbury Russet, was first bred in what was then the town of Roxbury, now a Boston neighborhood.
Carlson Orchards, 115 Oak Hill Road
Pick-your-own apples is over for the season. Braeburn, Cortland, Northern Spy, Cameo, Jonagold, Empire, Granny Smith, Fuji, Mutsu, Pink Lady, Baldwin, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Evercrisp, McIntosh, Macoun, and Gala apples available in the store, along with regular and hard cider. Brookdale Fruit Farm’s butternut and acorn squash also available in the store, and Brookdale’s pumpkins, gourds, and Indian corn available outside the store (to the left).
Doe Orchards, 327 Ayer Road
Pick-your-own Macoun, Empire, Granny Smith, Delicious, Cortland, and McIntosh apples. At the stand are half or full pecks of Honeycrisp, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Cortland, and McIntosh apples, along with gourds, cider, and apple firewood. Hours will change to 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when Daylight Saving Time end.
Old Frog Pond Farm, 38 Eldridge Road
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, half pound bags of arugula, garlic, and raspberry jam at the stand. All produce is certified organic.
Westward Orchards, 178 Massachusetts Avenue
Pick-your-own apples and pick-your-own pumpkins are done for the season. Honeycrisp, Roxbury Russet, Baldwin, McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Jonaprince, Macoun, Empire, and Cortland apples, as well as cider, are available in the store. Quince, plums, and Bartlett, Bosc, and Seckel pears are also available in the store, along with peppers (bell and hot), Brussels sprouts, leeks, celery root, beets, kale, kale sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, potatoes, and winter squash, including buttercup, honey cup, sunshine, delicata, and spaghetti. Pumpkins available outside the store.
Willard Farm, 218 Still River Road
Red Norland, Green Mountain, and Yukon Gold potatoes, winter squash, including butternut, buttercup, delicata, acorn, carnival, red kuri, blue Hubbard, and a long green Italian variety of squash called cucuzza. Pumpkins, including pie pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, hot peppers, and ornamental edible pepper plants.
All produce listed is Harvard-grown unless otherwise noted. Brookdale Fruit Farm is in Hollis, New Hampshire.
—Compiled by Joan Eliyesil
