One of the best things about fall is the apple harvest. Whenever we can, we visit the apple orchards to get the best and freshest apples. You can find apples, often heirloom types, at an orchard that you can never find in a store. And if you hunt around, you can find a dizzying array of varieties. To help you sort through all these varieties and choose which apple is best for your intended purpose, we have put together a great “Apple Reference Chart”. We think it is the best table available.
But before we get to that, let us tell you what our favorites are. For eating, we think Honey Crisp is the clear winner early in the season. Late in the season, it’s hard to beat a Braeburn fresh from the tree. For baking, we like Jonathan and the Pippins.
Original Apple Chart
More Apple Chart
Apple Reference Chart cont. | ||
Apple | Harvest | Eating/Cooking |
Viking | Early August | Eating, cooking |
Beacon | August | Eating, cooking |
Paula Red | August | |
Wealthy | August | Eating, cooking |
Zestar | August | Eating |
Snow Sweet | August | Eating, cooking |
Folwell | August | Eating, cooking |
McIntosh | September | Eating, cooking |
Lakeland | September | Eating, cooking |
Cortland | September | Eating, cooking |
Jonathan | September | Eating, cooking |
Redwell | September | Eating, cooking |
Haralson | October | Eating, cooking |
Fireside | October | Eating |
Prairie Spy | October | Eating, cooking |
Honey Gold | October | Eating, cooking |
Regent | October | Eating, cooking |
Honey Crisp | September | Eating |