TODAY IN THE ORCHARD

Today Laura and I collected apples for the huge apple display at the Common Ground Fair. We hope that we’ll see you there. A number of us apple nerds will be hanging out by the display all three days, talking about apples and attempting to ID the many mysteries that fair-goers bring with them. The apple display is in its own tent this year, next to the Hayloft Ag speaking tent and right near the Fedco tent. Look for the Hayloft or Fedco and you’ll find us.
Later, Laura, Cammy, Sean and I tasted several new selections sent to us by apple breeder Ike Kerschner of North Star Orchards in Pennsylvania. This was the second batch of apples Ike has sent us this fall. We tasted seven numbered selections. The clear winner was #81. It has a distinctive flavor, reminiscent of Frostbite (MN 447). The apple is also perfectly textured, beautiful, multi-colored, russetted and lumpy. Just my kind of apple. Maybe we’ll see it growing at Super Chilly Farm sometime in the next few years.