Briggs’ Auburn

"Briggs' Auburn, this is a native and prime apple, is a fall apple, but has been kept till March." Maine Farmer 4/13/1854

I first came across this apple in a small, abandoned, roadside orchard in Waldo (Maine) in about 1983. For the next thirty years I wondered about its identity. In the meanwhile, I grafted branches on a couple of our trees in Palermo and began to get to know the large, round-oblate, clear yellow fruit with its glowing greenish shading and a slight blush.

In 2001, using USDA watercolors from the period, as well as old written descriptions, I began to suspect that the apple might be Briggs' Auburn. Briggs' originated on the farm of Thomas Record on the Androscoggin River in Auburn, Maine, and it was introduced by John Criggs of Auburn sometime before 1850. It was common in western Maine for several decades into the 20th century. My search for Briggs led me to a number of old trees in the Auburn area, including one on the oldest farm in Minot, that is close to the site of the first tree. In the last year I have been working with apple geneticist Cameron Peace of Washington State University to unravel the true identity of this and other apples. In the case of Briggs’ it appears that I may have have been incorrect. The apple may not be Briggs. It may be Naked Limbed Greening or it may be Northwestern Greening. (A rose by any other name?)

Regardless, it's a wonderful apple and a favorite on the farm. It's an all-purpose apple with chewy skin and a bright, well-balanced flavor including hints of banana and blackberry. We consider it good for dessert and very good for cooking. Peel it and it’s highly aromatic. Briggs' produces a thick, creamy, golden yellow, apple sauce that requires no sugar. It's excellent in oatmeal. In a pie the slices lose their shape, but the crust won’t sink, and pie doesn’t get watery.