Fox Hill

This wild seedling was discovered by John Bunker along the Nutting Road in Perham (Aroostook County) Maine in 1998. Since John found it, he got to pick a name so he named it for the Fox family who were living on a hill above the road. The Fox place was the homestead where one of John's apple mentors, Garfield King, grew up. Garfield eventually moved to Fort Kent where he taught school and was an administrator for many years. In his spare time he combed the old farms of the County, discovering old apples and other fruits. John and Garfield's adventures together are described in John's new book, Apples and the Art of Detection.

The Fox Hill apple is considered a Duchess-type. It might well be a seedling of Duchess, the quintessential Arootstook apple. Fox Hill is about the size of Duchess--or McIntosh--and colored mostly yellow with a few thin red stripes. It ripens in mid-September in central Maine. It is extremely hardy and reliably bearing.

Fox Hill is aromatic and juicy. When you bite in, the flavors envelop you. They are fruity and tropical. They will transport you to a Caribbean Island, far from the County. It is hard to believe that so much sensation can be packed into this plain looking fruit. Truly a surprise. If you must cook it, it should make a quick and delicious sauce like its Duchess relatives.