2024 CSA PROGRAM

2024 CSA UPDATES

Week of November 11, 2024

Drumlin Farm

Rhode Island Greening, Newtown Pippin, and Fuji Apples (see below for description)

Rhode Island Greening is an excellent pie and all-around cooking apple. It has a green peel and a flesh that is greenish-white with a tart flavor. This heirloom variety is a good substitute for Granny Smith. Mr. Green, an innkeeper in Green’s End, Rhode Island, discovered this apple in the 1600s. It was a favorite among American colonists, and one of the three most popular apples in the early 1900s, with Baldwin and Northern Spy.

Newtown Apples-typically light green, sometimes with a yellow tinge. It is often russeted around the stem. The flesh is yellow and crisp. The flavor is complex and somewhat tart, and requires storage to develop properly; some sources ascribe to it a piney aroma. Green and yellow varieties are sometimes distinguished but it is not clear that they are in fact distinct cultivars. It is one of the best keeping apples.

Week of November 4, 2024

Drumlin Farm

Pink Lady, Gold Rush or SunCrisp (see below for description)

Pink Lady-a firm, crisp, tart and honey-sweet apple with a beautiful pink flush over its green peel. Prized as a fresh-eating apple, it is also a good cooking and sauce apple. Cripps Pink apples require a long growing season, so they are not ready for picking until mid- to late October.

GoldRush is as rich in color as it is in taste. Its skin is gold, often mixed with some red and green, and its combination of sweet and tart make it a spicy, complex treat. This crunchy, aromatic apple is a late-season variety, ready for picking in October. An excellent keeper, GoldRush is an all-purpose apple. Golden Delicious is the seed parent of GoldRush, with crosses of Siberian crab apple, Winesap, Melrose, and Rome Beauty. Its development began in 1945, but it took until 1973 for the first seedling to be planted at Purdue University by the cooperative breeding program of the Indiana, Illinois, and New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Stations. GoldRush was released in 1993 and given its name for its golden color and rush of delicious flavor.

Week of October 28, 2024

Drumlin Farm

Mutsu and Fuji Apples (see below for descriptions)

Week of October 20, 2024

Drumlin Farm

Fuji (see below) and SpiGold

SpiGold Apples– are a large, crisp, juicy, and sugary apple, similar in flavor to Golden Delicious. It keeps for about three months, if properly stored. Some say the taste improves and becomes more complex with time in storage.

Week of October 14, 2024

Waltham Fields Community Farm

Fuji and Red Delicious Apples (see below for descriptions)

Newton Community Farm

Fuji and SunCrisp Apples-see below for descriptions

Drumlin Farm

Fuji and Red Delicious Apples

Fuji Apples have some sweetness from its Red Delicious parent, but it is denser and more complex. Its flesh is firm, crisp and juicy. Author Frank Browning includes Fuji in his list of 20 Prize Apples in his book Apples. Fuji is an excellent fresh eating apple, and it is good dried. It’s also a great keeper, maintaining its quality Fuji has its origins in Japan, where it was developed in 1930 and released in 1939. Some say it was named after Mount Fuji, Japan’s most sacred mountain, but it is more likely the apple was named after Fujisaki, the location of the research center where it was developed. Fuji is grown in great quantities in China and Japan, but discerning fruit lovers can find fresh Fujis here in New England. Fuji is a cross between Ralls Janet, an heirloom variety from Virginia, and Eastern Red Delicious.

Red Delicious Apples are excellent keepers, known for the consistency of its texture, bright red color, and conical shape. It is a sweet apple, lightly aromatic with a firm, cream-colored flesh. It is a little juicier and sweeter ripening under New England’s long summer days and crisp fall nights. Red Delicious is best eaten fresh, in salads, and in fruit compotes. Discovered in Peru, Iowa, in the 1870s, Red Delicious was initially called Hawkeye. The apple was renamed in 1893 after C. M. Stark bit into one and said, “My that’s delicious–and that’s the name for it!”

Week of October 7, 2024

Waltham Fields Community Farm Saturday Pickup

Kendall, Mutsu,(see below for description) and IdaRed Apples (see description below)

Kendall is a large round apple, oblate with next to no ribbing. Its blush is the streaky red of the Mac family over green, with many large light lenticels. That blush can be a saturated pretty red in spots. Its shiny peel suggests natural wax. Inside, green-white flesh is medium coarse and juicy, a bit tender. Kendall’s flavors are mild and sweet, with vinous notes, berries, and hints of plums and watermelon-flavored candy. Compared to McIntosh Kendall is bigger, less tart, less crisp, and less complex, but it is clearly a member of the family.

Autumn Hills Orchard

Mutsu, (see below) IdaRed (see below) and SpiGold Apples and Bosc Pears (see below)

SpiGold Apples-a large, crisp, juicy, and sugary apple, similar in flavor to Golden Delicious. It keeps for about three months when properly stored. This large apple might also have been named Synergy for the way it borrows from and improves upon its genetic donors, Northern Spy and Golden Delicious. Within a relatively short period of time Spigold has won a large following. It offers an excellent combination of Spy’s crisp, sprightly flesh and the slightly herbal aromatic sweetness of its golden-hued parent. The result is a complex flavor that makes this apple stand out even in taste tests of a hundred varieties .

Waltham Fields Community Farm Wednesday Pickup

IdaRed and SunCrisp Apples (see below for description)

Newton Community Farm

IdaRed and Spencer Apples (see below for description)

Drumlin Farm-Mutsu and IdaRed Apples

IdaRed-with its bright crimson peel, is a large, crisp apple when first picked, with good flavor that becomes sweeter and more complex over time. After weeks or months in cold storage, it becomes a superb apple for sauce, pies, or as part of a cider blend. Its aromatic white flesh holds its shape when cooked, too.

Mutsu Apples-are an excellent dessert, salad, and cider apple. It has a sweet, light flavor when cooked, and it holds its shape well. Mutsu can grow quite large (a pie may require as few as three apples). Its skin is yellow with a slight orange blush, and the flesh is white to pale yellow. Mutsu has its origins in Japan, where it is a major variety. Mutsu was developed in 1930, from a Golden Delicious crossed with Indo, a Japanese seedling, and it was introduced in the United States in 1948.

Week of September 30. 2024

Waltham Fields Community Farm Saturday pickup

SunCrisp Apples (see below for description) and Potomac Pears

Potomac Pears-a sweet-tart fruit, Potomac has moderate sized, light green fruit with a buttery, fine textured flesh. The flavor is pleasingly subacid with a mild aroma.

Autumn Hills Orchard

Red Delicious, Spencer (see below for description), and SunCrisp apples, and Bosc Pears (see below for description)

Red Delicious Apples-are an excellent keeper known for the consistency of its texture, bright red color, and conical shape. It is a sweet apple, lightly aromatic with a firm, cream-colored flesh. Red Delicious grown in New England typically are a little smaller and have a more knobby end than its western cousin. It is a little juicier and sweeter ripening under New England’s long summer days and crisp fall nights. Red Delicious is best eaten fresh, in salads, and in fruit compotes.

SunCrisp Apples-are a large, juicy, yellow apple with orange-red striping and a yellow, crisp, and sweet-tart flesh making it a good fresh eating and cider apple. It ripens in October and can be kept for a few months. SunCrisp is a newer apple whose parentage includes Cox’s Orange Pippin, Cortland, and Golden Delicious.

Waltham Fields Community Farm (Wednesday pickup) and Newton Community Farm

Macoun Apples and Bosc Pears (see below)

Drumlin Farm

Spencer Apples and Bosc Pears

Spencer Apples-are large, handsome, solid red or red blush over green, sweet-tart apples with crisp, juicy, greenish-white flesh. Although prized as fresh-eating apples, Spencers are excellent pie and sauce apples, as well. Spencers are not noted for a lengthy storage life, so enjoy them close to harvest.

Bosc Pears-have a long tapering neck and lengthy stem. Shaped like no other pear and ranging from deep yellowish-brown to dark tan, its tender skin is brushed with bronze-russet markings. The dense crunchy flesh of this pear is sweetly spicy. Bosc pears are sweeter and more flavorful earlier in the ripening process than other pear varieties. As a result, the complex flavor, honey-sweetness, and juiciness of Bosc can be enjoyed before their flesh has fully softened.

Week of September 23, 2024

Autumn Hills CSA

Macoun, Kendall, (see below for descriptions) and Empire Apples

Empire Apples -What do you get when you cross a Red Delicious with a McIntosh? An Empire, an apple variety sweeter than a Mac and more tart than a Delicious, with juicy, firm, white flesh that does not easily bruise. Empire is a high-quality dessert apple and good for all culinary uses. It has a striking, deep red skin brushed with gold and green.

Waltham Fields Community Farm (Wednesday pickup), Newton Community Farm, and Drumlin Farm

Macoun and Kendall Apples

Macoun is a medium to large-sized apple, deep red over a green base. Many consider Macoun the best tasting apple, especially fresh from the tree. Macoun has become especially esteemed by connoisseurs in the Northeast for its crispy, juicy white flesh and rich, complex flavors of strawberry and spices. With its great flavor and distinctive boxy shape, Macoun is in great demand when it ripens in late September.

Kendall Apples-inside, green-white flesh is medium coarse and juicy, a bit tender. Kendall’s flavors are mild and sweet, with vinous notes, berries, and hints of plums and watermelon-flavored candy. Compared to McIntosh Kendall is bigger, less tart, less crisp, and less complex, but it is clearly a fan favorite. Great to eat raw, but also makes a great dessert apple.

Week of September 16, 2024

Waltham Fields Community Farm Saturday Pickup

HoneyCrisp Apples, (see below for description) Kendall Apples, and Italian Plums (see below for description)

Autumn Hills Orchard

Honey Crisp Apples (see below for description), Crimson Crisp Apples, and Italian Plums (see below for description)

Crimson Crisp-Apples have an unforgettable crunch. It is a great flesh eating apple, with a tart flavor with spice-filled undertones and nuances of caramel, melons, and oranges. With proper storage, the Crimson Crisp will last longer than other apples.

Newton Community Farm

Honey Crisp Apples and Italian Plums (see below for description)

Waltham Fields Community Farm

Honey Crisp Apples and Bartlett Pears (see below for description)

Drumlin Farm

Honey Crisp Apples (see below) and Bartlett Pears (See Below)

Week of September 9, 2024

Waltham Fields Community Farm Saturday pickup

Cortland (see below) and Honey Crisp Apples, Encore Peaches, and Pluots

Honey Crisp Apples-crisp, bright, sweet apple with a pleasant crisp crunch and is intoxicatingly juicy. Their unique mix of light berry, trace of acidity, and syrupy honey sweetness make them a favorite among kids and chefs alike. Honeycrisp are especially excellent paired with a rich, salty cheese such as blue cheese or Gruyere, alongside a toasty Chardonnay. Snacking, salads, sliced in grilled cheese sandwiches, baked in pies or desserts, this apple is incredibly versatile and a winner in just about every way.

Autumn Hills Orchard

Encore Peaches, Bartlett Pears (see below), and Cortland Apples

Encore Peaches-are a specific variety of peaches known for their late-season harvest and excellent flavor. Encore peaches typically have a yellow to orange skin with a red blush on one side, making them visually appealing. What sets them apart is their sweet and juicy flesh, which is known for its excellent flavor. Encore peaches are celebrated for their balance of sweetness and slight tartness, making them suitable for a variety of culinary uses.They are commonly enjoyed fresh, used in desserts like pies and tarts, or transformed into jams and preserves.

Cortland Apples-bright red, with a crisp white flesh that is incredibly juicy with a sweet-tart flavor. Like the , the Cortland is a soft apple, though not quite as soft as a McIntosh; however unlike the McIntosh, the Cortland apple can be used in many ways, from eating, baking, to cooking. An interesting characteristic of Cortland is that the flesh does not go brown very rapidly after being cut.

Waltham Fields Community Farm and Newton Community Farm

McIntosh Apples (see below) and Bartlett Pears (see below for description)

Week of September 2, 2024

Waltham Fields Community Farm Saturday Pickup

McIntosh Apples, Bartlett Pears, and Italian Plums (see below for description)

Autumn Hills Orchard

McIntosh Apples, Bartlett Pears, and Italian Plums (see below)

McIntosh Apples-the color will vary, depending on the amount of sunlight exposure mixed with the time of season the fruits are harvested, but the surface also frequently showcases white lenticels and a smooth matte texture. Underneath the skin, the white to green-tinged flesh is dense, aqueous, and fine-grained with a crisp but soft and tender consistency. McIntosh apples are aromatic, emitting a honeyed, fruity, and spice-filled fragrance, and the flesh is sweet-tart with an old-fashioned apple cider taste

Bartlett Pears are the only pears that have a true pyriform, or pear shape, which has a rounded large bottom half and tapers to a smaller curved neck. The flesh is aromatic, moist, cream-colored to ivory. Bartlett pears are crunchy, tart, and slightly gritty, but when allowed to sit out and fully ripen, they develop a juicy, smooth, buttery texture with a sweet flavor.

Newton Community Farm and Waltham Fields Community Farm

Ginger Gold (see below) and Paulared Apples (see below), Italian Plums, (see below) and Pluots (see below)

Drumlin Farms

Ginger Gold Apples (see below), Pluots (see below) and Italian Plums

Italian Plums-feature dark purple skin. These oval fruits are super sweet and perfect for fresh eating and canning, and are also well known for drying into delectable prunes! The freestone flesh is a yellowish-green when fresh and turns a gorgeous red wine hue when cooked. Many people wait all year for these gems to make a famous torte recipe from the New York Times!

Week of August 26, 2024

Autumn Hills Orchard

Ginger Gold and Paula Red Apples (see below), Sweet’n up and Sugar Giant Peaches, European Plums, (see below) and Pluots

Sweet’n up Peaches-are Beautiful, red-blushed yellow fruits. One of the best flavored peaches you will taste, ultra sweet and juicy. Fruit is yellow, melting-flesh of excellent dessert-quality flavor, and of large size.

Sugar Giant Peaches-have melting flesh. It’s a freestone. It also has white flesh and it’s a subacid type which means that the taste on your tongue is not tangy. It’s mellow, very sweet, kind of like honey. It was developed by Zaiger Genetics in Modesto, California. It was patented in 1993. Because the patent is still effective, you have to buy trees from a licensed propagator.

Pluots– are a member of the stone fruit family. They are a hybrid fruit developed in the late 80s that are 75% plum and 25% apricot. They resemble plums with smooth skin, and a similar shape and texture. If you’ve never tasted a pluot you’re in for a treat! The flavor is intense, and I say that in the best way possible! Pluots don’t have the bitter taste that you can sometimes find with plums. Instead, their flavor is brimming with sweetness.

Newton Community Farm and Waltham Fields Community Farm

Ginger Gold, (see below) Gloria Peaches, European Plums (see below)

Gloria Peaches-Gloria peaches are large, yellow-fleshed freestone peaches with red skin over a gold background. They are firm, low in acid, and high in sugar, with a sweet, aromatic taste. Gloria peaches are a mid-season selection that ripen about four weeks after Redhaven peaches, and are excellent for dessert. They are also good for eating, canning, drying, cooking, and making jams and jellies.

Drumlin Farms

Gravenstein Apples, Earnie’s Peaches, and Asian Pears

Gravenstein Apples– ian heirloom apple with a thin skin and a juicy, sweet flavor. It is prized for its culinary use, especially in pies, sauces, and ciders. Gravenstein’s history is not certain, but it may have originated in Denmark in 1669. Gravenstein is the German name for the town of Gråsten in southern Denmark. It may be one of four Russian apples imported to the United States by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in the 1800s.

Eernie’s Choice Peaches-a firm, yellowfleshed, freestone peach with a high percentage of red overcolor on a bright yellow ground color.

Asian Pears-crisp like an apple, not soft and mushy, probably why one of the nicknames is, Apple Pear. They have a bit of a grainy texture, and are incredibly juicy, because of the high water content. The ripe ones are also sweet.

Week of Augut 19. 2024

Autumn Hills Orchard

Ginger Gold Apples, RedHaven Peaches, and European Plums

Ginger Gold Apples are one of the first commercial apple varieties to ripen each year. They were discovered as a chance seedling growing in an orchard in Virginia in the late 20th century. They are crisp and flavorful — especially for an early “summer” apple. Ginger Golds are attractive, aromatic and have a gingery-sweet to mildly tart flavor. They are bright golden-green with flesh that is fine-textured, crisp and creamy white. This apple is great for snacks, salads and especially baking in pies.

Red Haven Peaches-have almost fuzzless skin and a firm, yellow textured creamy flesh. It was first introduced in 1940 and was created by Dr. Stanley Johnston of Michigan State University. It is fantastic fresh, but also good for canning and baking, as because it is a freestone peach, it is easy to slice up and remove the pit.

Euorpean Plum-It’s also known as the common plum, prune plum, or plum. European plums are thought to have originated in the Caucasus and Caspian Sea region and are at least 2,000 years old. Some characteristics of European plums-The fruit is fleshy and oval or spherical, and can vary in size up to 3 in across. The fruit can be purple and has a hard-covered seed, or stone, in the middle. The pulp is usually sweet, but some varieties can be sour.

Drumlin Farm

Ginger Gold Apples, StarFire Peaches, European Plums

StarFire Peaches–An excellent free stone peach, with red-blushed yellow skin and firm, sweet, yellow flesh. Due to the great quality and taste, they are ideal for eating, but also great for canning and freezing. Redhaven peaches were developed in the 1930s and released in the 1940s, making it the first commercial red-skinned peach variety. It is now one of the most commonly grown peaches in the world!

Week of August 12, 2024

Drumlin Farm

Paula Red Apples and StarFire Peaches

Paula Red Apples-If you like tart apples, then a bite from a Paul Red boasts a sweet tart flavor with a hint of strawberry and pear. It is one of the earliest varieties to be harvested, and the first taste of fall for apple lovers. The firm flesh makes this apple great for eating raw. It also makes a great cooking apple.

Week of August 5, 2024

Drumlin Farm

Silver Gem Nectarines, Shiro Plums (yellow) and Queen Rosa Plums

Silver Gem Nectarines-medium in size with excellent color and firmness. The fruit is 80% red with a cream-colored background and a pleasant balance of sugars and acid.

Shiro (yellow) Plums-oval-shaped stonefruit that are a golden-yellow in color when ripe. They grow to around 2.5 centimeters in diameter. Shiro plums ripen from green to yellow, sometimes with a faint pink blush. The outer skin is thin and tart in taste. The inner skin is golden-yellow and semi-transparent. It is soft, juicy and moderately sweet with very little acidity. Shiro plums have a single inner seed or pit. They are classified as clingstones, which means that removing the stone requires a little work. Shiro plums may be eaten fresh out of hand. They also are good in desserts such as tarts and pies. They are commonly used to make preserves and jams.

Queen Rosa Plums–a popular fruit that are often round and have a deep red skin. They are sweet and juicy, and are often eaten fresh, but can also be used for cooking and baking. Queen Rosa plums are a good source of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C and potassium

Week of October 16, 2023

Autumn Hills Orchard

Thursday pickup-Golden Delicious, Spencer, and Suncrisp Apples

Friday pickup–Golden Delicious, Spencer, Ida Red and Suncrisp Apples

Golden Delicious, Ida Red and Spencer-see description below

Suncrisp-Suncrisp is a large, juicy, yellow apple with orange-red striping and a yellow, crisp, and sweet-tart flesh making it a good fresh eating and cider apple. It ripens in October and can be kept for a few months. Suncrisp is a newer apple whose parentage includes Cox’s Orange Pippin, Cortland, and Golden Delicious.

Waltham Fields Community Farm

Saturday pickup-HoneyCrisp, Idared, and Suncrisp Apples-see below for description

Wednesday pickup-HoncyCrisp, Idared, and Spencer Apples-see below for apple descriptions

Newton Communcity Fiarm

HoneyCrisp, Idared, and Golden Delicious Apples (see below for apple descriptions)

Week of October 9, 2023

Waltham Fields Community Farm (Saturday pickup)

Spencer and Idared Apples, Bosc Pears

Spencer and Idared Apples-see below for description

Bosc Pears-see below for description

Autumn Hills Orchard

HoneyCrisp, Golden Delicious and Idared Apples, Bosc and Potomoc Pears

HoneyCrisp (see below for description)

Golden Delicious-Though not related to Red Delicious, Golden Delicious shares its shape and many of its leading characteristics. Like the Red, Golden Delicious is a sweet, medium-to-large apple, with pear-like flavor. It is an excellent keeper. Golden Delicious has a greenish-yellow skin that turns gold, and its yellow flesh is crisp and juicy. Apple writer Frank Browning included Golden Delicious in his list of “20 prized apples” in his book Apples (1998, North Point Press), praising it as “exceptionally juicy” and because its flesh holds up when cooked. A good all-purpose apple, Golden Delicious excels as a dessert, salad, and cider apple.

Idared–Idared, with its bright crimson peel, is a large, crisp apple when first picked, with good flavor that becomes sweeter and more complex over time. After weeks or months in cold storage, it becomes a superb apple for sauce, pies, or as part of a cider blend. Its aromatic white flesh holds its shape when cooked, too. Idared was developed and released in 1942 by Leif Verner, then head of horticulture at the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station in Moscow, Idaho. The apple’s name is derived from its state of origin, Idaho, and its brilliant red color. Idared is a cross between Jonathan and Wagener apples.

Newton Community Farm and Waltham Fields Community Farm

Macoun and Rhode Island Greening Apples, and Bosc Pears

Macoun and Bosc Pears-see below for description

Rhode Island Greening-Rhode Island Greening is an excellent pie and all-around cooking apple. It has a green peel and a flesh that is greenish-white with a tart flavor. This heirloom variety is a good substitute for Granny Smith. Usually it is ready for picking in September, but sweetens on the tree if picked in October.

Upswing Farm Tuesday and Thursday pickup

Bosc Pears, Kendall and Spencer Apples-see below for description

(Week of October 2, 2023

Upswing Farm (Thursday pickup)

Macoun and Spencer Apples (see below for description)

Autumn Hills Orchard

Bosc Pears, Nova Spy Apples and Spencer Apples

Bosc Pears-Your Bosc Pear will have a unique taste and texture; Slightly acidic and lightly spicy – Tantalizing your taste buds and bringing you back for more. The white flesh of the Bosc is firm but juicy, crunchy and yet tender . . . it is perfect for eating fresh and fabulous for cooking.

Nova Spy Apples-See below for description

Spencer Apples-Spencer is a large, handsome, solid red or red blush over green, sweet-tart apple with crisp, juicy, greenish-white flesh. Although prized as fresh-eating apples, Spencers are excellent pie and sauce apples, as well. Spencers are not noted for a lengthy storage life, so enjoy them close to harvest in October. Developed in 1926, and commercially released in 1959 by the British Columbia Experimental Station in Summerland, British Columbia, Canada, Spencer is a cross between McIntosh and Golden Delicious.

Newton Community Farm and Waltham Fields Community Farm

Cortland and Kendall Apples

Cortland Apples-see description listed below

Kendall Apples-Inside, green-white flesh is medium coarse and juicy, a bit tender. Kendall’s flavors are mild and sweet, with vinous notes, berries, and hints of plums and watermelon-flavored candy. Compared to McIntosh Kendall is bigger, less tart, less crisp, and less complex, but it is clearly a member of the family.

Upswing (Tuesday pickup)

Macoun, Nova Spy, Wolf River

Macoun-see below for description

Nova Spy-The apple is large, red, crisp, and juicy. Its parentage includes Golden Delicious and Northern Spy, and it has the expected sweetness of Golden Delicious, but this is countered by the sharp tang of Northern Spy. This sweet-tart balance has hints of vanilla. Nova Spy stores well and is an excellent processing apple.

Wolf River-Wolf River is a large apple, weighing as much as one pound apiece. It is an outstanding cooking apple, and good in cider as well. Its pale yellow skin is covered in dull red, its flesh juicy and tender with a tart flavor. An unusual characteristic of Wolf River is that it can grow true from seed. It does not store well. Wolf River dates back to about 1875, discovered along the river that gave it its name in Fremont, Wisconsin. It is a probable seedling of a Russian apple, Alexander.

Week of September 25, 2023

Autumn Hills Orchard

Macoun, Cortland, and Cox’s Orange Pippin (see below for descriptions)

Upswing (Tuesday and Thursday pickup), Newton Community Farm and Waltham Fields Community Farm

Macoun, Cortland, Cox’s Orange Pippin Apples

Cortland Apples

Underneath the surface, the flesh is white, fine-grained, aqueous, and soft with a crisp consistency. The flesh also encases a central fibrous core filled with tiny black-brown seeds. Cortland apples are slightly sweeter than their McIntosh parent and are balanced with subtle tartness, creating a sweet, tangy, vinous taste. In addition to raw preparations, Cortland apples hold their shape well when cooked and can be incorporated into baked goods and desserts, including dumplings, crisps, cobblers, galettes, muffins, and pies.

Macoun Apples

The Macoun apple is a medium to large-sized apple, deep red over a green base. Many consider Macoun the best tasting apple, especially fresh from the tree. Macoun has become especially esteemed by connoisseurs in the Northeast for its crispy, juicy white flesh and rich, complex flavors of strawberry and spices. With its great flavor and distinctive boxy shape, Macoun is in great demand when it ripens.

Cox’s Orange Pippin Apples

Cox’s Orange Pippin apple has an orange-red hue and is lightly red-striped. It is a medium-sized apple with excellent flavor and a spicy or nutty fragrance, making it a favorite among cider makers. Cox’s Orange Pippin ripens in late September to early October. It was developed in the United Kingdom around 1825 by Richard Cox. It was a very popular dessert apple in the 1800s, and it is enjoying a rise in popularity due to its outstanding flavor.

Week of September 18, 2023

Upswing (Thursday pickup), Newton Community Farm and Waltham Fields Community Farm

HoneyCrisp, Ginger Gold and Gala Apples

HoneyCrisp Apples-see below for description

Ginger Gold Apples-see below for description

Gala Apples-Gala is a red-orange apple with yellow striping, crunchy and juicy, with a sweet, pear-like flavor. Well-suited for snacking, salads, and baking, Gala is ready for picking in September. It tends to darken in color the longer it is stored.

Upswing Farm Tuesday Pickup

CrimsonCrisp and HoneyCrisp Apples and Bartlett Pears

CrimsonCrisp Apples-a firm, deep red-purple, and crunchy apple. Its crispy yellow flesh holds a sweet-tart flavor, making it a great fresh-eating apple as well as a good juice or cider variety. It stores well for at least four months.

HoneyCrisp Apples-see below for description

Bartlett Pears-See below for description

Week of September 11, 2023

Autumn Hills Orchard

McIntosh Apples, HoneyCrisp Apples, and Bartlett Pears –See below for descriptions

Newton Community Farm and Waltham Fields Community Farm

Barltett Pears, HoneyCrisp, and McIntosh Apples

Upswing Farm Tuesday and Thursday Pickup

Bartlett Pears, HoneyCrisp and McIntosh Apples

Bartlett Pears-See below for description

McIntosh Apples-See below for description

HoneyCrisp Apples-are a well-balanced, sweet-tart taste, and explosively crisp, with a juicy texture, developed by the University of Minnesota’s apple program. Excellent for fresh eating and in salads.

Week of September 5, 2023

Newton Community Farm and Waltham Fields Community Farm

Bartlett Pears, McIntosh and Ginger Gold Apples

McIntosh Apples-see below for description

Ginger Gold Apples-see below for description

Upswing Farm (Tuesday pickup)

Sunrise Pears, McIntosh and Ginger Gold Apples

Sunrise Pears are an early season Pear. Flesh is creamy white, buttery, moderately fine in texture, and moderately juicy, similar to ‘Bartlett’. Leave the fruit on the counter or in the refrigerator for a few days if you like a softer flesh.

McIntosh Apple’s color will vary, depending on the amount of sunlight exposure mixed with the time of season the fruits are harvested, but the surface also frequently showcases white lenticels and a smooth matte texture. Underneath the skin, the white to green-tinged flesh is dense, aqueous, and fine-grained with a crisp but soft and tender consistency. McIntosh apples are aromatic, emitting a honeyed, fruity, and spice-filled fragrance, and the flesh is sweet-tart with an old-fashioned apple cider taste.

Ginger Gold Apples-See below.

Week of August 29, 2023

Autumn Hills Orchard

Ginger Gold, Paulared, Gravenstein, and Gala Apples (see description below) plus Somerset Grapes

Somerset Grapes have a full and delightful flavor. Some detect in it a hint of strawberry, and all agree that it is very sweet and delicious, superior in flavor to those that we generally find in the grocery. It also makes excellent juice.

Newton Community Farm and Waltham Fields Community Farm

Ginger Gold, Paulared and Gala-see description below

Upswing Farm

Ginger Gold, Paulared, Gravenstein (Tuesday Pickup) and Gala (Thursday Pickup) Apples

Ginger Gold Apples are one of the first commercial apple varieties to ripen each year. They were discovered as a chance seedling growing in an orchard in Virginia in the late 20th century. They are crisp and flavorful — especially for an early “summer” apple. Ginger Golds are attractive, aromatic and have a gingery-sweet to mildly tart flavor. They are bright golden-green with flesh that is fine-textured, crisp and creamy white. This apple is great for snacks, salads and especially baking in pies.

Paula Red Apples-If you like tart apples, then a bite from a Paul Red boasts a sweet tart flavor with a hint of strawberry and pear. It is one of the earliest varieties to be harvested, and the first taste of fall for apple lovers. The firm flesh makes this apple great for eating raw. It also makes a great cooking apple.

Gravenstein Apples-originated in the 17th century or earlier! The fruit has a burst of sweet/tart flavor. They are versatile and delicious, and are perfect for munching fresh from the tree. The Gravenstein apples have rebounded in popularity among consumers who are looking for a tasty apple early in the season.

Gala Apples-emit a vibrant appearance. They are referred to as having a “perfumed, floral aroma” and have a mildly sweet flavor with a hint of acidity. The flesh often bears fruity and floral undertones, combined with nuances of vanilla, apple blossoms, and pears.

2022 WEEKLY SHARES:

October 10, 2022

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, and Oasis Farms, Tuesday Delivery

Drumlin Farms, Newton Community Farm

Fuji Apples, Spencer Apples, and Suncrisp Apples

Fuji apples have an extra sweet and sugary flavor. Their flesh is dense, crisp, and juicy, with a creamy white color. There is a nice crunch with every bite, and they are great for eating fresh or in a tasty fruity salad.

Spencer Apples are considered an all purpose variety and are well suited for raw and cooked preparations. They have a sweet, subtly tart flavor and taste great fresh or blended into smoothies.

Suncrisp Apples are firm and dense and crisp, and have a sharp, subtly sweet and tart flavor, with floral nuances and notes of pear and honey. The skin is thick and chewy. The flesh resits browning when sliced. Great to eat raw.

October 3, 2022

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, and Oasis Farms, Tuesday Delivery

Drumlin Farms, Newton Community Farm

Ida Red Apples and Golden Delicious Apples

Ida Red Apples are both sweet and tart, juicy yet crisp and firm. They have a sprightly, aromatic, and refreshing flavor. This apple is famous for its excellent cooking and baking qualities. Ida Reds are particularly good for baked apples, since they hold their shape when cooked. They can also be used to make naturally pink applesauce if the skins are left on. Don’t limit them to cooking, however, since they are also good apples to eat fresh as is or in salads. They pair well with strong, soft cheeses such as Roquefort and other blue cheese. Ida Red apples are a wonderful storage variety; under proper cool, dry conditions, they can keep for several months.

Golden Delicious Apples have a balanced sweet-tart aromatic flavor, which has been described as honeyed. The sweet-tartness of the Golden Delicious means this apple is a good fresh eating variety. Fresh, raw apple slices may be added to green salads, fruit salads, or grain salads. Golden Delicious apples also have the necessary acid content and stability for baking. They can be baked into crisps, crumbles, tarts, cakes, and breads. Apple slices may also be cooked down into preserves and butters, or pureed into sauces and soups. The Golden Delicious pairs well with savory items, such as onions, cabbages, pork, cheeses and strong herbs. Add slices to top burgers and sandwiches. Finally, this versatile apple can also be juiced or dried.

September 26, 2022

Waltham Fields Community Farm

Mcintosh and Cortland Apples, and Bosc Pears (see below)

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, and Oasis Farms, Tuesday Delivery

Drumlin Farms, Newton Community Farm

Kendall Apples, Bosc Pears, and Cortland Apples (see below)

Kendall apples are large red apples, and inside, the green-white flesh is medium coarse and juicy, and a bit tender. Kendall’s flavors are mild and sweet, with vinous notes, berries, and hints of plums and watermelon-flavored candy.

Compared to McIntosh Kendall is bigger, less tart, less crisp, and less complex, but it is clearly a fan favorite. Great to eat raw, but also makes a great dessert apple.

Bosc Pears are Crisp and Woodsy with a Honey Sweetness. Known for their warm cinnamon color, it is often called the “aristocrat of pears”. They are medium to large in size and are oblong in shape with a rounded bottom that gradually tapers to an elongated neck.

September 19, 2022

Drumlin Farm, Waltham Fields Community Farm, and Newton Community Farm

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, Oasis Springs Farm

Honeycrisp Apples, (see below) Cortland Apples, and Empire Apples

Cortland Apples-Underneath the surface, the flesh is white, fine-grained, aqueous, and soft with a crisp consistency. The flesh also encases a central fibrous core filled with tiny black-brown seeds. Cortland apples are slightly sweeter than their McIntosh parent and are balanced with subtle tartness, creating a sweet, tangy, vinous taste. In addition to raw preparations, Cortland apples hold their shape well when cooked and can be incorporated into baked goods and desserts, including dumplings, crisps, cobblers, galettes, muffins, and pies.

Empire Apples are a small varietal with a slightly lopsided, round to ovate shape. They are a cross between two well-known varieties, red delicious and mcintosh apples. Highly favored for their sweet-tart flavor and crisp, dense flesh, well suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The multi-purpose apple can be consumed straight, out of hand, or it can be sliced and tossed into salads as the flesh retains its white hue for extended periods. The apples can also be sprinkled with lemon juice to prolong their white appearance and are popularly chopped and mixed into grain bowls, slaws, fruit dishes, overnight oats, and oatmeal.

September 12, 2022

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, and Oasis Farms, Tuesday Delivery

Drumlin Farms, Newton Community Farm, Waltham Fields Community Farm

Trio of Fall Apples-Mcintosh, Gala, and Honeycrisp (see below)

Mcintosh apples’s color will vary, depending on the amount of sunlight exposure mixed with the time of season the fruits are harvested, but the surface also frequently showcases white lenticels and a smooth matte texture. Underneath the skin, the white to green-tinged flesh is dense, aqueous, and fine-grained with a crisp but soft and tender consistency. McIntosh apples are aromatic, emitting a honeyed, fruity, and spice-filled fragrance, and the flesh is sweet-tart with an old-fashioned apple cider taste

Gala apples emit a vibrant appearance. They are referred to as having a “perfumed, floral aroma” and have a mildly sweet flavor with a hint of acidity. The flesh often bears fruity and floral undertones, combined with nuances of vanilla, apple blossoms, and pears.

September 5, 2022

Upswing Farm, Thursday Pickup

Trio of apples, Ginger Gold, Paula Red, and Honeycrisp, Bartlett Pears, and Flavor Heart Plouots

Drumlin Farm, Waltham Fields Community Farm, and Newton Community Farm -Wednesday Delivery

Trio of apples, Ginger Gold, Paula Red, and Honeycrisp, Bartlett Pears, and Flavor Heart Plouots

Flavor Heart Pluots- a heart shaped fruit with very dark, purple-red skin and yellow flesh. The flavor is pleasantly sweet. Leaving it on your counter for a few days will “soften it up”, or pop it directly in your refrigerator for a cool treat.

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, Oasis Springs Farm -Tuesday Delivery

Trio of apples-Ginger Gold, Paula Red, and Honeycrisp, Bartlett Pears, and Pluots

Honeycrisp Apples- A well-balanced sweet-tart taste, and explosively crisp, juicy texture, developed by the University of Minnesota’s apple program. Excellent for fresh eating and in salads.

August 29, 2022

Waltham Fields Community Farm Saturday Delivery

Ginger Gold Apples (see below) and Sugar Giant Peaches (see below)

Stearns Farm Friday Delivery

Ginger Gold Apples, (see below) Sugar Giant Peaches (see below), and Flavor Supreme Plouts

Flavor Supreme Pluots-A pluot is a fruit that combines the plum and the apricot. The name says it all. A firm, crunchy texture and superb flavor. It has also been known to be called “Dinosaur Egg”. Pluots are delicious eaten alone, but they can also replace plums, apricots, or cherries in pies, cakes, and jam. These are also fantastic as a cooked chutney or sweet sauce with pork or chicken.

Upswing Farm

Thursday Delivery-Ginger Golds and Sugar Giant Peaches

Sugar Giant has white melting flesh. It’s a freestone. It’s s a subacid type which means that the taste on your tongue is not tangy. It’s mellow, very sweet, kind of like honey. It was developed by Zaiger Genetics in Modesto, California.

Drumlin Farm

Early Italian Plums– features dark purple skin. These oval glaucous fruits are super sweet and perfect for fresh eating and canning, and are also well known for drying into delectable prunes! The freestone flesh is a yellowish-green when fresh and turns a gorgeous red wine hue when cooked. Many people wait all year for these gems to make a famous torte recipe from the New York Times!

August 29, 2022 Newton Community Farm

Received Ginger Gold Apples, Bartlett Pears, and Gloria Peaches

Gloria Peaches from Rutgers University, are a large, highly colored, yellow-fleshed freestone peach. The fruit is very firm, low acid, with high sugar content and excellent dessert quality. They are also great fresh from the tree!

August 29, 2022 Waltham Fields Community Farm

Received Ginger Gold Apples, Bartlett Pears, Early Italian Plums, and Red Gold Nectarines

Red Gold Nectarines are a yellow freestone fruit that has a beautiful red blushed skin that covers a firm, juicy flesh. Incredibly refreshing on a hot summer day, I’ve read that people will “line up” in order to get their hands on a Red Gold Nectarine, because they are “sweet, tangy and juicy- irresistible.”

August 29, 2022- Tuesday pickup Stearns Farm, Upswing Farm, and Oasis Spring Farm

Gloria Peaches (Upswing Only) from Rutgers University, are a large, highly colored, yellow-fleshed freestone peach. The fruit is very firm, low acid, with high sugar content and excellent dessert quality. They are also great fresh from the tree!

Sweet’N Up Peaches (Stearns and Oasis) come from the USDA peach breeding program at Kearneysville, West Virginia. The variety is named for its characteristic upright tree form. The fruit is large, firm and freestone with excellent color and fruit quality.

August 22, 2022- Drumlin Farms, Newton Community Farm, Stearns Farm, Upswing Farm, and Oasis Spring Farm

Summer Apples and Peaches-a great combination!

Starfire Peaches-have a nectar-sweet taste and a golden yellow flesh. This peach balances sugar and acid for a well rounded flavor. This large, beautiful fruit is a freestone variety and is great for eating fresh, canning, or making preserves.

Ginger Gold Apples= are one of the first commercial apple varieties to ripen each year. They were discovered as a chance seedling growing in an orchard in Virginia in the late 20th century. They are crisp and flavorful — especially for an early “summer” apple. Ginger Golds are attractive, aromatic and have a gingery-sweet to mildly tart flavor. They are bright golden-green with flesh that is fine-textured, crisp and creamy white. This apple is great for snacks, salads and especially baking in pies.

August 22, 2022- Waltham Fields Community Farm

In addition to the fruits listed above, they also received:

August 17, 2022-Drumlin Farms

Red Haven Peaches-An excellent free stone peach, with red-blushed yellow skin and firm, sweet, yellow flesh. Due to the great quality and taste, they are ideal for eating, but also great for canning and freezing. Redhaven peaches were developed in the 1930s and released in the 1940s, making it the first commercial red-skinned peach variety. It is now one of the most commonly grown peaches in the world!

August 10th, 2022 Drumlin Farms

Summer Beaut Nectarines

A nectarine that’s a slice above the rest! This variety is an exceptional early choice for nectarine lovers. The red/yellow fruit has a pleasing firm texture, lots of juice and bright gold flesh. The fruit is great for fresh eating, baking and canning/freezing. Freestone.

John Boy Peaches

The John Boy® peach is a favorite freestone peach variety. The fruit is large (when it runs!) and delicious. In 1981, Ed Clendening’s son, John, noticed that a branch on a Loring peach tree had ripened earlier than the other green peaches and so created the John Boy® variety from this branch. Freestone.

AU Rosa Plums

AU Rosa is a large, firm, high quality plum with red skin and yellow flesh. AU Rosa plum is a Santa Rosa style Japanese plum developed at Auburn University. The AU Rosa has proven its ability to produce high yields of excellent quality fruit where other varieties have struggled. It is an early maturing cultivar that produce fruit of excellent size and quality. It is suitable for eating fresh and for jam, baking, canning, freezing, or jelly.

August 3rd, 2022 Drumlin Farms

Our first fruit share of the season contains a trio of early ripening fruit – Yellow Transparent Apples, Silver Gem Nectarines and Apricots.

Yellow Transparent are a soft early season apple and are named for their pale-yellow skin. They are light, sweet and refreshing. People are often surprised in New England that they ripen so early. They originated in Russia and were brought to the United States in the mid 1800’s. They should be stored in the refrigerator as they don’t last as long as the more hardy fall varieties. Many tout this apple makes the “most creamy” applesauce” due to their texture.

Silver Gem is a sweet, medium sized, white-fleshed early season nectarine. They ripen about two weeks earlier than Redhavens and were developed by the Rutgers Tree fruit Breeding Program. Often thought of as the sweetest white-fleshed nectarine. Many people believe this is one of the best tasting nectarines out there.

The apricots are a medium sized fruit with a gorgeous bright-orange color. They have an exceptional sweet and mellow flavor with a slightly firm flesh, making it great to eat right from the tree. When cooked or preserved, they release sugars that lend themselves beautifully to cakes, pastries, and jams.A

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