Storing Apples the Right Way
Seasonal Acres Apple Abundance
Seasonal Acres Apple Abundance
Whether you’ re baking, drying or pressing, there’ s an apple variety for every job.
Apple Math: What to Use and When
Not all apples are created equal, especially when it comes to how they perform in the kitchen. Here’ s a cheat sheet for choosing the right apples for your favorite fall dishes:
Type of Recipe
Fresh Eating
Apple Pie
Applesauce
Cider
Dehydrating
Baking( Crisps, Cobblers)
Apple Butter
Caramel Apples
Apple Jelly or Jam Apple Fritters
Best Apple Varieties
Honeycrisp, Ashmead’ s Kernel, Liberty, Zestar!, Fuji, Snapdragon
Northern Spy, Honeycrisp, Esopus Spitzenburg, Braeburn, Winesap, Jonagold
McIntosh, Gravenstein, Cortland, Jonathan, Lodi
Kingston Black, Golden Russet, Roxbury Russet, Dabinett, Yarlington Mill, Granny Smith, Baldwin
Fuji, Gala, Jonagold, Pink Lady, Empire
Rome, Mutsu( Crispin), Braeburn, Jonagold, Granny Smith
McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Cortland, Stayman
Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp
Crabapple, Jonathan, Cortland Rome, Gala, Fuji
Planting heirloom trees adds beauty and biodiversity to your acreage, and it can give you a taste of the past that’ s hard to find in supermarkets.
Autumn Orchard Care
If you already have apple trees on your property, fall is your chance to prepare them for the coming seasons. While spring gets most of the attention for pruning and planting, fall is about protecting and preserving.
Clean Up Windfalls: Rotting apples can harbor pests and disease. Rake up fallen fruit promptly and compost it far from your trees( or offer it to pigs or chickens, who will gladly help with cleanup).
Mulch Around the Base: A 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch, like wood chips or shredded leaves, can help
For the tastiest cider, try this formula:
• 50 % base apples( mild, sweet apples like Gala or Fuji).
• 30 % sharp apples( tart types like Granny Smith or heirlooms like Winesap).
• 20 % aromatic or bitter apples( like Russets or crabapples).
regulate soil temperature and moisture while discouraging weed growth. Just keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk to prevent rot.
Water Wisely: If your area’ s been dry, give your trees a deep drink before the ground freezes. This helps prevent winter stress, especially for younger trees.
Inspect for Pests and Damage: Check for signs of apple borer or other pests and look over limbs for damage from heavy fruit loads. Note which trees produced well and which might need extra support or pruning come spring.
Cider-Making 101
One of the greatest joys of apple season is turning excess fruit into liquid gold. Whether you prefer sweet cider for sipping by the fire or hard cider for a grown-up treat, the process starts the same: crush, press and strain. If you don’ t yet own an apple press, don’ t worry— many homesteaders cobble together do-it-yourself presses with clean buckets, cheesecloth and a strong arm( or a car jack). Others team up with neighbors to rent or share equipment.
When it comes to apple selection, a blend is best. Mix tart, sweet and aromatic varieties to get a balanced, complex flavor.
For sweet cider, pasteurize by heating the juice to 160 degrees Fahrenheit for one minute, then cool and refrigerate. For hard cider, wild fermentation can happen, but most cider makers add a yeast strain, like champagne or cider yeast. Let it ferment in a sanitized carboy( a large container, typically made of glass or plastic used in the fermentation process) with an air lock for a few weeks, then rack and bottle.
Want to experiment with your own blend? Pick a few apples off each tree, slice, sniff and sample. Let your taste buds be your guide.
Plan Now for Next Fall
Living on an acreage means thinking in seasons— and apple season is no different. As you enjoy your current harvest, take notes on what worked well and what didn’ t. Did one tree overproduce while another underwhelmed? Were the apples mealy, scabby or slow to ripen?
Use that info to plan your pruning, grafting or new plantings. Adding just one or two carefully chosen trees each year can steadily grow your home orchard into a
You can keep fresh apples crisp for months with a little planning. thriving and delicious asset. Consider bloom times and cross-pollination needs of your varieties, too— many apples need a nearby buddy to produce fruit.
Whether you’ re simmering cider, planting heirlooms or baking your fifth apple pie of the week, fall is better with fresh apples. Embrace the abundance and savor every sweet, tart and juicy moment of apple season.
Storing Apples the Right Way
Store apples in a cool, humid place— ideally between 32 degrees and 40 degrees Fahrenheit with 90 percent humidity. A basement, root cellar or spare refrigerator works well. Lay apples in a single layer if possible or wrap them individually in newspaper to prevent bruising and rot.
• Sort bruised or damaged fruit and use it first.
• Keep varieties separate; some ripen faster and give off more ethylene gas.
• Don’ t store apples near potatoes. The gases they emit spoil each other faster.
With the right conditions, dense, lateseason apples such as Arkansas Black or Fuji can last through winter.
22 AcreageLife September 2025 AcreageLife. com
AcreageLife. com September 2025 AcreageLife 23