Let's Show Appreciation for the Gravenstein Apple!

In this newsletter, I am going to pour out my love for the Gravenstein apple and why it's one you don't want to miss if you get the chance to try it.

In our recent fall survey, I had one person commenting that they would love to see apples, the Gravenstein in particular, get the respect they deserve. I couldn’t agree more! So let’s dedicate a whole newsletter to this apple.

I am going to kick it off by talking about Luther Burbank. He was a famous horticulturist. If you love Shasta Daisies, you can thank him. He developed the Burbank potato variety that would be the precursor for the modern Russet potato. If you have had a baked potato recently, you can thank Luther’s work.

Why I am talking about this guy? One of his famous quotes is talking about the Gravenstein apple. He said: “if the Gravenstein could be had throughout the year, no other apple need be grown”.

Sounds like a ringing endorsement to me! Of course I wouldn’t want to live in a world with only one apple variety.

But as Luther said if they could be had year round, they aren’t the best keeper, so they wouldn’t last all through the year.

Gravensteins are a highly flavorful apple that when picked at it’s perfection and enjoyed at it’s peak is a sweet-tart apple that is incredibly juicy. The apple ripens right at this time of year. You are really going to be hard pressed to find a better apple eating experience. The apple is crisp when freshly picked, so juice just explodes in your mouth as you eat. I am hungry now!

Finding a good Gravenstein has been a challenge. The first time I tried the variety was at Johnston Fruit Farms in Ohio. They don’t have a ton of them but I was lucky to get some and those set my standards super high and showed me how great this apple can be when you have someone that knows how to raise them and when to pick them at just the right time.

Sadly it’s been a let down ever since.

I had some in Maine in 2021, that were awful. They were picked too early and were not flavorful and just tart. My wife found a review of an apple orchard this year where someone got them and they said the same.

As I write this I have some in my camper right now. I found them at a super small farmer’s market in the Mt. Hood area of Oregon. They were grown by someone that only has Gravenstein trees and isn’t really an apple grower, so my hopes weren’t very high but some of them had some good color on them. They were average for Gravenstein with some good bites.

For these reasons I imagine that’s why we don’t see them absolutely everywhere because surely the peak flavored Gravenstein is one of the best apples period.

You may actually be able to find Gravenstein apple juice or applesauce in some grocery stores. There is a company called North Coast that produces it. They get their apples from Sonoma County, California, where each August there is a festival dedicated to the variety. I so hope to attend it one of these years.

Want to know where you might find Gravenstein apples? Head over to my blog and read my post on Where to Find Gravenstein

You might be wondering if this apple has great qualities has anyone tried to use it for breeding new varieties? I haven’t heard of a lot. I know that it has been used for sure. The only actual variety I could come across is the Mollie’s Delicious, which is a Gravenstein crossed with a Golden Delicious

In the works - I am working on a guide to tart apples. Stay tuned! I want to know what tart apples are you buying? Help me track your answers by submitting your favorite tart apples here.

Reminder - If you love what you are seeing in this newsletter, make sure you hit the LIKE (heart) button. This helps me to know what you are LOVING the most. Thanks so much!!!!

• I am so thankful for everyone that has filled out my fall survey. I am taking ALL of your feedback to heart. If you haven’t filled out the fall survey yet, here is the link - Super Fast 2-Question Fall Apple Survey

• Review early season varieties. Look over any of these early season varieties that you could come across so you know whether you may want to buy them or not - Gravenstein, Pristine, Vista Bella, Prima.

• Do you live in Oregon or Washington? If you do I want to hear from you. Leave a comment and share with me your favorite apple orchards. I am going to be in those states all of apple season, so I am looking to check out as many orchards as I can.

• I have recently added both Whole Foods Market and Hannaford Market to my list of apple store guides.

• If you haven’t watched the video yet check out - How to Get the Most from These Apple Emails, so you don’t miss out on any of the features.

If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know. I hoped you enjoyed today’s newsletter.