Crossnore Heritage Orchard

McIntosh– (also known as McIntosh Red) The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has two McIntosh apples, Tree #1 and Tree #37.  Our McIntosh begins ripening in August and continues over a relatively long period of time.  Even though McIntosh apples come from a most northern location they do very well and are quite popular here.  I’ve commonly seen Older McIntosh trees around Avery County. Please share with us your stories about the McIntosh if you have some. We can post them on this website, if you wish.

The McIntosh apples have been an important commercial variety grown in the northeastern United States.   The McIntosh was discovered in 1811 as a young seedling tree in Dundas County, Ontario, Canada by John McIntosh, an American who had recently emigrated to the area from New York state. By 1835, he was selling grafted trees which quickly became local favorites, producing apples sought after for their great flavor, dependability, and keeping qualities. The original tree at the McIntosh homestead finally blew down and died in 1910.

McIntosh apples are medium-sized, roundish to slightly flattened with smooth, thin, skin mostly covered with a deep red blush. The firm, crisp, white flesh is juicy, very aromatic and sometimes stained with red streaks. Locally folks use it for excellent applesauce and pie making.  McIntosh apples are also used in local cider making.  They bear fruit annually and are also very good storage apples.  Growing McIntosh apples “off the mountain’ in the piedmont and further south may produce fruit that does not taste as good. Our mountain elevation helps us to grow McIntosh apples that match the quality of the original Canadian grown fruit.

Wolf River – The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has two Wolf River apple Trees #2 & #32.  Wolf River apples ripen here beginning in mid- September and continue well into October. Older Wolf River trees can be found widespread around Avery County.  Many are known as their family’s Apple Butter tree. Widespread strong limbs make these trees a landscape standout on old farms and yards, and many trees last well over 100 years old.

The original Wolf River tree was discovered growing on the shores of the Wolf River in Fremont Wisconsin in 1856.  This random seedling grew one of the biggest apples to be grown in America.  The super large oblate size and deep red color of Wolf Rivers drew a lot of attention and still does today.  While the Wolf River is not a great eating apple, it is the finest of apple butter apples.  It is a dry apple and cooks down very quickly into a smooth sauce.  This texture lets those making apple butter finish the kettle batches in a shorter amount of time.   They make a very smooth and extraordinary applesauce.  They will stay in good condition for several weeks in a refrigerator.  Wolf Rivers have clearly been our favorite apple butter apple in Avery County. 

Early Harvest – (also known as Yellow June). We have several Early Harvest trees in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard, Trees #3, #23 and #28.  These Early Harvests often begin ripening in mid-late July and continue for only 2-3 weeks.  One prominent older Early Harvest tree in Avery County is the old June Burleson family tree hanging over Cow Camp road not far from the intersection with Spanish Oak road.  Please share with us your stories, if you have some on the Early Harvest apples.  We can post them on this website if you wish.

The Early Harvest, unlike the Yellow Transparent, is a true American original, believed to have been discovered in the early 1700’s in Long Island, New York.  Like the Yellow Transparent it is easy to grow, with few pest problems.  The fruit is medium in size with smooth, yellow skin.  The firm white flesh is crisp and juicy with a brisk, tart flavor. It is prized for its great cooking qualities, both in making excellent applesauce and pies too, in the early summer. It likely arrived in the North Carolina Mountains with the earliest settlers in the late 1700’s.

Gala- (There are many different types of Gala apples). The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has one Gala apple Tree #4.  This apple ripens in September. I don’t know of any truly Older Gala trees in Avery County.  Gala apple trees are not a true heirloom apple trees.  Gala was the result of modern research in New Zealand in the 1930s and wasn’t released until 1974.

This Gala apple tree sort of snuck into the Crossnore Heritage Orchard by mistake. (-: We have considerd changing this variety one day.  There are many ‘types’ of Gala apples but this Gala variety seems to be a rather average one to us.  Many Galas are good and useful apples.

For more information see the article on this website called ‘What is an Heirloom Apple?’ 

Stump  – (also known as Stump of the world) –  The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has one Stump the World apple, Tree, #5.  This apple begins ripening in late September and continuing into October. This “Stump the World” apple tree comes from the Gurney Franklin Farm in the community of Linville Falls. The Crenshaw Family have been true preservers of heirloom apples over many years. 

One of many old Southern apples with a confusing name or background.  There are at least 3 apples in the Southern Appalachians known with “Stump” in the name.  These “Stump the World” trees produce fruit that are medium to large size with a very oblate or flatten shape..  They begin fully ripening in early October ..  For generations a favorite family eating apple, fine grained and quite sweet.  The fruit keeps well in storage.  

This is not the “Fallawater” apple, also located in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard, which is often called the “Stump of the World” by many folks in Avery County.  Please share with us your stories, if you have some on either of the Stump of the World apples. We can post them on this website if you wish.

Fall Premium – We have two Fall Premiums in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard, Trees #6 and # 14.  They begin ripening in late August.   We found our first old Fall Premium tree at Ralph and Ben Baird’s Christmas tree holding area on Old Toe River road.  Sometime in the 1960s Ralph had grafted the Fall Premium onto an older apple tree already planted there.

It turned out to be a more common apple than I thought when I found it up above Crossnore on Dr. Charlie and Ann Baker’s land.  Eventually I found it at other locations, and learned it was loved by many.  The Fall Premium is a large oblate, red and yellow striped apple.  It is an excellent cooking apple, with a coarse texture and a complex sweet/tart flavor that is enjoyed for fresh eating too!  The tree grows vigorously with few pest problems. Where does it come from?  What else is it called?  We don’t know because there is not a single listing in any pomological texts for the name Fall Premium!  It may have simply lost its original name making the trip to Avery County and given a new name, in the process!  If you have any notion who might have named this apple, please let us know!  Please share with us your stories, if you have some on Fall Premium apples.  We can post them on this website if you wish.

_{Photo from the Southern Heritage Orchard at Horne Creek Historical Farm}

Newtown Pippin – (also known as Albemarle Pippin).  The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has three Newtown Pippin trees in total, tree #7, #17, and #38.  The Newtown Pippins are the last apple to ripen in the orchard. They begin to ripen at the end of October and continue throughout November.  This variety was not common in Avery County.   However it has been one of the most common home orchard and commercial apple tree varieties in the United States.  Please share with us your stories, if you have some on the Newtown Pippin. We can post them on this website, if you wish.

The Newtown Pippin is one of America’s most historically significant apples.  Originally found in Newtown Village on Long Island, New York in 1666.  Its popularity grew rapidly across the Northeastern US at a time when New York State was the largest apple producing state in America.  We shipped Newtown Pippins to England in the mid-1700s in large wooden barrels.  After the American Revolution, England continued to demand the Newtown Pippins.  President Jefferson and his neighbors grew and shipped them in the early 1800s, calling them Albemarle Pippins. (Albemarle County Virginia).

The Newtown Pippin is a medium to large, roundish oblate yellow apple, often with a few pink spots when ripe in October.  It is an outstanding keeper throughout the winter months and reaches its peak flavor around Christmas.  Used for virtually all purposes, but especially Pie making and Cider.  Its popularity over the centuries has never wavered.   

Grimes Golden – (also known as Grimes).  We have two Grimes Golden trees in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard, Trees #8 and #31. These Grimes Golden begin to ripen in September each year and continue for atleast a month.  We didn’t find a lot of Grimes Golden trees in the orchards of Avery County when we started looking for them.  Please share with us your stories, if you have some on the Grimes Golden. We can post them on this website if you wish.

Since planting Grimes Golden trees in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard we have found a lot of interest in the apple.  Thought to be a seedling apple planted by Thomas Grimes about 1790 in Brooks County, West Virginia, now part of Virginia; It quickly gained national attention for cider making, reported to ferment to 9% alcohol. It is an all-around excellent juicing, eating and cooking apple. It’s a beautiful golden apple with tough skin and scab resistance.  An early and a reliable bearing apple.  It is also believed to be a parent of the Golden Delicious. 

Ray – (also called the Munson Sweet) – The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has one Ray apple, it is Tree #9.  The Ray begins ripening very slowly in late September and continues ripening well into October.  We were lucky to find thsi Ray apple tree. Why, because according to everyone, “Stamey Branch used to have Ray apples all up and down it”.  Today perhaps only this one old Ray apple tree remains at Bill and Edna Vance’s’ and it’s still everyone’s favorite apple. Actually, we could use you help.  Whether you know it as a Ray or something entirely different, please let us know.  Please share with us your story. We can post it on this website, if you wish.

Billy’s father told him this apple was the Ray Apple.  An excellent balance of acidity and sweetness.  Edna uses them for all her apple recipes and Billy eats them fresh too.  A striking color of orange, red, bronze, & green.  We can find the Ray apple in the pomological literature under the name ‘Munson Sweet’; where we find it was discovered in Massachusetts in 1849 as a “fine textured, tender, juicy, and sweet, good quality apple for kitchen use.”

“It is early bearing and late blooming”.  What more can we ask!

Hawkeye – (also called Red Banana or Red Delicious). In the Crossnore Heritage Orchard this Hawkeye apple is Tree #10.  These apples begin ripening in September and may continue into October. 

In the Fall of 2005 I was told by Bill Vance about an interesting apple just up Stamey Branch road. I went to meet Mason and Vida Carpenter where they showed me this apple, which they called their Red Banana. I had no idea what it was going to be.  It was as a small dull red apple with a conical shape and very sweet. I quickly sent the apple by US mail, to Lee Calhoun, author of Old Southern Apples. He evaluated the apple and felt like it was likely a “Hawkeye” from the early 1900’s. Finding this version of a Hawkeye, later to be called a Red Delicious, here in the Altamont Community was exciting. Here, in our orchard is this same apple, grafted from Mason Carpenter’s tree.

The original Hawkeye apple was discovered in the 1870’s and given the name Hawkeye by its owner and nurseryman Jesse Hiatt in Peru Iowa. In 1893 he entered it in a Starks Brothers Nursery contest. Stark Bros. was impressed with its sweet flavor and crisp texture.  They offered him a considerable price and he sold the propagation rights to Starks Brothers.  They named it a Delicious and later a Red Delicious.  Over the years Starks Brothers’ selective breeding for uniform, deep red color and long storage life has resulted in a decline in flavor.  Thanks to Mason Carpenter we have what may be an original or early form of the Hawkeye apple in this orchard. See and taste it for yourself!

Note: Later I was shown another Hawkeye apple tree by Johnny Crenshaw, originally planted by his grandfather Gurney Franklin in Linville Falls.

Summer Banana – (Also known as White Summer).  In the Crossnore Heritage Orchard this apple is Tree # 11. It begins ripening in late September and continues in October.  I have seen a few Older Summer Banana apple trees in Avery County.  Perhaps the largest and maybe the oldest at Charles and Betty Coles farm in Cole Holler.

The original Summer Banana was discovered in Marion County, South Carolina around 1890.  Though not always banana flavored at our elevation, folks across Avery County refer to this apple as one of their favorites, no doubt because of the dessert quality flavor.  It tastes and looks much like a Golden Delicious; which might have been one of its parents.  It’s a round to conical yellow apple with a few scattered pink spots, when ripening in early October.  It’s a spur bearing tree and begins bearing fruit in only 3-4 years on m-111 rootstock.  It also stores very well into the winter months.  While a countywide favorite, we see only a few large heritage trees remaining in Avery County.  Fortunately many have been replanted in recent years through the Avery Extension Plant Sale.  Please share with us your stories, if you have some on the Summer Banana.  We can post them on this website if you wish.

Yellow Transparent – (also known as Early Transparent or June apple).

The Yellow Transparent is Tree #12, and begins ripening in early-July in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard.  Older Transparent trees, can be found all over Avery County.  Gleason Harmon had a nice old Transparent tree beside his home in Crossnore.  Boots Burleson still harvests apples from the Transparent tree that June and her originally grafted at their home on Spanish Oak.

However, probably the oldest Transparent I’ve seen was at Dovie and Lum Stamey’s place on Stamey Branch road.

Yellow Transparent was one of several old Southern apples which originally came from Russia and brought here by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1870.  “Transparents” were brought here because they could be grown in many areas of the South, despite the warm temperatures.  Fortunately they grow well here in the mountains too.  The fruit is small to medium size with smooth transparent yellow skin.  It has tender white, fine grained flesh and very juicy. Its bright tart flavor makes it a great applesauce apple.  Many local folks consider it the best apple for making “Fruit”; our word for “Applesauce”!  Please share with us your stories, if you have some on your Transparent apples.  We can post them on this website if you wish.

Carolina Red June – (also known as Red June, Red Juneating, and Georgia June).  We have two Red Junes located in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard, Trees #13 and #35.  Our Red Junes begin ripening in mid-July and continue for a few weeks. I saw my first Carolina Red June tree at Ernest Harmon’s farm in the Flat Springs community.

The Carolina Red June is a longtime Southern favorite, and believed to have originated before 1800 in Tennessee.  Fruit is small to medium with smooth, solid dark red skin and somewhat conical in shape.  The juicy fine-grained flesh is white and sometimes stained with red striking when ripe.   This early apple has an unusual high quality flavor and texture, making it a first choice for apple sauce, early summer pie making and even fresh eating.  Very few older Carolina Red June trees remain in our area. However young trees have been sold by the Avery Extension Plant Sale and planted for years now.  Please share with us your stories if you have some on the Carolina Red June. We can post them on this website if you wish.

Golden Sweet – (also known as Golden Sweeting, Early Golden Sweet). We have one Golden Sweet apple tree in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard, Tree #15.  This apple tree begins ripening in early August. We have found only a few older Golden Sweet trees in Avery County.

Unlike most early apples the Golden Sweet is an extraordinarily sweet apple; So sweet that the first bite can be a bit of a shock.   It has no acid to balance the sweetness.  It originated in Connecticut, but details of its origin are unknown.  Golden Sweet was once quite popular and sold widely by Southern nurseries.  Fruit is medium size with thin, smooth waxy yellow skin.  This apple has limited uses other than fresh eating and is a favorite of children!

Bevins’ Favorite – (Also known as Striped June, Early Bevan, Bivins). The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has two Bevin’s Favorite Apple, Trees #16 and  #25.  The apples begin ripening in late July, then continue into early August.  The Bevin’s Favorite found its way into your orchard by way of David Vernon and the Century Farms Orchards.  We ordered this tree because we wanted to have one of our local apples called the ‘Striped June’.  It turned out the Bevin’s Favorite wasn’t our local Striped June. Neither David nor I knew it wasn’t the same.  Sorry about that.  I personally have not seen this apple in Avery County other than here in this orchard.  However, if anyone has seen an Older Bevin’s Favorite tree, please let us know.

The Bevin’s Favorite is a known Southern apple that went by both names and is common in the Piedmont of North Carolina. However, the Bevin’s Favorite originated in Salem, New Jersey during the first half of the 1800s. Lee Calhoun, author of ‘Old Southern Apples’ undertook the search of this cultivar and discovered a lone tree in 1985 in Alamance County.  It was noted in several pomological books in the 1800s as a Southern Apple.

The Bevin’s Favorite is a small to medium size apple with a round to flattened shape, greenish yellow, with wide, bright-red stripes on the sun exposed side.  The flesh is white, crisp, fine grained and moderately juicy with a sweet/tart flavor.  For many years it has been used for fresh easting, baking, and frying.  History tells us to use it shortly after picking, as it does not store well.

Virginia Beauty – (Also known as Zach’s Red).  The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has two Virginia Beauty apple trees, #18 & #19.  These apples begin ripening in late September and continue into October.  The Virginia Beauty tree #19 was grafted from the last Virginia Beauty tree in the Theron Dellinger Orchard in Crossnore, after it fell to the ground during a March windstorm several years ago.  Virginia Beauties have been perhaps the most loved apple in Avery County for years. Old heritage Virginia Beauty apple trees remain standing across Avery County in many communities. 

The Virginia Beauty tree #18 came from the Century Farms Orchard in Reidsville, NC.  Century Farms is the primary supplier in the North Carolina for heirloom apple trees.

The original Virginia Beauty was discovered by Zach Safe wright around 1820 in Carrol County Virginia.  It was grafted and grown throughout Southwest Virginia under the name Zach’s Red.

It acquired its new name from the Franklin Davis Nursery in 1869.  From Virginia, it has been planted across the United States under this new name. 

It is a medium size apple with deep solid red color and a sweet eating flavor all its own.  It is usually picked in early October and carefully stored for fresh eating throughout the holiday season.  Seldom used for cooking or drying, it is an excellent dessert apple with an extraordinary floral aroma.

Sheepnose – (also known as Crow Egg, Banana apple, Black Gilliflower).  The Crossnore Heritage Orchard now has one fairly new Sheepnose apple, Tree #20.  The Sheepnose apples begin ripening in late September.  Older Sheepnose trees are scattered across Avery County. The scionwood source for the Sheepnose tree in this orchard comes from the Gary Banner Orchard on Brewer Road.

The long list of names above, for the Sheepnose apple, can all be heard within Avery County. The most common thing I hear about the Sheepnose is, “it’s our children’s favorite apple.”   Please share with us your stories, if you have some on the Sheepnore.  We can share them on this website if you wish.

A funny looking, highly conical apple, it can hardly stand up on its pointed sheepnose base.  Beginning green, they turn to a dull reddish green color as it begins ripening.  The amazing thing is when it fully ripen, they taste to me, alot like a ripe banana and almost as sweet as one!  If you can patiently wait for them to fully ripen, and then quickly store them in a refrigerator, they will taste  like that for weeks or even months!  They are very good keepers, as long as you don’t let them get overripe.  However, shortly after peak ripeness they can become quite dry and mealy. 

A great fresh eating apple and that’s probably their best use…  Boots and Junior Burleson grafted two of the finest Sheepnose trees I know!  

Summer Rambo – (Franc Rambour, Rambour d’ete).  The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has one Summer Rambo Tree, #21.  These apples begin ripening in August and end in early September,  About 15 years ago Gleason Harman, my friend and volunteer in the early years of the Crossnore Heritage Orchard wanted to show me his favorite apple. He took me to an apple tree across the road from the Post Office.  He nor I knew what kind of apple it was at the time.  Then he showed me the same apple on a tree at Clay Moore’s house, and another next to the Crossnore Volunteer Fire Department building behind the Baptist church. 

I too liked the apple so much that I started asking around and no one seemed to know what it was called. I gathered scionwood cuttings from the tree across from the Post Office, grafted a dozen plus trees, and 3 years later sold them in the Avery Extension Plant Sale.  Since I didn’t know what it was, I simply called it the “All Over Crossnore” apple.  I told this story at that time and they sold like hotcakes! (-:

Soon afterward I found a picture and description of the Summer Rambo apple and recognized it immediately.  About the same time someone, I can’t remember who, told me the stories of Crossnore resident Milligan Wise. Milligan’s horticultural history is renowned in Crossnore as he helped many of his friends and neighbors plant their properties with fruit trees and bushes of all kinds.  We trust that he was the source of the Summer Rambo trees planted “all over” Crossnore.  Thank you Mr. Wise.

Once we knew what the apple tree was we read more about it’s remarkable history.

Summer Rambo was one of the first apple trees shipped to the Americas in the middle 1700’s by founding fathers like Jefferson and Washington.  The Summer Rambo is a French apple discovered in the village of Rembure, France in 1548.  It was such a remarkable apple it was imported to America very early and grown in home orchards across the United States ever since. You can do the math! (-:

My favorite Old Summer Rambo apple tree was a giant 100 year old specimen located on highway 184, right beside the Old Banner House’.  About 2010, I was visiting with Ms. Mary Elder, she was 105 years old at the time.  She told me, “when I was just a child I remember picking apples under that tree.”  I too picked up apples off the ground under that tree for years too, really just to check on the tree.  I understand this tree was cut down last winter, 24/25.

Unfortunately the ‘Community Apple Tree’ that stood across from the Post Office was just blown down by Hurricane Helene in September.  Numbers of folks have told me they ‘picked up the apples from under that tree.’ 

About 12 years ago I took cuttings from the Post Office tree, grafted, grew, and planted the Summer Rambo now standing in Crossnore Heritage Orchard.  The delightfully sweet / tart flavor has made it a popular applesauce apple for Crossnore folks for years.  We hope this new Summer Rambo tree will be secure for the future.  This tree just started bearing apples in the last year.

Fallawater – (also known as the Stump of the World or Molly Whopper). There is one Fallawater apple tree in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard, Tree #22.   It begins ripening in early September and continues slowly ripening into early October.   There were several older Fallawater apple trees around Crossnore. I saw and tasted my first Fallawater apple at Jack Wiseman Sr’s. tree in Altamont, what a treat! One of the oldest Fallawater trees is Clay Hartley’s tree not far off Mount Pleasant road, on the Johnson Holler road.  Please share with us your stories, if you have some on the Fallawater. We can post them on this website if you wish.

The Fallawater apple trees, often called Stump of the World’s are one of the most adored apple trees in Avery county.  It is a quite large, round to almost an oblong shaped apple, colored green when growing, and then turning a little yellow and then some bronzing blush on the sunny side as it fully ripens.  The flesh is tender and quite juicy with a mild sweet flavor.  Fresh eating is its favorite use. It stores OK but not past Christmas.  The original Fallawater apples, the story goes, were found floating downstream in the Tulpenhocken creek in Pennsylvania in 1842. 

There is a second, similar tree in Avery County called a Flat Fallawater.  It has similar coloring, is a little smaller, and has a more oblate shape. It is a good tasting apple too, ripens in October, and stores very well into the winter.  We do not currently have a Flat Fallawater in the orchard.

Dula Beauty – (Also known as Dula). The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has one Dula Beauty, Tree, #24.  In our area the apples ripen in October and may continue ripening into November.  I have only seen two Older Dula Beauty Trees, both in Jonas Ridge in the Orchards of Ernest and Lonnie Barrier.  Both were true gentlemen and friends in the 1970 & 80s. Ernest was a very close friend of mine and first sparked my interest in heirloom apples.  Ernest explained to me that Dulas were his family’s favorite apple and that they were good for fresh eating and baking and kept all winter in their cellar!  The Coffey Grounds Orchard in Watauga County also has some very old Dula Beauty trees. Please share with us your stories about the Dula Beauty if you have some.  We can post them on this website if you wish.

The Dual’s Beauty originated in Lenoir North Carolina, from Limbertwig seeds which Mr. J.A. Dula planted for grafting.  The resulting apple turned out to be a good dessert quality apple. The tree is vigorous, a prolific bearer, and is said to grow well on either bottomland or on hillsides.

Fruit is large, oblate, and slightly conical; skin almost entirely covered with dark red and obscure darker stripes.  The flesh is yellowish white, tender, crisp, juicy, mild sub acid.  Our one and only Dula Beauty tree has only just begun bearing apples in 2024 at 14 year’s old.  Please show care, we are just now having the opportunity to study this apple. Thank you

Rambo– (Winter Rambo, American Seek No Further). We have one Rambo tree in the Crossnore Orchard, Tree #26. We think the Rambo begins ripening in September.  The first Older Rambo apple tree we found was in the orchard of Dovie Stamey.  The tree was positioned near the house of Jean Hoffer, Dovie’s daughter.  This house was located on Stamey Branch or Horney Rd., depending on who you are talking to. (-:  Mrs. Hoffer welcomed me to take cuttings and some fruit to study. 

The Rambo apple needs to be distinguished from the Summer Rambo. Unlike the Summer Rambo, which is a French apple, the Rambo is a true American Heirloom apple. According to Coxe, author of The Apples of New York in 1817, it took its name from families who brought it to notice, the early settlers of Pennsylvania.  The fruit is a medium to large size, with an oblate, flattened shape. The base color is pale yellow with red streaks mostly on the sunny side of the apple. It has large russet lenticels and a short slender stem is set in a round deep cavity.  The skin is tough but the flesh is tender with mild acidity. Mostly a cooking apple and sometimes used for juicing and cider. 

Northern Spy – (Also known as Spy and Northern Spice).  The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has one Northern Spy,Tree, #27.  The Northern Spy apples begin ripening in early October. I first found older Northern Spy trees at an expert apple, Jack Banner’s Orchard on Sugar Mountain #1; and others at Ross & Lynn Church’s’ as well as Rich Minford’s’ family farms on Sugar Mountain.  Please share with us your stories, if you have some on the Northern Spy. We can post them on this website, if you wish.

The Northern Spy is a true northern heirloom apple variety.  It originated from seed planted about 1800 in East Bloomfield, New York.  It grows well in our mountain area but may not grow good tasting fruit in the North Carolina piedmont or further south.  Our area enjoys several northern apple varieties because of our elevation.  It’s been used by many branches of the Banner family tree for cider and apple butter. 

The Northern Spy apples have a “greenish yellow base color nearly concealed by glossy bright pinkish red with carmine and overlapped with a thin delicate bloom”. The apples have flesh that is fine textured, rather firm, tender, crisp, very juicy, with a sprightly sweet flavor. Its very good for dessert, kitchen, or market use.” The Northern Spy blooms later than most, stores quite well, and is known as a great pie apple.

Avery Rusty Coat- (???). The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has one Avery Rusty Coat apple, Tree #29. It usually begins ripening in early September.  Several of these local rusty coat apple trees grow along Cole Holler road, off of Old Toe River Road.    We got the cuttings off the largest Old Avery Rusty Coat tree I knew of, in Charles and Betty Coles orchard looking down towards the North Toe River.  I’ve been told of other Avery County Rusty Coats around Newland that are long gone now.

We are still trying to identify this apple.  What I mean by that?   Well there are many russeted apples in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.  Most are true heirloom apples.  But when the names of these cultivars have been forgotten folks tend to fall back on the name ‘Rusty Coat’.  I believe this old russeted apple might be one of those.  In 20+ years I have not been told its original name, so I’ve named it the ‘Avery Rusty Coat’ until we can get a more original name. 

Our Avery Rusty Coat tree here in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard has just started bearing apples in recent years. Take a look at them in late August. If you think you recognize it, please let me know what you call it.  Here is also a description and photo to help you. (-:     

These apples are medium to large size apples, usually oblate (flattened), but irregular shaped too.  They have evenly smooth russeted skin with little additional color. They are dry apples, not juicy, and quite sweet when ripe.  Folks tell me that their Moms and Grand maws used to can them for preserves and how good they were! Of course these same ladies worried that ‘their men’ would try and make high strength Cider out of them. (-: Please do send me your stories if you have them. We welcome local history. We’ll post your stories, or not, your choice. Just let us know if you have the original name or any other name for this local Rusty Coat.  Thanks in advance.

Gragg – (also known as the Winter Queen) We have one Gragg apple tree in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard, Tree #30.  The apples begin ripening in early October but continue hanging on the tree for many weeks.  A good friend and supporter of this orchard, Dallas Banner used to carry Gragg apples in his pockets to school in the winter months of the 1930s & 40s; In his own words, “just to have something to eat for lunch”. A long lived tree, we’ve found many 100 year old Gragg apple trees scattered across Avery County.  Please share with us your stories, if you have some on the Gragg.  We can post it on this website if you wish.

We understand the Gragg apple originated in the Globe community of Caldwell County about 1859 on the farm of James Gragg.   The Gragg is an excellent baking apple, with beautiful red coloration over green skin and an oblate shape.  Known as a trouble free apple, with a waxy tough skin, it bears annually and keeps better than about any apple.   The Moses Cone Orchard had substantial numbers of Gragg apples listed in 1900.    It is often the last tree in November with bright red apples still hanging on for our first snows.

Golden Russet (also known as American Golden Russet, Rusty Coat, and Bullock Pippin).

We have two trees planted in our Crossnore Heritage Orchard, side by side, Trees #33 and #34.

These Golden Russets begin ripening in early October and continues throughout the month.  We have found very few older Golden Russet trees in Avery County. Please let us know if you have any and want to share your stories about your American Golden Russet.  We can post then on this website if you wish.

This Golden Russet may have been discovered in New Jersey in 1836 under the name Bullock Pippin.  However, new research indicated there may be other lineages for this particular Rusty Coat.   It is known for excellent fresh eating, pie making, cider and drying qualities.  It is also known today as a prominent cider apple in today’s new cider renaissance.  It is a true russeted apple completely covered in an “old gold” russet finish.  It’s a uniform medium size apple on a vigorous growing tree in our area.  It is certainly one of the best quality Rusty Coat apples in Avery County.

Blacktwig – (also known as ‘Mammoth Blacktwig’).  We have two Blacktwig apple trees in the Crossnore Heritage Orchard, Trees #36 and #39.   The Blacktwig apples begin ripening in early-October and continue throughout the month.  We’ve found many older Blacktwig trees located across Avery County and perhaps the oldest was in Dulce Stamey’s old orchard on Horney Rd.

The Blacktwig was one of Lee Calhoun’s’ favorite American apples, well described in his book “Old Southern Apples”.   It was a seedling from a Winesap discovered in 1842 in Arkansas. Before 1900 the word “Blacktwig” was commonly used interchangeably for Winesap.  But this Winesap was so much larger than an Original Winesap it was named the Mammoth Blacktwig.   Freshly picked it has a winey/tart flavor and keeps very well in storage.  In storage it becomes sweeter and more flavorful about Christmas.  Nothing can touch the flavor of this apple during the winter and it is one of the best for “baked and pie apples”.  It is a vigorous growing tree, bears annually, and quite easy to grow in Avery County.  The Avery Extension Plant Sales often has the Blacktwig trees available each March.

Original Winesap (Old Fashioned Winesap, Holland Red Winter, Blacktwig) – The Crossnore Orchard has one Original Winesap apple tree, Tree #40. Historically no other apple comes close to being as popular across the South as the many Winesaps, named for its delicious sprightly, winey flavor.  The list of uses and attributes include, great flavor, fresh eating and baking, cider, reliable bearing each year, great storage time, turning more sweet over that time, excellent productivity and adaptability to different climates and soils. If you’ve got poor soil, plant Winesaps.  There are over 20 different variations of the Original Winesap apple now.  In our mountains we didn’t need Winesaps to grow great apples, but much of the South depended on them.

Mother apple – (Also known as American Mother & Mother Bud).  The Crossnore Heritage Orchard has one Mother apple, Tree, #41.  Our Mother apple begins ripening in mid-September and will continue into October.  We’ve seen only a few Older Mother apple trees in Avery County.  However, sweet stories abound about this apple from older folks.  Please share with us your stories, if you have some on the Mother apple. We can post them on this website, if you wish..

American Mother originated in the nineteenth century on the farm of Gen. Stephen P. Gardner of Bolton, Massachusetts. It is well adapted to the South and was very well known in central North Carolina. Medium size fruit is slightly oblong with thin, smooth, golden yellow skin mostly covered with red splashes and striping. Flesh is yellow, fine-grained, tender and juicy with a pleasant aroma and a distinctly sweet flavor.  It’s not the longest keeper in storage, but long-term storage is seldom required! A great American fresh eating apple also prized for making pies.

Mystery Tree – (?????,??????). Yes, the Crossnore Heritage Orchard does have a Mystery apple tree. (-: We are confident it is an heirloom apple, but we don’t have a clue what it is.  The Mystery tree is Tree #42 and it had some apples on it in July this year that appear to have disappeared? Hopefully we can identify next year (-: 

Somehow we lost the identity of this tree when it was planted about 2014.  It hasn’t had an apple on it yet, as far as I know! We’ll have more to tell you next fall when more apples are available!  When we all get a look at them please feel free to give us your opinion on their identity.

Pomology, the study of apples, has been a scientific endeavor for at least a couple of hundred years. This work focuses on identifying apples by describing them in detail, by their many characteristics. Simply Google “The Apples of New York” by Beach, 1905 and read the lengthy pomolgical descriptions for yourself. I have utilized this book writing some of these apple descriptions.