It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the multitude of apple varieties on offer at farmers tailgate markets each autumn. Some are better for baking, some for snacking. Maybe you prefer a sweeter apple or something more tart. Maybe you know you’ve tasted the perfect apple before, but you can’t remember what it was called. How do you choose? Well, apart from asking the farmer’s advice (which is always a good first step), you might consider throwing together an apple taste test.
Many growers will sell quarter peck bags (about eight or nine apples) of mixed varieties that come out to be cheaper than buying individually. Make your selections, label them (sticky notes will work, as long as the apples aren’t shifting around too much in the bag), and gather a few family members, co-workers, friends, or students to sample slices. You can vote on favorites or arrange according to sweetness—but don’t forget to take notes!
To get a sense of a few different types of apples, we are sharing some of the standouts at this point in the apple harvest season. Swiss Gourmet tends to be an all-around favorite, straddling the sweet-tart line and rendering a juicy crunch. The pale green Golden Delicious also makes a balanced sweet-tart choice, and the ones harvested now have a nice crispness, though it will get softer later in the season. At the sweeter end of things is the Pinova (with honeyed, tropical flavor and satisfying crispness), Jonathan, and Jonagold (a cross between Jonathan and Golden Delicious). York apples have a funny oblong shape and are mildly tart with just a hint of sweetness, and pleasantly crisp. Stayman, often used in cider-making, is also on the tart side of the spectrum.
Now that October is here, it is also National Farm to School Month–and in North Carolina, Farm to School and Early Care and Education Month–which means celebrating all the local food and farm connections in the classroom. One way to join in is the North Carolina Crunch on Wednesday, Oct. 22. You don't have to be a student or educator to participate! Just crunch into a local fruit or veggie (an apple or anything else that makes a crunch!) at noon on Oct. 22 or another day during the month of October. Find resources for how schools, farmers, businesses, or other groups can get involved on the Growing Minds website. Check out kid-friendly apple recipes for NC crunch and Farm to School Month, like apple chips, apple parfait, applesauce, and more at growing-minds.org/fall-recipes.
Vendors selling apples at area farmers tailgate markets include B&L Organic (North Asheville and West Asheville markets), Creasman Farms (Asheville City, Black Mountain, North Asheville, and West Asheville markets), Windy Hollow Farms (Weaverville Tailgate Market), and McConnell Farms (North Asheville Tailgate Market).
At markets now you’ll also find collards, beets, carrots, figs, apples, mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, okra, peppers, eggplant, garlic, onions, microgreens, many types of fresh herbs, the first fall lettuces and broccoli, and more. Markets offer an abundance of farm-fresh eggs and meats, including chicken, pork, beef, and lamb. You can also get bread, cheese, pastries, fermented products, drinks, and prepared foods. During springtime, find annual and perennial plant starts for your gardens along with fresh flowers. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org.
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ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
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Each year Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard in Henderson County unveils its five-acre corn maze alongside other fall agritourism offerings, including u-pick apples, pumpkin patch, wagon rides, and more. This year, a portion of the proceeds will benefit ASAP's Appalachian Grown Farmer Resiliency Fund.
The corn maze will be open daily throughout the fall season (9 a.m.-6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays, and 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday). Find out more at steppapples.com.
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Join ASAP's Growing Minds program for a virtual Farm to School training on Wednesday, October 12, 3:30-4:45. Find more information and register at growing-minds.org.
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