Adam's Apples

Red, ribbed, and russeted: Scruffy's blush, and dull-yellow unblushed peel, peers out from behind fractal-edged russet that seems to be spreading from pole to pole.  ¶  It is hefty and sprinkled with russeted lenticel dots (and less-obvious "clean" ones). The example in my photo is especially lopsided.

SPOT THE RINGER I am delighted to have these four different apples from the Midwest Apple Improvement Association. Specifically, from David Doud in Indiana.  ¶  Three of these are modern MAIA apples. One of those has been trademarked, so presumably has progressed from development to production. But the fourth was created by a much older fruit-breeding program in 1899.

There were 32 different kinds of apples for sale at Volante Farms in Needham last weekend, roughly tracking the 30 varieties listed on their dedicated apple web page .  ¶  (They were out of Cosmic Crisp, at least temporarily.)

Scarlet Crunch, large and conical, wears a streaky warm red blush over green-tinted yellow.  ¶  They are only slightly ribbed (you have to hunt for that) and are decorated with nearly invisible lenticel dots.

I have a healthy batch of these pale yellow apples courtesy ( again !) of Michael Wunsch of North Dakota. Medium to large, they have a small red-orange blush that is speckled and spotty.  ¶  They are slightly ribbed and only slightly asymmetrical (the significance of which will perhaps become clear below). Each is so glossy with wax that they are what apple nerds call "greasy," though none of it will come off on your fingers.

If October is Peak Apple, this coming holiday weekend is peak agroturismo at orchards in the Northeast. (Photo: Part of the crowd lining up to order cider donuts and other treats at Shelburne Farm in Stow, Massachusetts, on Saturday. ) ¶  Come for the apples...but also the donuts, hayrides, goats, corn maze, musical performances, and other delights. Resources below, but also a report from last weekend.

I'm able to share Red Baron with you today thanks to the generosity of Michael Wunsch, an orchardist in east-central North Dakota.  ¶  Glossy with natural wax , these run the gamut from the large end of of small to the smaller part of large. The red blush (streaky in spots) mostly covers a yellow peel tinged with green.