Varieties
Eating
Whatever your tastes, we have your favourite! We have McIntosh, Bartless Pears, Gala, Spartan, Cortland, Honeycrisp, Red Cort, Empire, Bosc Pears, Russett, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Northern Spy, Braeburn, Mutsu, Ambrosia, and Fuji. We are always planting new varieties for you. If you don't know your favourite yet, be our guest to taste right in the orchard until you do!
Baking
It's not just "Spys for Pies" anymore!
Pies, apple sauce or baked apples? Cortland are the farmer's favourite right now for apple pies and apple sauce. When Cortland are no longer available, Spartan, Mutsu, Golden Delicious, and Northern Spy come to the rescue. Pies taste even better when you pick the apples!
Ambrosia
Ambrosia is medium to large in size and has mostly red coloration, with yellow patches. It has cream-colored, firm meat with a sweet, crisp, aromatic flavor reminiscent of pear and low acidity.
Bartlett Pears
Generally available in late August/early September, Bartlett pears have a thin, green skin that yellows as they ripen. Best picked firm and green, Bartlett pears become juicy and sweet as they continue to ripen off the tree, stored at room temperature. The perfect ripe Bartlett pear should be firm and slightly yellow, by the time it is soft to the touch, it is over ripe. They are terrific for eating fresh out-of-hand, a great choice for canning and while slightly under ripe, hold up well to baking.
Bosc Pears
One of the later ripening varieties, Bosc pears are usually ready to harvest in late September. They are sweet with crunchy yet tender flesh, and brown russet skin. Great for eating fresh, baking into pies or crisps. Bosc pears are best kept in a cool, dry place like your refrigerator.
Braeburn
Braeburn has a unique combination of sweet and tart flavour. Medium to large in size, they are firm with a red/orange colour.
Cortland
Descended from the McIntosh, it's a cross between a Ben Davis and McIntosh. Large globular shape with red-orange stripes. Mild, sweet taste and crisp texture. Excellent for salads and fruit plates; resists browning. Good for pies and sauces.
Cox's Orange Pippin
Generally available for picking in late September the Cox's Orange Pippin, in Britain often referred to simply as "Cox" Orange Pippin, is an apple cultivar that arose as a chance seedling. First grown in 1825, at Colnbrook in Buckinghamshire, England and widely regarded as the finest tasting desert apple. It remains unsurpassed for it's richness and complexity of flavour. Best eaten fresh, when picked fully ripe, straight from the tree. It has a remarkable range of subtle flavours - pear, melon, freshly-squeezed orange juice, and mango are all evident in a good example.
Crimson Crisp
True to its name, Crimson Crisp is a firm, deep red-purple, and crunchy apple. Its crispy flesh has a sweet-tart flavour, making it a great fresh-eating apple as well as a good apple for juicing. This medium-sized apple is generally ready for picking in mid-September to October.
Cripps Pink
The Cripps Pink apple is more often known as the Pink Lady®, which is a trademarked name. It is a cross of the Golden Delicious and the Lady Williams varieties, with a firm, crisp flesh and a tangy, sweet flavour. An excellent choice for eating fresh, baking and apple sauce.
Empire
A cross between the McIntosh and Red Delicious. Slightly tart; juicy, firm and crisp. Ideal for snacks; makes great applesauce.
Fuji
A cross between a Delicious and Ralls Janet. Medium to large size; firm and greenish pink in colour with white flesh. Great for eating fresh.
Gala
A cross between a Kidd's Orange and Golden Delicious. Average size; yellow-orange ground colour with a red blush. Ideal for eating fresh out-of-hand.
Gravenstein
Originated in the 17th century or earlier, they are crisp, juicy apples with a distinctive sweet/tart flavour. Best enjoyed fresh or in your favourite baked goods.
Harrow Crisp Pears
Ripening after Bartletts, they are generally ready for picking in early to mid September. Harrow Crisp is an attractive early season pear with a mild and sweet flavour. They are excellent eaten fresh and because of there firm texture, they are also good for baking and produce a good amount of juice for making fresh pear ciders and juicing. Like other pears, store Harrow Crisps at room temperature, until the are soft enough to eat. Once ripe, keep them refrigerated.
Honeycrisp
Cross between a Macoun and Honeygold. Large sized fruit with distinctive crisp texture, aromatic, juicy and a slightly acidic, sweet taste. Flesh is cream coloured. Best eaten fresh.
Jonagold
Cross between a Golden Delicious and Jonathan. Large, round to round conic; medium orange-red to red blush over faint striping and green-yellow ground colour; firm, slightly coarse texture. Great for eating fresh and cooking.
McIntosh
Originated at 1800 as a chance seedling by John McIntosh of Dundela, Ontario. Medium size; irregular round shape; green apple with red splash; white, juicy flesh; mildly tart, sweetness as it ripens. Excellent for eating fresh, baking pies and sauces.
Mutsu (Crispin)
Cross between the Golden Delicious and the Japanese Indo. Larger than average; tart to sweet taste and firm texture. Ideal for snack. Delicious in pies and chunky sauces.
Northern Spy
Distinguished by bright red stripes and elongated shape. Large, crisp and firm. Excellent for pies and baked apples
Paula Red
It's one of our earliest varieties to be harvested. The Paula Red apple is tart and juicy with crisp white flesh. Excellent for eating and good for apple sauce.
Red Cort
A variation of Cortland, Red Cort is a large crisp and juicy red apple, with white flesh. Great for eating or in pies.
Red Delicious
Large size; firm, sweet and juicy; dark red and elongated. Excellent in salads; not recommended for cooking.
Russet
Sweet and tangy. A popular choice in Europe. One of the oldest Ontario varieties. Great as a fresh snack; ideal for pie filling and applesauce, too.
Smoothie (Golden Delicious)
Originated in West Virginia as a chance seedling in 1916. Firm and juicy. Slices keep their shape when baked in pies. Favourite choice for snacks and applesauce.
Spartan
Cross between the McIntosh and Newtown; originated in British Columbia. Medium size, red variety. Good fresh from hand; makes a great pie filling, too.