Baking & Cooking Favourites

History: Stanley plum was developed in Geneva, New York by Cornell University and released in 1962.

Why We Grow It: This freestone European plum has deep purple skin and meaty, golden flesh, the standard for prunes. It has a sweet juicy flavour and is great for fresh eating, canning, and drying. The tree produces heavy, reliable crops. 

Species: Helianthus tuberosus, Sunchokes are also known as Jerusalem Artichokes or J Chokes

History: Our founder, Ken Roth, acquired Sunbeam from Sunny Nature Farm near Midland, ON. The owners of the farm were unsure what variety it was but Ken says it is now his favourite sunchoke, no contest! He collected and propagated the tubers, Mouse suggested he name them Sunbeam in honour of Sunny Nature Farm, and now we are happy to release them to the public in 2025!

Why We Grow It: Sunbeam won Ken over with its large, smooth tubers that are reminiscent of sweet potatoes. He finds them easier to clean than the other varieties we currently offer which makes processing them for cooking much smoother. Even compared to other sunchokes Sunbeam is highly productive and vigorous! Considering Ken has been growing his selection of sunchokes over the years, we trust his judgement when he says this one takes the cake. 

Species: Castanea dentata x mollissima

History: These seedlings are a cross between Chinese chestnuts and American chestnuts grown from seed from Grimo Nut Nursery. As a hybrid of Chinese and American chestnuts, these seedlings have blight resistance along with good cold hardiness. 

Why We Grow It: This tree has incredible potential as a truly sustainable food source for humans. High in vitamins and starch, the nuts can be used to make a flour food staple, or pressed for oil to be made into bio fuel. For more inspiration and ideas in growing sweet chestnuts as a crop, we recommend the book Restoration Agriculture: Real-World Permaculture for Farmers by Mark Shepard.

History: Sweet Sixteen was developed by the University of Minnesota and introduced in 1977. It is one of nearly thirty varieties released by the university since its breeding program began in 1888.

Why We Grow It: Some apples taste better when grown in colder climates, and Sweet Sixteen is one of them. For a fresh-eating apple, this is a favourite. Sweet Sixteen provides that crisp first bite that so many people love in an apple, and the pure white flesh will not disappoint for flavour with a very unique, distinct honeyed flavour. Its cold-hardiness and general disease-resistance (tolerant of scab and cedar rust) make it winner for the grower too.

Special Note: We take special care to grade out (remove) any of these seedlings that are showing visible thorns when we dig them in the fall. This increases the likelihood (although we cannot make any guarantees) that you will not have thorns develop on your Thornless Honey Locust Seedling. If you don't mind thorns on your Honey Locust, the ones we grade out are available here at a lower pricepoint.

Species: Gleditsia triacanthos

History: Thanks to its ability to tolerate a host of adverse conditions that would hinder or kill other trees, Honey Locusts have been cultivated for us as ornamental, urban trees. As a result, several thornless varieties have been developed including the mother tree for these seedlings.

Why We Grow It: Honey Locust has many benefits for permaculture and now growers do not need to worry about popping tires with thorns thanks to these thornless trees - though they are seedling so some may develop thorns though most will not; these can be top grafted with a thornless type if needed. Reaching 30 meters tall, this native nitrogen fixing tree benefits many including bees, wildlife, and even humans: we can use the sweet (honey flavoured) pulp inside their pods in baking, tea or for brewing beer. The durable, rot-resistant wood has a variety of uses. 

History: Thunderchild is a crabapple that was developed by Percy Wright, a prairie plant breeder in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Although it is unknown when exactly Thunderchild was created, it likely came about in the 1900s and can still be seen as a common ornamental tree in the area.

Why We Grow It: Thunderchild makes for a lovely ornamental tree with a profusion of pink blossoms in the spring and deep red foliage. The tiny dark red fruits it produces can be used in cider blends and to make jellies with a gorgeous orange hue. The tree is quite cold hardy and generally disease resistant. 

Species: Ribes nigrum

History: Titania black currant was developed by Pal Tamas in Sweden. It was bred as a cross between the varieties Consort, Kayaanin Musta, and Altaskaya Dessertnaya in 1969 and chosen for further evaluation in 1974. Since its release it has become one of the most popular currants in North America.

Why We Grow It: It is easy to see why Titania has become so popular. It produces large, juicy berries with a rich, mild flavour. It is also resistant to White Pine Blister Rust and mildew. The berries are great for a variety of uses, such as the black currant scones and black currant and blueberry tarts Steph made (see pictures)!

2025 Staff Favourite

Tolman Sweet Apples are Mouse's favourite this year! In their opinion Tolman Sweet apples are “a lovely green apple with a very unique sweetness! A must-try for anyone interested in exploring the full range of apple flavours!”

All Staff Favourites are 20% off. The Staff Favourite Discount cannot be combined with other quantity discounts.

History: Little is known about the origin of this heritage apple, but Tolman Sweet has been highly valued since its discovery. It is uncertain whether it came from Massachusetts or New York in the 18th or 19th century but it was first recorded in 1822. This hardy tree was used as a source of rootstock at one time.

Why We Grow It: Tolman Sweet is a great all-purpose apple. The fruit are medium-sized with yellow skin, and have a distinctly sweet, dry flesh. They are nice for fresh eating but can also be used in baking, drying, and pickling. Their unusually low acid content helps to reduce acidity in both sweet and hard cider.

Species: Vaccinium angustifolium

History: Top Hat lowbush blueberry was released by the Michigan State University Agricultural Experiment Station some time before the mid to late 1970s.

Why We Grow It: This variety produces small berries with a rich sweet-tart flavour. It is a popular pick for bonsai and container gardening. Blueberries are great for baking, for example Steph made some wonderful black currant and blueberry tarts that are pictured here!

Species: Rubus fruticosis

History: Triple Crown was bred in Beltsville, Maryland by the USDA in order to create a good thornless variety for commercial sale. It was released in 1998 and was named Triple Crown due to its three crowning qualities: good flavour, high yields, and vigour. 

Why We Grow It: Triple Crown produces large, glossy berries that are sweet and tart. It bears fruit uniformly and the canes are thornless, making the berries very easy to pick. They are good for fresh eating and great for baking.

Species: Rubus idaeus

History: Tulameen was bred at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in 1980 and released in 1990. It was selected for its disease resistance, long ripening period, large fruit, and excellent flavour and quality. The name likely comes from either the Tulameen River or the town of Tulameen in BC, although it also means 'red earth' in Nlakaʼpamuctsin.

Why We Grow It: Tulameen is a summer-bearing variety that is known for producing large crops of huge red raspberries that are very sweet and jammy! The exceptionally tall canes may require some trellising but have very few thorns which makes handling them much easier than other varieties. 

Species: Carya illinoinensis or hybrid. Our seeds are collected from trees that may have been cross-pollinated by closely related species so the resulting seedlings may be hybrids. 

History: Pecan enthusiasts John Gordon and Gary Fernald, determined to get pecans to ripen regularly in Ontario, collected nuts and and grafting material from the earliest ripening pecan trees along the northern edge of their range in Iowa and Missouri. These were grown and tested at Grimo Nut Nursery and the best were chosen to form the Ultra Northern pecan strain.

Why We Grow It: Considering the amount of hard work that went into bringing these trees to Ontario, it's hard to turn down the ability to have a pecan tree in your own backyard. Like a regular pecan, the nuts can be used in a variety of ways for cooking and baking, such as the persimmon and pecan cookies Steph made (see pictures)!

Species: Aronia melanocarpa

History: Viking was developed in Finland around the 1980s, likely looking to increase productivity. They succeeded and Viking is now the most productive of all aronia cultivars.

Why We Grow It: With slightly larger than average berries, very good flavour, and the best productivity of all aronia berries, Viking is a hard variety to turn down. Like other aronia berries, they can be a bit tart for fresh eating but are great when used for cooking, baking, wines, jams, etc. While the berries ripen in August, they can hang onto the bush for a couple months and tend to sweeten over time.

History: Vista Bella was created at Rutgers University in New Jersey in the 1950s and released in 1974. Although its poor keeping ability prevents it from being a commercial success, this early ripening variety is still a nice way to herald in the apple harvest season every year. 

Why We Grow It: Vista Bella is the first red apple of the season. The flavour and texture are of better quality than other early apples, making Vista Bella an excellent choice for early farmer’s market sales and roadside stands. The flesh is crisp and juicy, although it softens quickly and, like other early apples, does not keep long.

History: Wagener apples come from a seed that was planted by George Wheeler in the Finger Lakes area of New York in 1791. In 1796, Abraham Wagener purchased Wheeler's property and planted the seedling on his own property in Penn Yan village where the tree was known for producing attractive, tasty fruit in abundance every year. The variety was named after Wagener and became popular for its excellent storage qualities.  

Why We Grow It: Wagener is ideal for the self-sufficient homesteader who values a late keeper, lasting until April in an ordinary cold cellar. When first picked they have a sharp, acidic taste and are great for cooking. In storage, they mellow to an excellent sweet, crisp apple that is perfect for fresh eating.

History: Wealthy apples were created by horticulturalist Peter Gideon after spending years trying to breed an apple variety that could survive Minnesota's harsh winters. With the very last of his money, he purchased seeds and scions in 1868 in one final attempt and was able to produce the Wealthy apple which he named after his wife, Wealthy Gideon. He gave scions away freely and Wealthy became one of the top five apples grown in the US.

Why We Grow It: A medium to large sized apple, Wealthy makes splendid applesauce, but is also very good for fresh eating with a balanced sweet-tart crunch. The tree is scab resistant and cold hardy, makes an excellent pollinator for other apples, and is well-suited for organic orchards.

Species: Carya ovata or hybrid. Our seeds are collected from trees that may have been cross-pollinated by closely related species so the resulting seedlings may be hybrids. 

History: These are seedlings of Weschke Shagbark Hickories, a variety that was discovered in Iowa by Carl Weschke and named in 1926. It was selected for its excellent flavour. 

Why We Grow It: While these seedlings will vary from their parents, the goal is that the excellent qualities of Weschke Shagbark Hickories will be passed along to its offspring! Weshcke Shagbark Hickories are known for having excellent flavour and thin shells that are easier for cracking.

History: Westland apples were developed at the Alberta Special Crops and Horticultural Research Centre in Brooks, Alberta and introduced in 1979.

Why We Grow It: This medium sized pie apple is cold hardy, excellent for the prairies and northern regions. The fruit is large and a pale yellow-ish green with red flush and stripes. 

History: White Lady was created by Zaiger Genetics in California as part of their fruit breeding enterprise. It was selected for its unique white flesh, reddish skin, and overall excellent fruit quality. The variety was introduced in 1986.

Why We Grow It: White Lady is a unique variety featuring red blush over white skin and firm, white flesh. This freestone peach has quite low acidity giving it a very sweet flavour and it is great for fresh eating, canning, preserving, and baking. The tree itself is adaptable and the blossoms tolerate unpredictable spring weather better than most. 

Grafted Peach Trees
We are very pleased to be able to offer peach trees to our customers. They are both challenging and rewarding plants to grow. However, due to the unique challenges of growing peach trees, and the increased care required for their success, we regrettably cannot offer our standard 90 day guarantee on peaches. Please inspect your peach trees to your satisfaction when you pick them up at the nursery, or immediately upon arrival if they are shipped. For shipped trees, make your claim within 7 days of receipt of the trees. After 7 days of receipt, you will have been deemed to have accepted the trees in as-is condition.

Species: Ribes rubrum

History: Developed in Holland, White Pearl currants, like all white currants, are actually an albino mutation of red currants. This variety has been popular in Europe for quite some time, although aside from its place of origin it appears there is little information on how it came to be. 

Why We Grow It: These delicate translucent berries are white with a pinkish-gold hue, making them delightful to see growing in the garden. They have sweet and mild flavour that is slightly floral. The plant itself is quite cold hardy and bears prolific crops.

History: Whitney crabapples were grown from seed by nurseryman A.R. Whitney around 1865 at Whitney Nursery in Illinois, US. It became popular for its excellent cold hardiness and productivity and in the 1900s the state of Montana recommended it as one of the best crabapple varieties to grow. 

Why We Grow It: These large (for a crabapple) yellow and red apples boast a sweet-sharp flavour with some astringency and juicy, crispy flesh. They are a truly multipurpose fruit and can be eaten fresh (if you like some astringency to your apple) or used for cooking, sauce, cider, and jelly. The trees are very cold hardy and boast good disease resistance as well.

History: Winesap's origins are unclear but it is believed to have originated from New Jersey pre-1800s where it was popular for making cider. It is first mentioned in a couple of books on apples in the early 1800s. Winesap was popular in the US until the 1950s due to its good keeping ability but the advent of better storage technology allowed better tasting apple varieties to eclipse it. It is still quit popular with backyard orchardists.

Why We Grow It: Winesap's all-purpose nature helps to explain why it hasn't faded into total obscurity like some other varieties. The medium-large red and yellow skinned fruit is good for cooking and making cider. It has sweet flesh with some tang or 'winey' flavour that is also decent for fresh eating. On top of that, the tree is productive, very resistant to fireblight, and the fruit stores well.

History: Winter Banana originated on David Flory's farm in Indiana around 1876. It was named Winter Banana due to the apparently banana-like aroma it gives off when ripe. It is also named Flory Banana or Flory Apple after David Flory. Winter Banana was grown on the west coast and gained some popularity in England and Germany. The thin skin of this variety is easily bruised which prevented it from being a commercial variety but it is still commonly found in gardens and farmer's markets. 

Why We Grow It: This all-purpose apple is extremely attractive with pale yellow skin and a pinkish-red blush. The banana-like aroma is accompanied by sweet flesh with an acid tang. The flavour improves in storage and the apples can be kept all winter.

History: Winter Bartlett pears originated on the western coast of the United States, likely in Eugene, Oregon. They were introduced by D.W. Coolidge in 1880 but it is believed the variety may have existed for some time before that. It earned its name from it's resemblance to the Bartlett pear in taste and shape and it's designation as a winter pear.

Why We Grow It: As opposed to summer pears which are meant to be eaten shortly after picking, winter pears are supposed to be allowed to ripen for months in cold storage and enjoyed during later seasons. It is worth the wait for this variety, which produces a medium to large fruit with golden-yellow skin covered in patches and dots of russet and red streaks. It has a sweet and slightly subacidic flavour paired with firm, coarse, juicy white flesh. It is also great for cooking. 

History: Wolf River was raised from seed by Quebec lumberman William Springer in the latter half of the 19th century. When Springer and his family were moving by wagon to Wisconsin, they bought a bushel of Alexander apples along the way. Upon arriving at their new home, he planted the seeds from said apples along the bank of the Wolf River and the Wolf River apple grew from there. This variety has since garnered a reputation as a good cooking apple and for the incredible size of its fruit.

Why We Grow It: First and foremost, Wolf River is legendary for the huge size of its fruit. The apples can weigh a pound or more and there are stories of pies being made from a single apple. The fruit, green with red blush and stripes, has a sweet and tart flavour that is good for cooking and it holds its shape well when cooked. The tree itself is hardy and relatively disease resistant as well.

History: Generally just known as Gravenstein, it is unknown when or where exactly these apples came from but they were imported from France to Denmark in the 1600s by Count Frederik the Younger and planted at the summer residence of the Danish royal family, Gråsten Palace. As a result the variety was named Gråsten (Danish for graystone) which translates to Gravenstein in German. This apple has been popular in Canada since the 1820s, particularly in Nova Scotia, and provided the dried apples and applesauce for American soldiers during WW2. In 2005 it was declared the national apple of Denmark.

Why We Grow It: Yellow Gravenstein's excellence as a fresh eating and cooking apple makes it easy to see why it is grown in so many different countries, even if the tree is slow to bear fruit and is prone to many common fruit tree diseases (although we haven't had much issues growing it here). It has a great sweet/tart flavour and is crunchy and juicy. The fruit is a nice yellow with red striping. 

History: Yellow Transparent (aka White Transparent and Glass Apple) originated as a chance seedling in a nursery in Riga, Latvia around 1850. At the time Latvia was part of the Russian Empire so this variety is often considered Russian. Due to its early ripening and cold hardiness, this variety was widely grown in Europe, especially northern countries, where it is still grown today. It was imported to the US in the 1870s as part of an effort to import cold hardy Russian species that could potentially survive in states with harsher winters and became quite popular. 

Why We Grow It: This classic early apple deserves a home in every home orchard. The fruit features pale yellow skin that almost looks transparent and white flesh with a sharp, sweet flavour. It can be eaten fresh but also makes a great applesauce. Like many early ripening apples, the fruit does not last long. 

Species: Sambucus canadensis

History: York was developed at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York in 1964. It is a cross between the varieties Adams 2 and Ezyoff.

Why We Grow It: York is known for producing exceptionally large berries that are quite flavourful. This variety is also quite productive, a good choice for fans of these delightful dark purple berries! Eating the raw elderberries can cause adverse reactions so it is recommended that you cook them first.