Fresh Eating Favourites

History: Norland apples were created by Dr. C.R. Ure and introduced in 1979 by the Agriculture Canada Research Station in Morden, Manitoba. 

Why We Grow It: Since this variety was bred to survive in the prairies, it is very cold hardy. The fruit is medium-sized with sweet flesh that is good for fresh eating or applesauce. It bears heavy annual crops starting early in the life of the tree. A home orchardist in Dacre, ON described the fruit as "lovely with no pest damage; juicy, creamy-fleshed with excellent flavour."

History: North Star sour cherries were created by the University of Minnesota as part of an effort to create varieties that are more resistant to the cold. They were introduced in 1950 and recently have been growing in popularity as a backyard variety. 

Why We Grow It: North Star is a sour cherry with bright red skin which darkens as it ripens. It has an excellent flavour. The trees have a compact and weeping growth habit, making them an attractive addition to your yard whether in bloom in spring or bearing fruit in the summer. They are also self-pollinating, very hardy, and resistant to leaf spot and brown rot. 

 Check our our blog post with some tasty sour cherry recipes!

Species: Vaccinium corymbosum x V. angustifolium

History: Northblue was bred by the University of Minnesota as part of a hybrid blueberry breeding program that started in 1967. The goal of the program was to cross highbush and lowbush blueberries in order to create high-quality cold hardy varieties. Of the three varieties initially created in this program, Northblue was noted for having the largest fruit and highest productivity. Northblue was introduced to the public in 1983. 

Why We Grow It: Northblue produces nicely sized, firm blueberries that store well. The berries have a good sweet flavour akin to that of wild blueberries and are great for a variety of uses. The compact shrub is quite productive and cold hardy.

Species: Vaccinium corymbosum x V. angustifolium

History: Northcountry was bred by the University of Minnesota as part of a hybrid blueberry breeding program that started in 1967. The goal of the program was to cross highbush and lowbush blueberries in order to create high-quality cold hardy varieties. Northcountry itself was created in 1968 and was introduced in 1986.

Why We Grow It: Northcountry produces small to medium blueberries with a sweet flavour akin to that of wild blueberries. For those looking to enjoy fresh blueberries as soon as possible each year, this variety is an excellent choice since it ripens quite early. The compact bush is also quite cold hardy and productive!

History: Northern Spy was first discovered in New York around 1800. It tends to be irregularly shaped and bruises easily, so it is not a popular commercial apple but it is still commonly grown in certain regions in the States today. It is featured in several poems and in 1953 a box of Northern Spy apples was sent to Senator Joseph McCarthy by the Toronto Globe and Mail during his infamous hunt for 'communist spies.' 

Why We Grow It: Northern Spy apples are juicy with a balanced sweet-tart honeyed flavour, although they do tend to bruise easily due to their thin skin. To make up for that, they are known for making wonderful pies. The trees are cold hardy and vigorous.

Species: Amelanchier alnifolia (aka Western Serviceberry)

History: Northline was developed by John Wallace at Beaverlodge Nursery in Beaverlodge, Alberta during the 1950s. Selected for its large berries and good flavour, Northline was later introduced in 1960.

Why We Grow It: Northline's large, sweet purpley-blue berries are excellent enjoyed fresh! Northline grows in an upright fashion and reaches about 2.5m tall, this making for an ideal u-pick bush. The fragrant showy flowers add aesthetic charm to the bush, along with the deep green foliage which turns fiery orange in the fall. Saskatoons by nature are slow growing, and while they will bear fruit in 3-5 years, it can take up to 15 years for a full crop.

History: Nova Easygro was developed at the AAFC Kentville Research and Development Station in Nova Scotia and introduced in 1971. 

Why We Grow It: Living up to its name, Nova Easygro is hard to beat if you're looking for a low-maintenance backyard tree or a clear winner for organic orchards. This variety is resistant to numerous common apple diseases and tastes great. The flavour is pleasant and sweet and the flesh is firm and white with the perfect texture, earning this apple favourable reviews at our tasting event.

Species: Rubus sp.

History: Nova red raspberries were developed at the AAFC Research and Development Centre in Kentville, Nova Scotia as part of a breeding program. They were bred as a cross between Southland and Boyne raspberries and released in 1981.

Why We Grow It: These nearly thornless canes bear a plentiful yield of bright red, large-sized berries. The finer textured fruit is less crumbly and has a bold flavour. Nova red raspberries are very hardy and are summer-bearing in colder climates and ever-bearing in warmer ones!

The second product photo shows Nova (right) compared to Heritage (left).

The third photo shows a Heritage and Nova raspberry tart Steph made!

History: Novamac apples were developed at the AAFC Kentville Research and Development Centre in Nova Scotia and introduced in 1978.

Why We Grow It: Novamac is a variety that definitely deserved more attention. They are generally disease resistant and have proven to be very easy to grow in our test orchard where they are performing well. This apple has a nice vibrant tang but also lots of sweetness and notes of berry. The flesh is firmer than its namesake McIntosh, which it is descended from. 

Species: Rubus occidentalis

History: Ohio's Treasure was developed by Dale Stokes and Dr. Harry Schwartz in an effort to create an everbearing black raspberry. The original cross was made in 2006 and the seedling was grown on a raspberry farm in Wilmington, Ohio. Successful in their efforts, the variety was released in 2015. 

Why We Grow It: Ohio's Treasure produces medium-sized black raspberries with an excellent sweet flavour. Ohio's Treasure is unique amongst black raspberries in that it is an everbearing variety, producing a main crop through late summer into fall and then another crop on the second year wood in July, around when Jewel ripens. Although not firm enough for largescale commercial shipping, this is an excellent variety for the garden or local market growers who want to extend the black raspberry season. 

Species: Prunus pumila var. besseyi (Western sandcherry) x P. salicina (Japanese Plum)

History: Opata was developed by Dr. N.E. Hansen who was a professor of horticulture at South Dakota State University from 1895 to 1950. He helped pioneer chum development in an effort to create plants hardy enough to survive in the northern prairies. Opata is the Sioux word for 'bouquet', following Hansen's tradition of naming his native plant crosses after words from local indigenous cultures.  

Why We Grow It: Opata produces a red chum with yellow flesh that is freestone, firm, juicy, and considered to be one of the better tasting chums. It is pleasantly sweet with only a hint of acidity. It is good for fresh eating as well as jams, jellies, preserves, and pies. Like other chums, the shrub itself is compact, cold hardy, and relatively free of pests and disease.

Species: Vitis vinifera x V. rupestris x V. ripraria x V. labrusca

History: Osceola Muscat/ES.8-2-43 was bred by renowned grape breeder Elmer Swenson as part of his effort to mix French and North American grapes to create high-quality varieties that grow well in cooler climates. Osceola Muscat is a cross between four different species: Common grape (Vitis vinifera), Vitis rupestris, Riverbank grape (Vitis riparia) and Fox grape (Vitis labrusca). Swenson bred it on his farm near Osceola, Wisconsin and in 2010 the variety was named after the town. The grape's alternate name, Muscat de Swenson, is named after Swenson himself who passed away in 2004.

Why We Grow It: Osceola Muscat produces loose clusters of seeded, intensely aromatic grapes with notes of peach and apricot. The small-medium, thin skinned fruit is suitable for fresh eating or juice and wine. This is one of the hardiest 'muscat' varieties available and is relatively vigorous.

History: Packham's Triumph were created by Charles Packham in 1896 in the town of Molong, located in Australia. His goal was to create a late-ripening pear and this popular pear proves he was indeed triumphant. This pear is most commonly grown in the southern hemisphere and the town of Molong is quite proud that such a beloved variety is part of their history. 

Why We Grow It: Packham's Triumph is bright-yellow with russet mottling and smooth, white, juicy flesh that has an excellent flavour and smooth texture. The tree produces heavy and reliable crops.

History: Parkland apples were variety created at the Morden Research and Development Centre in Manitoba and released in 1979. Like other varieties developed there, Parkland was designed to withstand the harsh prairie winters and is especially cold hardy. It has become the most commonly grown apple in Alaska after it was brought over in 1985 in an effort to determine which Canadian varieties could survive in the northern state.

Why We Grow It: Parkland is a very satisfying early season apple - sweet and crunchy. It's excellent snacking or applesauce although the fruit is small (about 2" diameter) with creamy flesh and red skin. The tree is quite hardy. 

History: The Passe Crassane pear originated in France where it was grown by Louis Boisbunel in 1845 and first bore fruit in 1855. It quickly became popular and was grown in France, Italy, and Spain and commonly exported to Germany and England. The stems were sealed with a red wax to keep in moisture during the pear's long ripening period which became a symbol of the variety. Although its susceptibility to blight has caused its popularity to decline since then, it is still grown on a small scale in parts of France and Italy.

Why We Grow It: This French winter pear is aromatic, floral, and fruity with a melting texture. It is best enjoyed after 4-5 months in storage, usually around February to March. Although the tree is hardy, it is susceptible to mildew and fireblight.

Species: Vaccinium corymbosum

History: Patriot was developed by the USDA and Maine Agriculture Experimental Station where it was first bred in 1954. It was selected for its cold hardiness and resistance to root rot. Patriot was released in 1976 and given its name to mark the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

Why We Grow It: Patriot produces large berries with excellent flavour that are a bit on the softer side. The fruit ripens early in the season and is great for fresh eating, baking, preserving, and freezing! It is more tolerant of the cold and of wet soils than other blueberries and can be grown even in a clay soil. 

History: Paula Red (sometimes written Paulared) was discovered in Michigan in 1960 by Lewis Arends near a ravine where apples were dumped. It was one of several wild apple seedlings that had sprouted up from the discarded seeds. Likely pleased by its attractive red skin and flavour, Arends named it 'Paula Red' in honour of his wife Pauline. It is a cross between Duchess and McIntosh.

Why We Grow It: Paula Red produces medium to large red apples with small yellow/green patches that are juicy and firm with a nice sweet/tart flavour. The flavour has strong vinous and strawberry notes. It is also slower to brown. This early-ripening variety tends to soften relatively quickly which means it does not store very long, but it is great for making applesauce. The tree produces heavy crops although tends to bear every other year as a result. 

Species: Asimina triloba

History: Native to southern Ontario where it is considered a vulnerable species and the central United States, it is believed the range of these trees has shrunk with the extinction of megafauna that likely dispersed the seeds. These oddly tropical fruits have been cultivated by indigenous peoples and European colonizers alike, it is rumoured chilled pawpaw was George Washington's favourite dessert and Thomas Jefferson planted some at Monticello. Although popular among locals and with foragers, pawpaws have failed to achieve any kind of commercial success due to their poor keeping ability and oft difficult pollination.

Why We Grow It: The Pawpaw produces very unique fruit that has a distinct tropical banana/mango flavour and custard-like texture. As it oxidizes fairly quickly once cut open, it is best eaten fresh once fully ripe or made into sauces, ice cream, etc. You can bake and cook with pawpaw like you would with bananas but please take note that some people have reported extreme tummy troubles after consuming cooked pawpaws! Mouse made a no-bake pawpaw cheesecake (pictured on the left), you can find the recipe on our blog here! Pawpaws have a very slow growth habit and grow naturally as an under story tree, usually not reaching over 35 feet. We grow them from seed for increased hardiness compared to grafted stock.

History: Pewaukee originated around the mid-1800s when George Peffer, owner of Pewaukee Fruit Farm & Nursery, crossed Duchess of Oldenburg with Northern Spy on his farm in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. The resulting apple, a cross of two varieties well known for their use in cooking, is great for a variety of culinary uses! It was formally recorded as a variety in 1870 and can still be found in old orchards in parts of the US today. 

Why We Grow It: Pewaukee produces a yellow apple with red striping that has sweet, crisp flesh with a hint of vanilla. It is great for fresh eating and excels for sauce, cooking, and baking. The tree is known for being hardy and producing fruit at a young age.

History: Pine Golden Pippin's exact origins are unknown, but it is quite an old variety that either originated in northern England or in Scotland. It was first formally described by nursery worker Thomas Rivers in A Descriptive Catalogue of Fruit Trees in 1863. In 1875, Robert Hogg claimed that Pine Golden Pippin was one of the best fresh eating apples around in his book The Fruit Manual. 

Why We Grow It: Robert Hogg was correct about Pine Golden Pippin! Despite the small size of the fruit, it makes up for it with crisp and juicy fruit with a sweet/sharp flavour that has a hint of pineapple and resin. The fruit is great for fresh eating and can also be used in cider blends. It tends to be slower growing but produces good crops. 

History: Ping Guo Li (translated from Mandarin as 'apple pear') was developed by Jilin Sheng in China and likely named for its round, apple-like shape. While its exact age is unknown, this pear is considered to be an old variety.

Why We Grow It: This Asian pear is nothing but sweet and juicy melting goodness! Its sweet flavour and soft texture are comparable to that of a European pear.  So far it has performed very well in our test orchard and displays good cold-hardiness.

Species: Ribes rubrum

History: Pink Champagne currants are a cross between red and white currants. Although the exact origin is unclear, this variety was listed in the catalogue of William Prince's nursery in New York as early as the 1800s. 

Why We Grow It: Considered to be one of the best fresh eating currants, Pink Champagne produces beautiful translucent pink berries that have a sweet, delicate flavour. They are easy to grow and produce numerous clusters of hanging, pink berries.

History: Not to be confused with Pink Lady, Pink Pearl was developed by breeder Albert Etter who had the goal of creating red-fleshed apple varieties from seedlings of Surprise, a red-flashed variety. In 1940, he partnered with the California Nursery Company to bring some of these varieties to the public. Pink Pearl was selected as the best amongst his seedlings and released in 1945.

Why We Grow It: One of Steph's favourites! Pink Pearl is a delicious apple that is crisp with a pronounced unique fruity flavour and a nice blend of sweetness and sharpness. Its yellow-pink skin conceals a bright pink interior that is stunning to see compared to the white-ish flesh of most apples. It is great fresh or for applesauce, and it is relatively slow browning- it can be cut and bagged in the fridge the night before with very little change in colour the next day. Their pink colour adds a unique visual appeal to baked goods as well, such as with the gooseberry and Pink Pearl tarts Steph made pictured here!

Species: Ribes uva-crispa x Ribes missouriense

History: Pixwell was developed at the North Dakota Experiment Station in a gooseberry breeding program that began in 1920. A cross between Oregon Champion and Ribes missouriense, the variety was eventually released in 1932. Pixwell was named for it's less thorny nature - as in smaller and less thorns than most gooseberries, especially as it grows older - which makes it easier to pick the berries.

Why We Grow It: Aside from living up to its name, Pixwell produces green berries that turn a lovely shade of pink to deep plummy-purple-red once they are fully ripe - though you can use the green berries for tangy chutneys and the pink stage is nice fresh too. The medium berries have sweet flesh and tart skin, and are great for fresh eating, pies, and preserving.

History: The origins of Pomme Gris (translated as 'gray apple' from French) are a bit of a mystery. It may have originated in France in the 1600s as either a seedling or sport of the variety Reinette Gris which was then brought to Quebec by French or Swiss colonizers. Alternatively, it may have its origins in Quebec, perhaps being grown and propagated in Canada from the start. The first instance of this variety's documentation was by a William Forsyth in 1803 who believed the apple originated in Canada and made its way to Europe sometime in the 1700s. Regardless, this variety was grown in Quebec for centuries. 

Why We Grow It: Pomme Gris is an excellent all-purpose apple! Although not the prettiest apple in the world, it is crisp, juicy, and aromatic with a nutty flavour and hints of vanilla. It was really a standout when our tree first produced fruit a couple years ago! The fruit can also be used for cooking and the apple would likely be a good addition to cider blends. 

History: Porthos was developed by Bob Bors at the University of Saskatchewan. It was selected for its large fruit and unusually sweet flavour. A member of the Musketeer Series, Porthos was released in 2022 as part of the university's 100 Years of Horticulture Celebrations. 

Why We Grow It: Porthos produces large, deep red fruits that are quite sweet for sour cherries! This is a versatile variety that is great for fresh eating, baking, cooking, freezing, and making wine. 

Check our our blog post with some tasty sour cherry recipes!

History: Prima is one the apples developed from the collaborative PRI disease-resistant breeding program run by Purdue University, Rutgers University, and the University of Illinois. It was introduced in 1958 but unfortunately is no longer fully scab resistant due to the fungus evolving to overcome the resistance since then.

Why We Grow It: Another great apple for organic production and excellent for the backyard or farmer’s market sales! This apple is sweet, juicy, and flavourful and boasts good disease resistance..

History: Pristine is another variety that was developed through the collaborative PRI disease-resistant breeding program run by Purdue University, Rutgers University, and the University of Illinois. It was introduced in 1994.

Why We Grow It: The program was successful with this apple which boasts a decent disease resistance, and performs very well in our orchard. The fruit is an attractive yellow-gold colour with a pink blush where the sun hits it, and the flesh is dense and white. It has a refreshing, sharp flavour and is good for fresh eating if you enjoy a good tart apple! Unlike many early season apples, it has a higher sugar content and stores decently well.