By Will Rowlands
Interested in apples and their history? This book is for you. Both Anne and I found it entertaining and informative.
Read about the real Johnny Appleseed (Massachusetts native John Chapman), and David Church from Newington, Connecticut, who distributed apple seeds during his travels in New York State.
Immerse yourself in the history of apples in New England and discover which apple variety is the oldest … the Roxbury Russet or the Yellow Sweeting (aka Sweet Rhode Island Greening).
Three of the most popularly grown apples in the 1700s and 1800s were the Roxbury Russet, Sheep’s Nose and Westfield Seek-No-Further, all discovered in New England.
This handy book contains descriptions and color photographs of more than 200 apples discovered, grown or sold in New England. Each entry includes notes on flavor and texture, history, ripening time, storage quality, and best uses.
Powell organizes the apples into seven groups: Multicolored Apples, Pink-Red-Orange Apples, Green-Yellow Apples, Russeted Apples, Restricted Apples (Managed or Club Varieties), Cider Apples and Rare New England Apples.
A chart is provided for each variety that gives the following information, if known: parentage, origin (when and where discovered), date of commercial release, harvest season (early, middle or late) and flavor.
Flavor is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, 1 = tart, 2 = more tart than sweet, 3 = in between, 4 = more sweet than tart and 5 = sweet.
There are notes about flavor and texture, history, ripening time, storage quality and best uses. The apples discussed range from rare heirlooms to newly discovered varieties.
Russell Steven Powell is the former executive director of the New England Apple Association and now serves as its senior writer. He publishes the blog newenglandorchards.org, and is the author of America’s Apple. He lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts.
Apples of New England – A User’s Guide
224 pages, 7.3″ x 7.3″
Hardcover $19.95
ISBN 978-1-58157-223-0
The Countryman Press, Woodstock, VT – countrymanpress.com
For info on bulk orders, contact info@newenglandapples.org
