The picking calendar
When each variety is usually ready in the Hudson Valley, from the first Jersey Macs in August to EverCrisp in November.
These are regional averages, not a report from any farm. A warm spring pulls the whole calendar a week earlier and a cold one pushes it later, and any given orchard sits a week either side of the region.
They are also picking windows, not shop availability. Several of these apples are sold from cold storage into the spring — that does not mean there is anything on the tree.
AugSepOctNov
Jersey Mac early August to early September
Paula Red mid August to mid September
Zestar!® mid August to early September
Ginger Gold late August to mid September
SweeTango late August to mid September
20 Ounce early September to late September
Acey Mac early September to mid September
Gala early September to late September
Jonamac early September to mid September
Autumn Crisp early September to early October
Honeycrisp early September to early October
McIntosh early September to early October
Cortland now mid September to mid October
Empire now mid September to mid October
SnapDragon mid September to mid October
Macoun now late September to mid October
Red Delicious late September to mid October
Cameo now early October to mid October
Crispin now early October to late October
Fortune now early October to mid October
Golden Delicious now early October to late October
Idared now early October to late October
Jonagold now early October to late October
Rome now early October to late October
Braeburn now early October to early November
Fuji now early October to early November
Granny Smith now early October to early November
RubyFrost now early October to early November
WildTwist® now early October to early November
Evercrisp mid October to early November
Pink Lady mid October to early November
What they are good for
| Jersey Mac | Good for fresh eating. Good for pies and applesauce Tender flesh cooks quickly, so add a thickener if making a pie. |
|---|---|
| Paula Red | Excellent for eating. Good for applesauce Paula Red applesauce needs little or no sugar. |
| Zestar!® | Excellent for eating Zestar! apples maintain their great taste and crunch for two months in refrigeration, so you can keep that zesty crunch after hours in a lunchbox, days in a fruit bowl, or even weeks in the refrigerator. |
| Ginger Gold | Excellent for eating and salads Ginger Gold is very slow to turn brown, so it's an excellent choice for any fresh-cut apple use. |
| SweeTango | Not described |
| 20 Ounce | Excellent for cooking. Best for pies, apple sauce and baking It's Grandma's favorite apple for pies. |
| Acey Mac | Excellent for fresh eating. Good for sauces Tender flesh cooks quickly, so add a thickener if making a pie. |
| Gala | Excellent for eating and salads Galas' size, mellow flavor and thin skin make them a perfect choice for lunches and snacks for kids. |
| Jonamac | Excellent for eating If you are a fan of Jonathan apples and want a softer, sweeter experience, try Jonamac. |
| Autumn Crisp | Not described |
| Honeycrisp | Excellent for eating and salads. Good for sauces, baking, and pies These ultra-crisp apples appeal to children and teens. They're a great way to encourage healthy snacking. |
| McIntosh | Excellent for eating and sauces. Good for salads and pies McIntosh's tender flesh cooks down quickly. Add a thickener if making a pie. |
| Cortland | Excellent for eating, salads, sauces, pies and baking. Good for freezing Cortland apples are wonderful for kabobs, fruit plates and garnishes because they don't turn brown quickly when cut. |
| Empire | Excellent for eating and salads. Good for sauces, baking, pies and freezing Small Empires are great for school lunches. Kids enjoy the sweet-tart taste and super crunchy texture. |
| SnapDragon | Excellent for fresh eating, great for salads, and gourmet recipes. Pack a. Snap for a sweet and healthy snack. If you like Honeycrisp, you'll love SnapDragon. Annual high demand means the SnapDragon won't be here long. Get yours before they're all snapped up. |
| Macoun | Excellent for eating. Good for sauces and salads Try serving Macoun slices with cheese for a sophisticated dessert in the autumn. |
| Red Delicious | Excellent for eating and salads Red Delicious apples look great for a long time, so they are an ideal choice for holiday centerpieces and wreaths. |
| Cameo | Fresh eating. Excellent for salads, pies, sauces and baking |
| Crispin | Excellent for eating, sauces, baking and freezing. Good for salads and pies Try Crispins for roasting whole apples or thick slices. They're a wonderful accompaniment for your favorite roast. |
| Fortune | Excellent for pies and sauces. Good for fresh eating Combine Fortune apples with a sweet apple, such as Golden Delicious, for tasty and well-balanced applesauce. |
| Golden Delicious | Excellent for eating, salads, and sauces. Good for pies, baking, and freezing You can put less sugar in pies and sauces made from Golden Delicious apples, because of the natural sweetness these apples provide. |
| Idared | Excellent for sauces, cooking, baking and pies. Good for eating, salads and freezing Idareds make a beautifully colored applesauce. Cook the apples with the skins on and strain the sauce to get the best pink color. |
| Jonagold | Excellent for eating, salads, sauces, and baking. Good for pies and freezing Jonagolds also make great fried apples. Simply sauté in a little butter and add a touch of cinnamon. No sugar needed. |
| Rome | Excellent for sauces, baking and pies. Good for salads and freezing Combine Romes with a sweet apple, such as Golden Delicious, for a nicely tart'n' tasty blended applesauce. |
| Braeburn | Excellent for snacking and cooking. Good for sauces and salads This ultra-crisp apple will appeal to teens, a great way to encourage healthy snacking. |
| Fuji | Excellent for eating and salads. Good for sauces Fuji applesauce needs little or no sugar. |
| Granny Smith | Great for baking, sautéing, and salads. pair with a sweet, red apple like Gala for colorful, flavorful salads. |
| RubyFrost | Excellent for eating, RubyFrost is the ultimate baking apple. Great for recipes both savory and sweet. RubyFrost is very high in Vitamin C and slow to brown, making it ideal for pies and tarts. |
| WildTwist® | Not described |
| Evercrisp | Not described |
| Pink Lady | Not described |
Where these came from
The variety names, flavour profiles and uses are the New York Apple Association's, which states no licence for them.
The picking windows are not theirs. The association publishes an availability line — Braeburn reads "October through April" — which is when you can buy the apple from controlled-atmosphere storage, not when you can pick it. Treating that as a harvest window would have this page telling you to go and pick Braeburns in March. The windows here are compiled separately from Cornell Cooperative Extension harvest charts and orchards' own published calendars, and are marked as estimates throughout.