Every year, as the McIntosh and Cortland with which many of us are intimately familiar ripen in orchards across Maine, there are dozens of apple varieties nearby ready to be consumed that have been all but forgotten.
Among these neglected varieties are apples perfect for baking and saucing; apples with punches of sugar that put Honeycrisp to shame; apples that can be stored and then eaten in the dark of winter; and apples of such beauty that it may be tempting to keep them on the counter indefinitely as a reminder of the fall’s bounty.
The purpose of this guide is to help you find these apples. The orchards that grow them across Maine have invested tremendous time and energy saving them from obscurity so that, even in a year of such tumult, you can partake in the pleasure and escape they offer.
Some of these orchards permit pick-your-own. Others do not. All of them offer a chance to drive through Maine when it is at its most brilliant. Please take advantage; visit orchards multiple times to enjoy what all these orchards have to provide across the fall. You will not regret it.
Bailey’s Orchard, Whitefield, Maine (map)
facebook | 207-549-7680
Late August: Sops of Wine, Sweet Bough
Early September: Chenango Strawberry, Maiden Blush, Paula Red, Prima, Fameuse (Snow)
Middle September: Red Gravenstein, Saint Lawrence
Early October: Liberty, Spartan, Tolman Sweet
Middle October: Pound Sweet, Red Spy, Rhode Island Greening, Sheepsnose (Black Gilliflower), Stark
Late October: Baldwin, Black Oxford, King David, Northern Spy, Opalescent, Starkey, Winter Banana, Yellow Bellflower
Cayford Orchards, Skowhegan, Maine (map)
facebook | instagram | 207-474-5200
Early September: Fameuse (Snow)
Middle September: Jonathan, Martha Crab
Late September: Wealthy, Wolf River
Late October: Jonagold, Northern Spy
Doles Orchard, Limerick, Maine (map)
website | facebook | instagram | 207-793-4409
Late August: Ginger Gold, Sansa
Early September: Paula Red
Middle September: Red Gravenstein, Mollie’s Delicious
Late September: Florina (Querina)
Early October: Crimson Topaz, Freedom, Liberty
Middle October: Westfield Seek-no-Further
Late October: Baldwin, Grimes Golden, Northern Spy
Elwell Organic Orchard, Monroe, Maine (map)
207-525-3130
Early September: Almata, Burgundy, Priam, Prima, Somerset of Maine, Trailman Crab, Zestar
Middle September: Ellison Orange, Mollie’s Delicious, Sweet Sixteen
Late September: Deane, Hawkeye Delicious, Wealthy
Early October: Crimson Topaz, Fortune, Frostbite
Middle October: Crimson Crisp, Sheepsnose (Black Gilliflower), Knobbed Russet, Northwest Greening, Roxbury Russet
Late October: Ashmead’s Kernel, Elstar, Grimes Golden, Karmijn de Sonnaville, Nova Spy, Yellow Bellflower, Zabergau Reinette
Hope Orchard, Hope, Maine (map)
facebook | 207-763-2824
Early September: Hyslop Crab, Zestar
Middle September: Autumn Crisp
Early October: Sundance
Middle October: Crimson Crisp, Esopus Spitzenburg, Golden Russet, Suncrisp, Tolman Sweet
Late October: Ashmead’s Kernel, Black Oxford
Kelly Orchards, Acton, Maine (map)
facebook | instagram | 207-636-1601
Late August: Ginger Gold, Sunrise
Early September: Paula Red
Late September: Holstein
Early October: Bramley’s Seedling
Middle October: Calville Blanc D’Hiver, Cox Orange Pippin, Esopus Spitzenburg, Golden Delicious
Late October: Ashmead’s Kernel, Elstar, Jonagold, Northern Spy, Lady
Maine-ly Apples, Dixmont, Maine (map)
facebook | instagram | 207-763-2824
Late August: Ginger Gold
Early September: Fameuse (Snow), Paula Red, Prima, Sansa, William’s Pride, Zestar
Middle September: Cameo, Foxwhelp, Smokehouse, Sweet Sixteen
Late September: Shizuka, Valstar, Wealthy
Early October: Liberty, Melrose, Snowsweet, Spartan, Spencer
Middle October: Cox Orange Pippin, Crimson Crisp, Esopus Spitzenburg, Golden Delicious, Golden Russet, Harry Master’s Jersey, Orleans Reinette, Roxbury Russet, Suncrisp
Late October: Arkansas Black, Gray Pearmain, Idared, Jonagold, Northern Spy
McDougal’s Orchard, Springvale, Maine (map)
facebook | instagram | 207-324-5054
Late August: Dandee Red, Ginger Gold, Pristine, Vista Bella, Zestar
Early September: Blondee, Chestnut Crab, Hyslop Crab, Paula Red
Middle September: Jonathan
Late September: Jonagold
Early October: Bramley’s Seedling, Fortune, Margil, Spencer, Tolman Sweet
Middle October: Blue Pearmain, Brock, Cox Orange Pippin, Esopus Spitzenburg, Golden Delicious, Hudson’s Golden Gem
Late October: Ashmead’s Kernel, Baldwin, Black Oxford, Evercrisp, Goldrush, Gray Pearmain, Lady, Newtown Pippin, Northern Spy, Winesap
Orchard Ridge Farm, Gorham, Maine (map)
facebook | instagram | 207-712-1433
Late August: Pristine
Early September: Chestnut Crab
Middle September: Sweet Sixteen
Late September: Antonovka Kamenichka, Florina (Querina)
Early October: Crimson Gold, Crimson Topaz, Enterprise, Frostbite, Snowsweet,
Middle October: Antonovka Polutorafuntovaya, Golden Russet,
Late October: Ashmead’s Kernel, Goldrush, Newtown Pippin, Nova Spy
Robinson’s Orchard, Enfield, Maine (map)
facebook | 207-732-4346
Early September: Chestnut Crab, Duchess of Oldenburg, Duchess of York (Duchess’s Favourite), Hyslop Crab
Middle September: Sweet Sixteen
Late September: Hawkeye Delicious
Early October: Fortune, Tolman Sweet
Middle October: Golden Delicious, Golden Russet, Rome, Roxbury Russet
Late October: Ashmead’s Kernel, Black Oxford, Jonagold, Northern Spy, Spigold, Winesap, Yellow Bellflower
Rocky Ridge Orchard, Bowdoin, Maine (map)
facebook | 207-666-5786
Late September: Wolf River
Late October: Baldwin, Northern Spy, Idared
Rollins Orchard, Garland, Maine (map)
facebook | 207-924-3504
Late August: Autumn Sweet
Early September: Maiden Blush
Middle September: Saint Lawrence
Late September: Ben Davis, Royal Sweet, Wolf River
Early October: Hewes Crab (Virginia Crab), Tolman Sweet
Middle October: Golden Russet, Nodhead, Rhode Island Greening, Roxbury Russet, Stark
Late October: Baldwin, Fallawater, King David, Northern Spy, Pound Sweet
Sandy River Apples, Mercer, Maine (map)
facebook | 207-587-2563
Late August: Thompson, Tydeman’s Early Red, Vista Bella
Early September: Fameuse (Snow), Whitney Crab, Winekist
Middle September: Alexander, Canadian Strawberry, Charette, Esopus Spitzenburg, Jonathan, Mollie’s Delicious, Sweet Sixteen
Late September: Ben Davis, Twenty Ounce, Wealthy, Wolf River
Early October: Frostbite, Harlason, Judy
Middle October: Blue Pearmain, Cox Orange Pippin, Harry Master’s Jersey, Golden Delicious, Pewaukee, Northwest Greening, Rome, Wagener
Late October: Baldwin, Black Oxford, Northern Spy, Tolman Sweet, Winesap, Winter Banana, Yellow Bellflower
Sullivan’s Orchard, Charleston, Maine (map)
facebook | 207-570-2482
Late August: William’s Pride
Early September: Duchess of Oldenburg
Late September: King of Tompkins County, Wealthy, Wolf River
Middle October: Blue Pearmain, Brock, Calville Blanc D’Hiver, Cox Orange Pippin
Late October: Opalescent, Winesap
Sweetser’s Apple Barrel and Orchards, Cumberland, Maine (map)
facebook | instagram | 207-829-6599
Late August: Red Astrachan, Yellow Transparent, Vista Bella, William’s Pride
Early September: Cameo, Duchess of Oldenburg, Fameuse (Snow), Melba, Paula Red
Middle September: Priscilla, Red Gravenstein
Late September: Ben Davis, King of Tompkins County, Rolfe, Wealthy
Early October: Liberty, Spartan, Spencer
Middle October: Blue Pearmain, Nodhead, Pound Sweet, Red Spy, Rhode Island Greening
Late October: Baldwin, Giant Winesap Northern Spy
The Apple Farm, Fairfield, Maine (map)
facebook | 207-453-7656
Early September: Prima
Middle September: Canadian Strawberry, Saint Lawrence, Sweet Red
Late September: King of Tompkin’s County
Early October: Frostbite, Spartan, Spencer
Middle October: Blue Pearmain, Golden Delicious, Pound Sweet, Nodhead
Late October: Black Oxford, Gray Pearmain, Northern Spy, Winter Banana
Notes About This Guide
Ripening varies every season and between orchards in Maine. As a result, the time periods indicated will not always be strictly accurate. In addition, many of these varieties can be a bit temperamental and may not produce a crop every season. If you’re seeking out a specific apple variety, it’s advisable to call ahead.