PEARS
(in order of picking times)

BARTLETT
The standard for fall pears. Large, golden yellow fruit, sweet flavor and aroma when ripe.

CLARA FRIJS
An old German variety with outstanding flavor.  Sweet, perfumey, nectar-y, when fully ripe.  Crisp and sweet just before that.  

RESCUE
Salvaged from an old orchard on Orcas Island.  Creamy smooth pear with mild sweet flavor.  

MAXINE
Sweet, mild, good crisp or wait a few days and enjoy these pear soft and melting.

D'ANJOU PEAR
The winter pear.  Picked in late September, ripens off the tree in November.  Sweet, juicy, buttery, we leave these on the tree longer than commercial orchards, and they just get sweeter.  Smooth green skin turns yellow when ripe.

CONFERENCE PEARS
Pale yellow flesh, tinged with pink. Tastes like the best canned pears fresh.

FLEMISH BEAUTY
Originally known as "Sweetmeat of the woods".  Lovely pear, with delicious sweet, melting flesh.

BOSC 
Ugly, but delicious.  Good crisp or soft-ripe.

WHITE DOYENNE
Ancient pear described in Italy in 1550. Juicy, sweet and melting when ripe.

MARGUERITE  MARILAT
New tree, we don't know much about it yet.

GOURMET
New tree, we'll see.

APPLES
(in order of ripening)

GRAVENSTEIN
Makes wonderful pies, sauce, desserts, cider.  Way better than Granny Smith.  Not a good keeper.  Use in 2-3 weeks from picking.  Large size, mostly green, some red blush.  Late August.

HONEYCRISP
The name says it all.  It is sweet and crunchy with just enough zing.  Everybody's new favorite apple.  Large size,  pinkish red.   Mid September.

SWEET 16
Very sweet, with a ton of different flavors.  Unusually complex blend of nutty, spicey, cherry flavors.  Kids love it.   Red cheek over green ground.  Mid September.

ORIGINAL GALA
The older strain of Gala that tastes great, before they made it all red. Sweet and aromatic, nice lunchbox size.  Stores well.  Ours are red stripe over pale background.  Mid September.

BRAMLEY'S SEEDLING
Flavorful European cooking apple   High in vitamin C, very tart flavor.  Green to yellow, very large.  Mid to late September.

MACOUN
McIntosh type apple.  Sweet, crisp, lightly aromatic with bright white flesh.  Excellent eating and makes great sauce.  Deep red to purple, small size.  Early October.

SPARTAN APPPLE
A MacIntocsh type apple, sweet, crisp, brilliant white flesh, keeps well.  Deep red to purple, smallish.  Late September. 

SMOKEHOUSE
Starts with a tangy bite, and mellows to sweetness, with hints of rosehips and cinnamon.   Not a good keeper.  Yellow with red cheek.   Early October.

EGREMONT RUSSET
Small, russet brown all over a green background.  Splits when ripe.  Rich, dense,  with pineapple flavors.  Not for everyone, which is fine with the rest of us.  Small, ugly.  Early October. 

COX ORANGE PIPPIN
Prized English dessert apple.  Distinctive flavor, mellow aftertaste and unsurpassed aroma. Also excellent for desserts and cider.   Yellow or golden with orange cheek.  Early October.

PRAIRIE SPY APPLE
Tart and flavorful, with a complex fruity aroma.  Excellent all around eating and cooking. Bright green with red   cheek, some russeting at the stem end.  Early October.  Keeps well.

JONAGOLD APPLE
A cross of two old favorites.  Crisp, juicy, sweet, with just enough tartness.  Large size, mostly red.  Early October.

BELLE DE BOSKOOP
Crisp, tangy, highly aromatic flesh.  Outstanding all-purpose tart apple.  Light green to yellow, with red cheek.  Mid October.

SPITZENBURG
Thomas Jefferson's favorite apple, (and mine).  Sweet and tangy with spicey flavors. 
Orangey red stripe, medium size. Mid October.

ASHMEAD'S KERNEL
One of the best flavored apples ever.  Rich deep balance of sugars and acids.  An apple for connoisseurs. Green to golden with russet netting.  Mid October.

NEWTOWN PIPPIN
Also known as Yellow Newtown.  The best keeper apple ever.  We eat them in May, the rich, sharp flavor mellows and just gets better.  Small to medium size, green to yellow.  Late October.

STAYMAN WINESAP
Excellent late season all around apple, sweet, crunchy with a wine-y flavor.  Deep red, large size.  Late October.

GOLDEN RUSSET
Rich flavor burst with honey, berry and ginger notes. Dense and sugary--this apple is delicious!  Small, yellow golden with russet at the stem end. Good keeper.  Late October.

ROXBURY RUSSET
Oldest American apple still in cultivation.  Rich, dense, tart. Great eating and drying, and pies.  Small irregular yellow fruit.  Late October.

STONE FRUIT

SWEETHEART CHERRIES
Large, dark sweet cherries.  These are new trees for us and will be bearing in 2010.  Early August.

PUGET GOLD APRICOT
Large, red cheeked rich orange fruit.  Excellent apricot flavor, sweet and juicy.  Late July-early August.

RIVAL APRICOT
Similar to Puget Gold, a few days later.

SHIRO PLUM
Round and sweet, bright yellow and juicy.  Mild plum flavor.  Late August.

SUNCREST PEACH
Dense, rich, mango colored flesh, reminds me of tropical fruits.  Large mostly red freestone fruit, with only a little fuzz.  Early September.

ITALIAN PLUMS
(Also known as prunes) The best for drying and baking.  Delicious fresh too.   Deep purple, 2" long fruit, freestone pits, yellow flesh.  Late September

DAMSON PLUM
This tiny plum packs a huge flavor punch.  Super sweet and tart European plum taste.  Tiny size, deep purple, intense flavor.  Mid October.