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Apples aplenty at Timberlake Orchard

ABOVE: Alden Zeitz picks SweeTango apples at Timberlake Orchard south of Fairmont. Zeitz says the key to apple picking is to break the stem rather than simply pulling the apple off the tree which can cause bruising.

FAIRMONT- September marks the beginning of apple season in Minnesota. While this year was a dry one, intermittent rains did enough to ensure a healthy crop according to Timberlake Orchard co-owner Alden Zeitz.

Zeitz and two other co-owners operate Timberlake Orchard, located south of Fairmont. The three operate the orchard outside of their full-time jobs. In addition to their apples they also sell cider and fresh baked goods including pies and apple cider donuts.

Zeitz said the first varieties to ripen were Zestar, SweeTango, and Ginger Gold apples which are currently being picked.

Zestars are popular apples to eat raw and are some of the riper apples on store shelves in late August and September due to their early availability. Zestars also have a long shelf life, capable of staying fresh for up to eight weeks after they’re picked.

“It’s name says what it is, it’s got kind of a zesty flavor to it; a little sweet, a little tart,” said Zeitz.

Also known as a Minneiska, the SweeTango, was developed from combining Zestar and Honeycrisp apples. The resulting product combines the titular crispness of the Honeycrisp with the Zestar’s early availability.

“The main point about the SweeTango is it’s a very crisp apple. You can bite into it and it’s got that snap to it,” said Zeitz.

Despite their visual similarities to the acidic Granny Smith variety, the yellow-green Ginger Golds have a sweeter taste.

“If you let them hang on the tree a little longer they get a really dark yellow but then they’re too far gone and they get mealy. We pick them right as they’re just starting to turn yellow, it’s about the most optimal time,” said Zeitz.

With the end of September approaching so comes the beginning of the harvest for mid-season apples.

This includes the popular Honeycrisp variety, which Zeitz says he plans to start harvesting in the immediate future.

“They’re actually ready to get picked, we just haven’t got to it yet because we’ve been still picking SweeTangos and many other apples,” said Zeitz.

Other mid-season apples include the traditional Wealthy, McIntosh, Cortland and Haralson

varieties. These apples are some of the older varieties developed for the colder climates in Canada and the northern United States. Although they are quite tart when eaten raw they remain a popular baking ingredient.

“Some people just have their apples that they like. The McIntosh and Cortlands are for them,” said Zeitz.

Zeitz said the most popular variety they had at the orchard was the B51, also known as a SugarBee. This late-season apple begins to ripen in mid-October. It was derived from an open-pollinated Honeycrisp and is only grown at a few orchards across the state.

“It’s got an excellent texture, very comparable to the SweeTango, but it’s got a very nice flavor to it that’s a little above and beyond what a SweeTango is. It’s not a sweet apple by any means, but it’s on the sweeter side,” said Zeitz.

The three final varieties grown at the orchard are the SnowSweet, Honeygold, and 1505 apples.

As the name suggests SnowSweets are sweeter apples which are good for eating raw, but not for baking. Honeygolds are another sweeter variety, but can also be used for cooking. The 1505s are primarily grown to be turned into cider.

The orchard plans to introduce new varieties in the coming years, but does not expect the trees to be matured to the point where they can be reliably harvested for at least two years.

Timberlake Orchard is open Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Wednesday and Thursday. More information can be found on its website, timberlakeorchard.com.

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