News and Updates

In the last decade, Gala has rapidly grown to become the dominant apple variety in the United States. Having replaced Red Delicious in production in 2018, wholesale growers have come to appreciate Gala as a productive, annual cropper with reliable fruit quality. While Gala may not be a favorite of apple snobs, its attractive color, mild sweet flavor, and soft flesh appeals to a broad range of consumers.

In the late 1930s, J.H. Kidd was developing large numbers of apple crosses at his farm in Wairarapa, New Zealand. Kidd created many crosses from Cox Orange Pippin × Golden Delicious, and while he died in 1945, other New Zealand researchers continued observing his many crosses. By the mid-1950s, researchers at the Havelock North Research Orchard (NZ) found the test variety Kidd’s D8 (Kidd’s Orange x Golden Delicious) to be exceptional. The variety was named Gala, and commercial plantings began in the 1960s. […]

There is no shortage of quality cherry varieties for growers considering a new planting. Nursery availability for sweet cherries is better than it has been in many years. Many of these varieties are better quality than older eastern varieties while maintaining the same improved resistance to rain cracking. Check the online inventory for availability.

Cherry Varieties for the Modern Orchard

BlackPearl®

BlackPearl®

Maturity: 10 days before Bing

Excellent cherry for the farm market or wholesale. BlackPearl® ripens approximately ten days before Bing. This variety is quite productive and has low susceptibility to rain cracking. With a firm, crunchy texture, this cherry is sure to be popular with customers.

RadiancePearl®

RadiancePearl®

Maturity: 7 days before Bing

This blush cherry variety is an outstanding alternative to Rainier for growers in colder climates. The tree is hardier than Rainier and the fruit […]

There is never a shortage of new apple varieties, but some varieties tend to stand out for their eating quality, harvest timing, or attractive appearance. Below is a list of varieties that are growing in popularity mostly with farm marketers and a few that are estabishing themselves on the wholesale market. (MAIA varieties listed below require membership in the Midwest Apple Improvement Association.)

MAIA-SM Sweet-MAIA® USPP 34,437

An early-season apple with fall apple qualities. Crispy and sweet with bright, attractive red coloring. A Honeycrisp x Winecrisp cross, this apple ripens at the same time as GingerGold.

Sweetie™ USPP 22,228

Sweetie™ was bred in New Zealand by Plant and Food Research and is a cross between Braeburn and Royal Gala. It is characterized by its elongated fruit and dense structure. Sweetie™ has a sweet, rich taste and develops […]