Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/751050
58 DECEMBER 2016 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com Cold-hardy variety draws interest for hard ciders. by Leslie Mertz S ometimes good things come in large packages. For the owner of a small orchard in New England, that "good thing" came in the form of a big and beautiful chance-seedling tree that so happens to produce just the kind of apples that are in high demand by the rapidly expanding hard cider market. The fruit is called the Franklin Cider Apple after the orchard's location in Franklin, Vermont. The discovery of the one-of-a-kind bit- tersharp apple tree actually heralds back to 2008, but at that time orchard owner Bill Mayo only saw its potential for the sweet cider that he and his wife Sue sell in their country store. "I used to walk by this tree, which is right on the edge of my small gentleman's orchard, as I like to call it, and I'd pick apples off of it. They were always very high in sugar and had an astringency that would leave this wonderful dryness in my mouth, so I thought it would be a really nice ingredient to put into the sweet cider in our store," he said. He devised a sweet-cider blend that included about 5 percent juice from the Franklin Cider Apple, and his customers took to it right away. "I make all I can, and I cannot keep it in the store. People say it's the best they've ever had anywhere," he said. As Mayo continued to make and sell the sweet-cider blend, his appreciation for the tree's other attributes also grew. For one thing, it was a survivor. Estimated to be at least 60 years old, the only care it had ever received was a bit of pruning, but it still stood strong in the Zone 3 tem- peratures on his farm. "This tree doesn't show any dead wood or other signs that it's unhealthy," he said. "It's just an incredibly vibrant tree, and that says a lot about its winter hardiness." It also shows some disease resistance, Mayo said. "I've always marveled at the fact that there was no foliar scab and no scab on the fruit, which is very russeted and thick-skinned. That's pretty amazing Bittersharp discovery PHOTOS COURTESY OF BILL MAYO Laden with bittersharp apples, this chance-seedling tree, called the Franklin Cider Apple after its location in Franklin, Vermont, is drawing interest for its possibilities in hard cider. Bill Mayo, shown here harvesting one of his 300 Honeycrisp trees, discovered the Franklin Cider Apple at the edge of his orchard in northern Vermont. NITROGEN GENERATOR • High purity output • Most effi cient energy to production ratio • Low total cost of ownership CARBON DIOXIDE ADSORBER • Large range of capacities available • Low energy consumption • Patented low oxygen operation ETHYLENE CONVERTER • Decomposes to PPM and PPB levels • No consumables • Proven technology ATMOSPHERE CONTROL SYSTEM • Control of O 2 , CO 2 , C 2 H 4 , temperature and humidity • Centralized controls via easy to use software • High accuracy sensors DCA - FRUIT OBSERVER • Based on chlorophyll fl uorescence measurement • Safe detection of lowest oxygen level • Signifi cant reduction of scald 110 Carr Crescent - Oliver BC - V0H 1T5 Canada +1-250-462-3187 www.besseling-group.com m.besseling@besseling-group.com Better CA equipment now available in North America Unrivalled quality, from fruit growers roots • Superior quality equipment • Unbeaten energy performance • Extreme reliability • Small footprint • Global operating company • Local support and service Advertentie BNA.indd 1 28-10-16 11:42