Spartan is a hybrid of a McIntosh with an unknown variety. Like a McIntosh, it is a good all-round fruit. It is a crisp and sweet with a slight tang.
Category Archives: Life at Home
Northern Spy—Apples of Maine
Northern Spy is a great all-round apple for eating, storage, cooking, and ciders. The apple is crisp and sweet with a slight lemony undertone.
Tolman Sweet—Apples of Maine
Tolman Sweet is a lovely apple and first described in 1822. While part of its parentage is a russet, the Tolman Sweet has a very mild flavor. If you are looking for an apple that is not very acidic, this is a great choice. It is also considered an excellent apple for cider.
Ida Red—Apples of Maine
Ida Red, also Idared, is a good apple for eating and cooking. The crisp flesh is white with a slight red blush, which will color your pies and sauces. The apple is tart, but pleasant. It stores well.
Spencer—Apples of Maine
The Spencer is a great eating apple—crisp and tangy. The fruit is a cross between McIntosh and Golden Delicious, but I prefer the Spencer over either of its parents.
The Tranquility of Late Fall, Part 3
The tamarack, or eastern larch, signals the end of fall. We have a small stand just behind our house. Unlike pine, fir, and spruce, the tamarack turns color.
Fall Visitor
We were blessed with another Deer Mouse this week. This time of year they seem to move into the house in preparation for winter. We encourage them to live somewhere else (we provide transportation at no charge). However, we are not sure our relocation program is successful—are we just catching the dumb ones, leaving the smart ones to breed?
The Tranquility of Late Fall, Part 2
One of the bounties we received by letting our field revert to nature was an explosion of blackberry. Blackberries are one of our most productive crops that supplies us with fruit though winter and into the spring. But now in late fall, over two months since the last berry was picked, the blackberry canes are putting on a wonderful display of color.
Blue Pearmain—Apples of Maine
Blue Pearmain is a fine dessert apple. While it shares the same name as the Gray Pearmain, its character and appearance could not be more different. A subtle apple with a soft texture and mild flavor. This heirloom variety has been grown throughout Maine and New England for more than 200 years.
Gray Pearmain—Apples of Maine
Gray Pearmain is a russet apple, which is marked by a rich, earthy taste. The character is not quite as distinctive as the Golden Russet—the Pearmain has a cleaner flavor. Like many fall varieties, it stores well. A great apple.
