Be careful with Egremont. It is delicious, but can be a fireblight magnet.
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Matt, I seen your reference, or perhaps another persons reference to that being an attractant of FB. Hopefully that won’t be the case but if I find it is, off with its head and another reason to create another tree.
Most of the English varieties I did this year are based off of Stephen Hayes and the way he portrays his love of those apples, I can’t get over how each apple fascinates me. I could look at posts like this all day long!
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Hey Dan, welcome to the forum. You might have the perfect avatar name, what could top apples and bacon??
Anyways, that is an impressive list of apples, you must lots of land to be able to grow that many trees. Is that first list of 43 separate trees, and the second list of 25 grafts onto rootstocks, or onto present trees?
I’m interested in your list partly because it looks like I’m growing what looks like 9 of your varieties, out of 13 total that were planted last spring. Plus a Cortland. So I’m interested to see how yours turns out. But, I’m in Kentucky, and you’re in a zone 5 area, so I know it’s probably an “apples and oranges” comparison.
Sorry if I’m sounding nosy, but are you planning on developing a pick your own orchard? At any rate, good luck with your endeavors.
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I have about 5-8 acres on about 120 acre piece of ground. Its open ground, michigan beach sand ground. 
I don’t have a particular reason of why i planted why i did. I have a fascination of red flesh so i did some of them. I had lots of crabs i didnt include in this list. It could possibly a retirement u-pick but the location isnt great for that. Could i sell somw maybe at farm markets, sure but idk.
I love all things apple now since i caught this bug. I’m having such a good time with this. I dont have it planned out to lat it out in any particular way. We get a decent amount of snow & we have a heavy deer population so this will feed wild life as well.
All i am grafting in are a handful of 10 antonovka, 25 ranetkas, the rest are on b118. Disease resistance, cold hardiness, and staggered drop times are certainly part of my plan.
I did research each variety for 1 particular reason or another. I will post some information of the apple history of this piece of property tomorrow.
My last name is Bacon, hence the handle. 
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I bet you could grow some killer beach plums (P. maritima).
I plan on planting Jersey beach plum here, and grafting in Hancock (and Seaberry Yellow, if I can get my hands on it).
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beach plums? There are fruit specific to sand besides apples? 
I will probably stick to apples mostly because thats what excites me.
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Our family is from Lapeer, and we’ve got friends who developed an agrotourism farm around apple cider, fresh apple cake donuts and a Christmas / antique store, and it’s a truly magical place. My dream is to do something like they have, but here in NC and with a multi fruit theme, centered around weddings and events.
Just something to ponder if you do try to figure out how to go commercial.
I would like to hear what results you get comparing those two varieties.The King of Pippins I tried were more orange colored not the milk red color like the Reine des Reinettes. Apple location on the tree itself could make that difference. The taste was not the same either. That is why I thought they were perhaps two different varieties. Every year you may get different results, i.e., weather, rain, etc. These were in the same orchard though.
The x700 and the x82 were just grafted spring '16. It might be 2-3 yrs. I have a branch that may bloom this year on Liberty. The other two are on g935, we’ll see.
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My wild guess is the orange one is the x 1700 and KoP in Geneva, and the red one is the x82. looking forward to how they turn out.
Please let us know if you ever find out what variety this is. Sounds like a good one to put in my orchard and your zone is close enough to mine to use.
It seems to me that the opposite is true. English Golden Russet is the common variety and it is an American apple, I guess given that name because there are English varieties that look similar. Fruit, Berry and Nut inventory doesn’t even list American Golden Russet and under Golden Russet says AKA English Golden Russet.
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Sure, I will!
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I know it’s alredy been reviewed in this thread, but I wanted to add my two cents about the Cripps Pink…wonderful apple, sweet with a tart bite to it…I really enjoy Pink Lady’s which is probably why I like this one so much. Not sure if it’s a characteristic of this apple or because this particular one was older, but the flesh wasn’t very crisp. Although not in a bad way.
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It has been my delight to try 20 of the apples on your list. Empire is miles ahead of either of its parents. Lord Lambourne is wonderful, but cannot endure near desert conditions here. King David does not keep as long as I wish, but is so tasty! Liberty is a nice apple, but clean up dropped leaves from under it each fall or you may find scab strikes on low foliage and fruit the following season. (I was lazy once.) Wickson Crab gets enough light and 30 degree temperature swings to develop over 20Brix here, with interesting flavor. Love it. E. Spitzenberg might be better kept a month or so before trying. I ate my single example right away and found it disappointing. Williams Pride isn’t worth the bother here - I expect it to have more character and acid in your area. Over here Winter Banana and Wolf River are blah - here’s hoping for you; at least they’re self fertile! You’ve not had Yellow Transparent? I grew up on apple sauce made from it. Pick and use ASAP. It’s shelf life is counted in hours. Winesap? Needs cleanup pruning each season before becoming choked with twigs. It is still my lifelong favorite apple. Keeps until May in cellar.
Have fun!
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Hey thanks for the reply. I do so look forward to these new adventures every year as these difference varieties begin to fruit. Even if they end up being something i don’t like I will still keep them, theres no reason not to, someone else or the wild life will probably like them.
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I believe Keepsake would be fine grown in your area, certainly hardy to your zone. It is the mother (seed parent) of Honeycrisp, with the same snap in biting but much more flavor. The folks in Minnesota dropped the ball in describing it, saying it is ugly. Few made use of it. Of the many photos I have seen of Keepsake, I think they were mistaken. Looks to be an ideal home orchard apple. I hope to graft it this season and try it - the only way to taste it around here, in far eastern Washington state.
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Thank you very much for that suggestion. I will try to find it!
It is now evident that I have fruit buds/spurs formed on some of my apples. Here’s a couple pics from today.
Williams’ Pride showing pretty red swelling bud:
Gravenstein is loaded with fruiting spurs… second year in a row:
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Hope they turn out good for you Matt! So far this weather is not affecting apples but stone fruit and pears have been risky business in Kansas. Your apples look promising.
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