Hooples Antique Gold

General Fruit Growing
#21

Any updates on Hooples? I am thinking about putting one in but am nervous with so little information available. It certainly sounds good based on the little that is out there.

#22

Ozy,
Check out the new thread @scottfsmith posted today, titled Apple Experiences 2016. He reviewed many apples including Hooples Gold.

#23

Its one of my favorite apples. I didn’t get as good a crop this year due to various losses (mainly deer). Last year it was really amazing, this year it was very good but not as good as last year (but I lost nearly all to deer and did not get many perfectly ripened specimens).

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#24

Anyone in colder zones (4 and under) tried to grow this apple? From what I could find, it’s listed as a zone 5, but would love to try it here, in my 4b…

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#25

Hooples Antique Gold is a bud sport of Golden Delicious.

I would say that you could expect to grow it anywhere where Golden Delicious can grow. (including zone 4b as far as I can tell)

http://www.southmeadowfruitgardens.com/FruitTreeCatalog.html

1 Like
#26

Thank you. That makes me not want it anymore… Although I am sure a fresh, tree ripened YD would be much better than the ones found in stores…

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#27

Yellow Delicious is awesome home grown! Nothing like the mealy junk they sell in stores.

Hooples was really high on my want list. I bought two trees this last year to make sure I have it.

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#28

Hoople’s does come highly recommended. Tom Burford’s praise convinced me to plant one a few years ago; I’ll get the first sample in a month or so, if the critters cooperate. I’ll post a review here.

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#29

Hooples has been a complete bust for me. My four year old
grafts have not produced the first bloom.

#30

Mine first fruited in their 4th year so maybe you will see something next year.

Hoople’s is an excellent apple, two years ago it was my top apple. Last year they didn’t ripen as well but they were still good. Golden Delicious also is excellent if you don’t have one of the tasteless modern sports and it is tree-ripened.

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#31

Got 2 Hoople apples from a MM111 tree I planted last year. I picked the apples too late. They were very sweet but small, The russet may be a problem for most of my PYO customers. I still plan to topwork my Williams Pride to Hooples because I can not solve the bitter pit problem on the Williams Pride

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#32

I hope consumers start coming around to russets again. They’re really extraordinary – dense and honeyed and almost effervescent – that it’s a shame to not see them more widely available. And they’re beautiful apples too.

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#33

Me too! My Roxberry Russet apples don’t sell well. We noticed that most of the people who buy them were not born in the US. Most American consumers still expect perfect fruit with no blemishes - they don’t like ugly fruit!

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#34

I am now getting some Swayzie for the first time in several years (I moved the graft). That is yet another excellent russet apple. Its an upgrade to Pomme Gris, similar shape and taste but more sweetness and flavor. It is small like PG.

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#35

I planted a tiny Hooples last fall. It is growing but has a long long way to go.

#36

Scott,
When does your Hooples ripen, please?

#37

Based on the one I tried recently I would say later September.

#38

Thanks, Scott.

These are my first two from the last yesr’s graft. I guess mine would ripen around mid oct.

image
image2592×1936 1.33 MB

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#39

I live near Hoople’s Fruit Farm, and the antique golds are ripe now. They are better tasting this year than the past several!

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#40

Could you please remind us where the farm is located and in what zone, please?