My first well-ripened K, picked yesterday, is small, hard, really crunchy and moderately sweet. Not many of the old heirlooms taste like much as grown in my soil/climate but K is an exception. A definite keeper/winner. The latest apple in my orchard- even later than Goldrush. I left one apple still hanging as of 11/14.
14 Likes
I’ve never heard of this apple before. Nice job!
2 Likes
Found by the Lost Apple Project near Boise ID, believed to have originated with the Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. It will be a few more years until my trees bear fruit. 
5 Likes
I’m growing K scionwood for the L.A.P. as they cannot keep up with demand from grafters across the country. I committed to send them all I’ve got in Feb.
7 Likes
That’s an excellent idea. I have another of the recoveries from LAP, Shackleford, & now think I should graft it to Bud118 to supply scions every winter. (Will ask Dave B. if that would be helpful.)
1 Like
@NuttingBumpus How does your Shackleford taste? My notes on tasting my first one: “10/19/22 Drop- sweet with some acid, crunchy. OK but no Wow.” Still young grafts, may improve. Dave B raves about it.
1 Like
(If I remember correctly & dare speak for him), Dave B. considered Shackleford perhaps the best tasting of his recoveries, until he found Ivanhoe.
My graftling is just beginning to branch & is probably several years away from fruiting. Since some apples excel in eastern Washington conditions, I will be content if Shackleford is productive & good. Being snatched from extinction & reputedly easy to husband (and the scion was a gift from Dave B.) are reasons enough for me to retain it.
Rest assured I will describe it when that happy day arrives.
Sounds as though it might be precocious, since it was recovered in 2017. All right!
Had not heard about Ivanhoe. Sounds like (another) must have.
1 Like
I agree, I would love to have the Ivanhoe variety. I am glad he found it, hopefully.
Bowl of Kittageskees picked Nov 11, not sprayed or bagged. Correction: one apple was bagged. Ripen a week after Goldrush, my latest apple.
11 Likes
NICE looking apples. Great job.
1 Like
Any update on the taste, texture, etc?
1 Like
Dense, almost Goldrush-level crunchy, mild to moderate sweetness with some acid balance and complexity… Overall experience: refreshing. A really good apple. Update 12/24: improved sweetness in storage over last six weeks. Now it Really makes me smile!
3 Likes
Sounds like a great apple. Great job getting some apples from it.
Hambone: Since you say it came ripe a week after GoldRush, maybe you can save a couple until April or May to see how Kittageskee keeps. My first crop of GoldRush kept beautifully through May, but in June quality fell off. (I have read folks Back East can keep 'em a year. Wow.)
Hmmm. I have two left; will see if I can restrain myself.
1 Like
The scions I got did not take, way too hot of a summer and dried them up. So I will not be able to enjoy tasting them. 
UPDATE: @Graftman sent photo of bad CAR on Kittageskee that he thinks will defoliate the tree in summer. So this variety won’t work in a no spray orchard unless very few red cedars or juniper in the area.
Another reason why it lived well in my neck of the woods untended: no CAR in this vicinity to my knowledge. Encouraging for me, anyway. Sorry about @Graftman