This apple is wonderful, I wish I had taken some photos before the birds and I ate them. I had a limb graft I did in 2023 produce a huge crop. Unfortunately the wind snapped the graft off before they were ripe. I got greedy and left way too many apples on. However I did get 4 or 5 apples a couple weeks ago that I was able to enjoy. To this point it’s been the best early apple I’ve grown. It’s a very vigorous variety that fruits like crazy and tastes great with a great texture. This one definitely needs to be grown more.
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Looking back at your post. I am trying to chaffe down a summer apple pick. Moyer Spice could be Georgia’s Mary Moyer{sometimes Mayer} Spice from the mid 1800’s. Definitely will be getting Hollow Log as a spicy June apple. Tried to graft some tiny scions of Russia’s Mendunica{ sometimes Mendunista} this year but they did not take. It tastes like spicy honey they say.
When did Moyer’s Spice ripen up for you?
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Take this with a grain of salt because I’m in Arizona at 5000 feet in zone 8A, but Moyers ripened for me here last year right after the 4th of July so it’s one of my earliest apples. Takes the heat really well and makes loads of big beautiful apples, last year was abnormally hot and dry as well. Also it’s first year fruiting. Another apple I really like is an old Georgia apple called Striped Sweeting. I think it ripened about the same time and made some beautiful tasty early season apples. I remember it and Moyers standing out amongst all others. I’ll throw Hollow Log from century farm in there to but it definitely ripened later.
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I think I saw somewhere, striped sweeting as an apple you grow correct?
Well I went back over past Georgia catalogs and our Mary Moyer Spice ripened in October so I was mistaken there. It was not a summer apple.
Striped Sweeting is on our list. But I thought it was an August apple. We are waiting for Taunton trees to grow in before we get them from NC/ Horne Creek.
Hollow Log is a large yellow apple ripe from end of June until late August.
We never settled on Century Farms as many think they are selling Georgia’s Tarbutton as Hollow Log. Hocking Hills and Horse Creek both agree theirs is the large yellow apple as old nursery catalogs say.
if you are getting a small pretty striped apple late July/August you likely have Tarbutton.
Looking at other accounts of Moyer’s Spice I now think that is from Mr.Morton’s collection. He concurs that as a summer apple.
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Moyers Spice grows and produces like crazy. I definitely recommend it. After reading this I think I’ll get a scion of Hollow Log from Derek Mills this season and grow it out and see how it compares. Rumor is NC Horne Creek isn’t selling scions again this winter season, which is a bummer because they didn’t fill my order last season either.
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Horne Creek sells a ton of trees now. I do not think their bean counters will let them sell scions. Or if they have staff to do both. It is a pity. They have a lot of obscure trees that deserve to get out. I’m sure they have favorites that take more space.
If you end up having Tarbutton; you do have by far away Georgia’s top apple for Jelly out of the 28 surviving varieties. I have been told by oldtimers to pick them a week before ripe for a good tangy flavor.
I believe the issue is shipping/staffing. Trees sold are pick up only. Scions would be the same. They are not in the shipping business.
I speak with them later in the year about picking up an order of scions. If they play ball and there is enough interest, I may entertain the notion of being the pick-up and shipping person for reliable/known buyers. I was told they could hook me up with scions at one point. It would probably be better to reach out in Jan.
In the meantime, put your list together.
I will be tasting some as well.
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That would be great. I have 5 obscure Georgia apples and 3 Southern oddballs that can not be found anywhere else.
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