top of page

Soons Apple Varieties

Get Your Apple on at Soons
Super tart to super sweet and everything in between


From well-known favorites, to heirloom apples you've probably never heard of – plan it right and you can eat a different Soons-grown apple every week of the year!

The 55 apple varieties available in our store (and/or
the U-Pick orchard) are listed below by estimated picking date. What’s currently available in our store are noted by the
GREEN text. (last update 10/11)
(For U-Pick apple variety availability forecast, see here.)

Late July/early August apples are typically only available for a little bit, while main season apples picked in September and October keep much longer and are often available for many months.
The other 30 or so apple varieties we grow are destined for Orchard Hill Cider Mill's hard ciders.  

Dates and supplies vary season to season, of course, depending on weather and demand — feel free to call ahead to double check.



For more lots info about each variety, recipes, and more, visit our New York apple gurus.

Want even more info? More than 7,000 apple varieties are listed with details on the site Pomiferous.


Pristine Aug.1*


Summer Mac Aug. 6
Williams Pride* Aug 6
Tydeman's Red Aug. 10

Paula Red Aug. 14
Gravenstein Aug. 20

Wealthy Aug 20
Zestar! Aug 20
Sansa* Aug 20

Ginger Gold Aug. 20
Fall Pippin* Aug. 25

Akane  Aug 31
Gala Sept. 1 [U-Pick+store]
Jonamac Sept. 1
Honeycrisp Sept. 2
McIntosh Sept. 7 [
U-Pick+store]
Rhode Island Greening Sept. 7
Red Cort Sept. 10 [U-Pick+store]
Golden Supreme Sept. 10 [U-Pick+store]
Arlet aka Swiss Gourmet Sept. 13 [U-Pick+store]
Tsugaru* [U-Pick] Sept 13
Snow Sweet* [U-Pick] Sept. 18
Freiherr von Berlepsch [U-Pick] Sept. 20
Cortland Sept. 20
Lady Jean** Sept. 20
Liberty Sept. 20 [U-Pick+store]

Freyberg* [U-Pick] Sept 20
Macoun Sept 28 
Jonathan Oct. 1

Pilot Meadow** Oct 3
Empire Oct. 1
Red Delicious Oct. 1

Grimes Golden* Oct 2 [U-Pick]


Corrail* Oct 2 [U-Pick]
Jonagold Oct. 5

Ruby Frost  Oct 9
Snap Dragon  Oct 9
Golden Delicious Oct. 10
Northern Spy Oct. 10 - Dec

Eusopus Spitzenberg* Oct 10 [U-Pick]


King David* Oct 10 [U-Pick]
Yataka Fuji Oct. 12 [U-Pick+store]
Crispin aka Mutsu Oct. 13 # 2 remain
Fortune* Oct. 15
Ida Red Oct. 15
Bonnie St. Clair** Oct. 16

Suncrisp Oct. 18
Cameo Oct. 18
Stayman Winesap Oct. 20
Newtown Pippin Oct. 24
Goldrush Oct. 24
Ashmead's Kernel* Oct. 26 [U-Pick+store]
Fuji, Braeburn and Pink Lady usually on our shelves by mid-December

*limited quantities
** Soons-created apple variety


What about Granny Smith?
Soons Orchards does not grow Granny Smith apples, nor will any picky grower in New York (with the rare exception of Long Island and the Westchester coast perhaps). The reason is simple: 8 years out of 10, Granny Smith will not finish in this climate because we don't have a long enough growing season. If we grew it, or if others in most all of NY did, we'd get a green-fleshed, immature apple by the time of a hard freeze. Looks like a Granny Smith...but not very good. And as we said, we grow and pick and grade for taste! 

Recipes often call for Granny Smith because they are typically available at the supermarket year round, thanks to imports from New Zealand, California and elsewhere. Simply substitute an apple on the tart side and you'll be fine. Gravensteins, Greenings, Cortlands, Winesap, Idared -- there are many choices depending on the time of season. Your recipe will be better with a local, fresh apple than something shipped around the world and most likely coated in a waxy preservative (ewww!).

Note that seconds, a.k.a "U.S. Utility Grade" are usually available, but not guaranteed to be in stock at all times. Seconds aren’t as pretty, but taste great and are a good bargain for cooking. You can always call us to order and we'll let you know when we have them.


Starting in later August and usually into the spring, we also have cider apple grade  / “critter” apples by the pound; self-serve/bag yourself. Great for horses and other animals.

bottom of page