Historic Apple Orchard: A Learning Experience
Our orchard offers a unique opportunity to explore the historical significance of orchards in the 1700s tenant farm lifestyle. The Coggeshall Farm Museum team has worked diligently, ensuring the orchard is both a productive space and an educational tool.
The orchard work was supported through a Garden Futures Grant from the Garden Conservancy.
Our Apple Varieties
Black Gilliflower Apple
The Black Gilliflower Apple is known to have originated in Connecticut around the latter half of the 18th century before the Revolutionary War. It’s known as “black” due to how dark its shade gets when allowed to fully mature. It’s dry when eaten on its own, but can be pureed into a tasty and smooth sauce, as well as being used for desserts and jellies. It has a sweet cidery smell, making it very fragrant and flavorful.
Blue Pearmain Apple
The Blue Pearmain Apple is thought to originate around Middlesex County in Massachusetts during the 18th century. It’s not the most reliable crop as it is slow to start producing, however, it is hardy and survives well in the cold. It tends to shrivel up which makes it look less appetizing but that is also when the flavors become more concentrated and intense! The Blue Pearmain has a short, fat look to it, ranging from medium to large in size. The skin ranges in hue from greenish yellow to dark red, consisting of rough leathery skin and has a blue waxy bloom over the surface which gives it its name.
Fall Pippin Apple
The Fall Pippin Apple was first documented in the U.S.A. in 1806 but like the other apples, it is very likely to have originated in New England in the 18th century. It’s a winter apple and is still popular throughout Eastern North America. It’s large and stocky nature gives it an almost cylindrical shape. Additionally, it has thin, yellow skin with a brownish blush when exposed to more sun. The Pippin is often used in American cooking and is known to be very good for desserts and produces a nice, loose sauce.
Fameuse Apple
The Fameuse Apple originally grew from seed by early settlers along the St. Lawrence River in eastern Canada during the early 1700s. The Fameuse is excellent for fresh eating, cooking and sweet cider, still being grown to this day in large quantities. The apple is fat, round, and yellow with a strong red hue across its entirety, giving it the look of a classic apple. It’s used for a variety of recipes but is also known as a great table apple from how delicious it is on its own. It is also suspected to be the parent of the popular McIntosh apple.
Golden Russet Apple
The Golden Russet Apple originated in Burlington County, New Jersey (U.S.A.) in the late 18th century. Although it is usually eaten fresh on its own, it’s sweet and nutty flavor makes it known for being great for cider. It’s medium sized and very round, often becoming lopsided. Its base color is green and gradually matures to gold. The flesh is almost crunchy, having that aforementioned nutty flavor and aroma.
Rhode Island Greening Apple
The Rhode Island Greening Apple is grown from a pippin in the mid-17th century by the tavern keeper at Green’s End near Newport, Rhode Island. It became known as the “Green’s Inn apple from Rhode Island” and “apple from Green’s Inn” after the tavern keeper handed out seedlings to many of his patrons. It’s a large and round apple, starting out as fully green and it yellows as it ripens, sometimes becoming orange depending on how much sun it gets. The flesh on the inside is also quite green. An excellent cooking apple, the flesh turns golden brown when bake in a pie or of cooked for sauce and it holds its shape well. Sometimes used for making dried apple rings. Its high sugar content made it popular for desserts and ciders in many heritage recipes. Last but not least, it’s the official fruit of the State of Rhode Island.
Roxbury Russet Apple
Finally, we have another well-rounded apple, which can be used for a variety of culinary endeavors like ciders, pastries, juices, and pies. It originated as a in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, modern-day Boston, during the early 17th century, likely from a discarded core from an apple brought with the arrival of the pilgrims. The base of the apple is green but it has a reddish brown hue through the surface. And of course, it is heavily russetted, meaning there’s small cracks throughout the outer layer of the apple. The inner flesh is tart, tender, juicy, as well as being very sweet and brisk
