CATSKILL MOUNTAIN REGION GUIDE ARTICLE

October 2006

Keepin' It Local, Folks.

Eat My Words!
By Karin Edmondson

The apple. No one fruit conjures up so many varied, at times radically opposing images and emotions. The apple made its startling debut in the Old Testament and, through its devastating role as the forbidden fruit-simultaneously helping to cast mankind from the Garden of Eden and brand mankind with sin-secured an everlasting and infamous place in historical and religious lore. The apple's lingering aura of temptation, sin, bedevilment and sorcery appeared again in the Brothers' Grimm "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," when a perfect shiny red specimen (probably industrially farmed) is used to poison the beautiful and innocent Snow White. Meanwhile, in blatant opposition to these dark and negative tales, the apple has traditionally evoked culinary comfort with apple pies, apple tarts, apple cakes, apple crumbles-all capable, once consumed, of stirring memories of peace, warmth, home, kinder and gentler times, childhood, a grandmother's kitchen, the French countryside, Germany and strudels with schlag zahne, bakeries, the Old World and America the Beautiful. "Nothing's more American than apple pie," as the saying goes. Johnny Appleseed is a hero in American folklore. In a more recent literary work, Me Talk Pretty One Day, author David Sedaris recalls his first visit to his future boyfriend's loft: "I arrived at his place on a Friday night and noticed the pie baking in the oven. While the rest of Manhattan was out on the town, he'd stayed home to peel apples and listen to country music." Apple pie baking in an oven as a metaphorical descriptive testament to fundamental goodness and boyfriend worthiness.

Esoteric implications for good and evil aside, the apple is a nutritional wonder: They are fat free, about 80 calories for a mid-size apple, are loaded (approx 5 grams) with pectin (a soluble fiber that aids in digestion) and contain boron, a trace element that aids in building strong bones. Apples are complex carbohydrates that provide the body with a longer, more even, energy boost than high sugar processed snacks.

New York State ranks second in the nation's apple production with an average of 25 million bushels of production annually by 694 commercial growers on 51,097 bearing acres in six major production districts throughout the state. On average 13,250,000 bushels (53%) are utilized as fresh fruit and 11,750,000 (47%) are used for processing. The Catskill Region boasts three-Columbia, Ulster and Dutchess-out of the ten major apple producing counties in New York State: Wayne, Ulster, Orleans, Niagara, Clinton, Columbia, Monroe, Orange, Onodaga and Dutchess. New York State's apple industry provides employment for thousands of state residents: 694 family farms, 10,000 direct agricultural jobs, 7500 indirect jobs involving handling, distribution, marketing and shipping and thousands of other indirect jobs associated with farming and production such as equipment, financial services and processing. Apple season is now. Let West Coasters eat Washington State apples. New Yorkers have a better thing going-a wide variety of local apples (MacIntosh, Empire, Cortland, Macoun, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Rome, Idared, Crispin, Paula Red, Gala, Jonagold, Jonamac, Spartamac, Ginger Gold, Jerseymac, Fuji, Gala, Rome, Braeburn, Fortune) grown by local farmers that keep the farming (and hence that special Catskill beauty) in our rural locales. (NYS apple facts provided by www.nyapplecountry.com)

Middlefield Orchard

Middlefield Orchard was swathed in delicate, wispy fog and mist the morning I first set eyes upon the ten acres of dwarf and semi-dwarf apple trees nestled in a fertile Otsego County valley. Willy Bruneau walked me through the rows of apple trees, explaining how, as a former computer engineer, he arrived at planting and nurturing his very own apple orchard. "I've always had a love affair with orchards. I just love working along with nature and the entire growing and development process. How can you not realize that you are working for a Master artisan-He's completed the plan and implementation and I happen to be the caretaker. It's a great partnership. I love my role as apprentice." Willy and his wife, Joan, moved to the valley a little over three years ago. They completed their house and then planted the orchard. In just three years, Willy has taken grassy, fertile fields and created a healthy, thriving apple orchard. He planted dwarf and semi-dwarf apple trees instead of the traditional apple tree model. Due to exceptional root stock from Oregon and Washington, Willy harvested an apple crop from the dwarf varieties after the first year. (The trees produce approximately one bushel per tree.) Advantages to dwarf apple trees (which can grow to about 7 feet tall) include minimal pruning and the ability to plant more trees per acre: Willy planted his at 5 foot intervals; Cornell recommends as close as every 3 feet. The semi-dwarf trees take longer-approximately four to six years-to fruit but do not require staking or supports and have deep root systems which makes for trees that require less irrigation and are pretty drought tolerant.

Willy grows fourteen apple varieties: Pristine, MacIntosh, Gala, Grand Gala, Honeycrisp, Golden Supreme, Cortland, Red Delicious, Macoun (my personal favorite), Ultra Gold, Braeburn, Braestar, Arkansas Black and Fuji. In the coming years, Willy plans to plant several varieties of antique apple trees: Gravenstein, Sops of Wine, Fall Pippin, Baldwin, Golden Russett, Jonathan and Grimes. "I won't plant too many of any one variety, but enough for those who are interested." The apples that will be available in October include Honeycrisp, Golden Supreme, Cortland, Red Delicious, Macoun and Ultra Gold. This season is Willy's second at the Saturday Cooperstown Farmers Market. He also has a roadside stand. At both outlets, he also sells Spiced Apple Spread (which is like molten apple butter and outrageously good on warm bread or biscuits, poured over vanilla ice cream or simply spooned out of the jar), a traditional Boiled Cider Syrup (think crepes and pancakes), and a mild, clear and sweet cider made from just one apple variety-the Golden Supreme (as opposed to the conventional dark, murky ciders made from a plethora of different apples). Applesauce in plain and cranberry varieties are also available. Willy's wife Joan is the culinary wizard responsible for the apple products. Her kitchen bookshelves are brimming with cookbooks. A small sample of titles: In Praise of Apples, The Art of French Pastry, The Crepe Book. Both Joan and Willy say that the orchard is their way of supporting their community. "I've talked to local supermarkets and as soon as I can, I will supply them with local apples. In recent years, many small communities have lost their distinction. Twenty years ago Otsego County had about 600 farms. Today, there are less than 200 farms. Our orchard is the only commercial apple orchard in the county. This is one way we can add value to our community."

Middlefield Orchard is located at 2274 State Highway 166, Cooperstown, New York. For more information, please e-mail Willy at sleepyvalley@earthlink.net or call him at 607 547 8212.