Category Archives: apples

Jonagold Apples are ripe!

Posted on August 30, 2017 by | 4 comments

Jonagold apples are one of my favorite eating apples. They are crisp, juicy, and favored by people who like Honey Crisp. The Honey Crisp are all gone, but the Jonagold are a great apple.

We usually start making cider in mid-September when the fall apples get ripe. I will post it as soon as we have some.

Here is what we have at the orchard right now.

A skillet of fried Jonathan apples. Serve on vanilla ice cream, pancakes, or stuff them in a flour tortilla and saute until browned and crisp!

  • Canning pears
  • small, sweet, eating pears
  • Asian pears
  • White peaches
  • Jonagold apples
  • Gala apples
  • Pippin apples
  • Laura Red apples
  • Jonathan apples
  • McIntosh apples

The farmers markets may not have all varieties and container size is limited. To learn what is available at the orchard before you come, please call the salesroom  8:00 to 5:00 at 256-437-9254.

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August Fruit Update

Posted on August 12, 2017 by | 2 comments

Pippin Apples

The Indian Cling peaches and Early Gold apples are gone for the season.

Good news is that Pippin apples are ripe! Pippins are very large, green, ugly, tangy apples. Yep, that is true, but they are a favorite for many people who love them to cook with. They make great applesauce, apple butter, and pies. We also have customers who buy them for eating.

Pippin is one of the oldest original US varieties discovered in 1759 on Long Island. Thomas Jefferson grew it, and Benjamin Franklin shared it with the English royal court, causing it to become one of the first US apple exports to England. Dad loves the Pippin, and it has been in every orchard he and his family has planted since he was a young boy–and he is 88 now. Come to the orchard now to experience a true American heirloom apple.

We have only a few trees of Laura Red apples, so we have a small crop that won’t last long. I recommend that our Laura Red fans get them as soon as possible. Call the orchard at 256-437-9254 before you go.

Here is what is available at the orchard salesroom now.

  • Pippin Apples
  • Gala Apples
  • Ginger Gold Apples
  • Laura Red Apples
  • Asian Pears
  • Seedless Grapes
  • Yellow and White Freestone Peaches

The farmers markets may not have all varieties and container size is limited.

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Nectarines Gone for the Season

Posted on July 26, 2017 by | 2 comments

The good news is we still have freestone peaches, seedless grapes, Early Gold (June) apples, and pears. The bad news is that the nectarines are finished for the season.

Seedless Grapes

The sale for 1/2 bushel boxes of #2 peaches is over. The price for a 1/2 bushel box of #2 quality (smaller or blemished) is $15.00. #1 quality is $25.00 for 1/2 bushel, $4.00 for 1 quart, $7 for 2 quarts, $9.00 for 1/2 peck, and $13.00 for a peck.

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Posted in apples, Available fruit, peaches, peaches, Pears

Freestone Peaches Are Here!

Posted on July 5, 2017 by | 11 comments

Customers Ty & Elli Anna

Our yellow freestone peaches are ripe and available at the orchard salesroom and our farmers market booths. We also have plenty of white freestone peaches, nectarines, and Early Gold apples.

We have 1/2 bushel boxes of #2 quality peaches (smaller or blemished) on sale–2 half bushel boxes for $25. Bring a friend and share!

Here are the prices and container sizes available in the salesroom. Sizes and prices may vary at the farmers markets.

Peaches–Yellow or white freestone

  • 1 qt                     $4.00
  • 2 qt                     $7.00
  • ½ peck                $9.00
  • 1 peck              $13.00
  • ½ bushel          $25.00

Apples–early gold

  • 3 lb                      $3.00
  • ½ peck                $6.00
  • 1 peck              $10.00
  • ½ bushel          $16.00

Nectarines

  • 2 qt                     $7.50

 

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Posted in apples, Nectarines, peaches

Early Gold Apples and Nectarines!

Posted on June 28, 2017 by | 4 comments

Early Gold Apples

Crow Mountain Orchard salesroom has just started getting in some Early Gold apples and a few nectarines.

Early Gold are always the first apples to get ripe in the season. They are a summer green apple, crisp and a bit tart. They can be used to cook with, but only take about half the time to cook as later apples. They always remind me of the big green apple tree that was in my grandparents’ yard in West Virginia when I was a kid. We have them in the salesroom in the following sizes:

  • 1/2 peck      $6
  • 1 peck          $9
  • 1/2 bushel  $16

Nectarines are very limited right now. We have them in the salesroom for $7.50 for a 2 quart box.

We have plenty of peaches right now–Red Haven semi-cling yellow peaches and white freestone peaches. In the salesroom we have them in the following sizes:

  • 1 qt box        $4
  • 2 qt box       $7
  • 1/2 peck      $9
  • 1 peck          $13
  • 1/2 bushel $25

Sizes, varieties, and prices may vary at the farmers markets. For availability, please call the orchard salesroom between 8:00 and 5:00, 7 days a week, at 256-437-9254.

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Time for Apples and Cider!

Posted on October 2, 2016 by | 5 comments
Apples just picked

Apples just picked

Fall fruit is in full swing at Crow Mountain Orchard! We currently have:

  • Fresh apple cider
  • Muscadine Grapes
  • Asian Pears
  • Mutsu
  • Jonagold
  • Red and Gold Delicious
  • Jonathan.

The salesroom is open 7 days a week, 8 to 5, at 6236 C.R. 39, Fackler, AL. Bring cash or a check–we don’t accept debit or credit cards. Call us during business hours if you have any questions at 256-437-9254.

Guntersville Farmers MarketWe also sell at the following farmers markets. The ending hours may vary based on when we sell out of fruit. At some of the markets we almost always sell out early. We do not have all varieties at the markets due to limited space on the trucks.
ALBERTVILLE FARMERS MARKET
315 Sand Mountain Drive Albertville. AL
Thursdays, 3:00-6:00 pm
GUNTERSVILLE FARMERS MARKETRed
within Civitan Park along the lake 880 Sunset Drive
Guntersville, AL 35976
Tues & Sat, 7 am to 12 pm, Thurs 7 am to 11 am
JASPER, TN (MARION COUNTY)
2333 Main St., Jasper, TN
Fridays, 4 pm to 6 pm
RAINSVILLE FARMERS MARKET
In the park behind City Hall
70 McCurdy Ave N, Rainsville, AL
Thursdays, 4:00-6:00 pm
SCOTTSBORO FARMERS MARKET
218 Bob Jones Road Scottsboro, AL 35768
Wed, 7 am to 12 pm, Fri & Sat, 7 am to 11 am
SECTION FARMERS MARKET
73 Dutton Road, at City Hall Park, Section, AL
Friday, 2:00-5:00 pm
SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE FARMERS MARKET OF FRANKLIN COUNTY–WINCHESTER
Hwy 41 A (Dinah Shore Blvd.) at the site of the Old Franklin Co. High School in Winchester, Tennessee
Tues, 7 am to 12 pm; Thurs & Sat, 7 am to 11 am

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Fried Apples Recipe from Shirley

Posted on September 4, 2016 by | 2 comments
Cooked fried apples

Cooked fried apples

Although I live in North Carolina, I try to visit the orchard and see my dad frequently.  I brought home some Jonathans, my favorite cooking apple, as it was my mother’s.  I use a half-peck bag to make a large skillet of fried apples.  They are wonderful warm served over vanilla ice cream. They are good in fried pies or even just spooned into a small flour tortilla, folded over and fried in a skillet with butter and sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon sugar. People in North Carolina also like fried apples with breakfast or served as a side dish with pork.

Raw fried apples

Raw apples

Directions:

  • Peel and slice about 5 pounds of apples for a large skillet full. The apples will reduce once cooked. I also use re-hydrated dried apples that I dry at home, and we can’t tell the difference from fresh apples when making this dish.
  • Melt 1/2 to 1 stick of butter in a large, heavy skillet. This can be reduced or eliminated by using some Crow Mountain Orchard cider.
  • In a large bowl, I mix the apple slices with cinnamon and sweetener. My preference is a mix of white and brown sugar enough to coat the apples. Taste a raw slice, and if there is enough sugar and cinnamon that it tastes good to you raw, it will be enough for cooking them. If I am making it for just me and my husband, I use Splenda or Stevia since we watch our sugar intake.
  • Add apples to the melted butter in a hot skillet, cover, and cook over medium heat until apples just start to soften. The time varies by the variety of apple you use. The apples will give off some juice. Remove lid, and cook apples until the juice/syrup starts to thicken, but don’t cook them dry. It usually takes 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.
  • Jonathan and Granny Smith hold their shape very well, but other varieties may cook up. That is actually fine and many people prefer them softer. Or just tell your family it is chunky applesauce and you meant to make it that way!
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen. Warm them before serving.
  • Optional additions: chopped pecans, raisins, or other dried fruit

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