HV Apple Pickers Have Three New Apple Varieties to Choose From

Before you decide between Golden Delicious and Gala, you might want to hold out for some new apple varieties being released for 2020.

Food & Wine Magazine reports that Cornell University has developed three new types of apples this year. While some apples are better for canning or baking, the new varieties have been bred to be delicious when eaten right off the tree. Cornell is responsible for unleashing 70 of the most popular apple varieties on the world, and these new ones are already getting rave reviews.

While the apples are bred for taste, they also have traits that make it easier for growers to have a bountiful harvest. Cordera, one of the new apples, has a great crunch and a complex taste but is also resistant to disease. The apple has been cultivated to avoid apple scab, which is a common fungal disease in the Northeast.

Another new apple named Firecracker has turned out to be extremely versatile. Its sweetness is perfect for baking and eating, but Firecracker also has enough acidity to make it a great candidate for cider. With hard cider becoming such a big business in the Hudson Valley, it's likely that Firecracker will quickly become a popular variety.

The third new apple released this month is Pink Luster. U-Pick orchards are very excited about this bright-colored fruit that has a crisp crunch and is full of juiciness. The larger size of these apples makes them very attractive to customers looking to pick their fruit right off the tree.

With so many apple varieties to choose from, it can be a bit dizzying when visiting the farmstand. But these three new apples seem worth the effort to seek out the next time you head out to your local orchard.