As the early morning frost begins to blanket the grass and the sun takes its sweet time rising, we know that it’s time for that late harvest apple that we’ve all been waiting for, Gold Rush. The Orchard at Fair Oaks Farms is coming to a close but not without highlighting our last variety of the season; a crisp, yellow variety that’s perfect for hot apple cider.
Gold Rush was first discovered in the early 1970s. The first seedling was planted in May 1973 on the Purdue Horticulture Research Farm in West Lafayette, Indiana. It seems like the perfect name for this apple variety planted in Boilermaker country, right?
What Does Gold Rush Taste Like?
The Gold Rush variety has a similar taste to its parent variety, Golden Delicious, however, is more acidic. The taste has been described as being rich and spicy which can be perfect for juicing or making hot apple cider in the colder months. The acidity does become more moderate the longer you store this apple. After 2 – 3 months of storage, the acidity lessens.
What is Gold Rush Good For?
Because of its thin skin and acidic flavor, this apple variety is really well known for juicing. So if you’re into juicing, this variety is the one you’ve been searching for. Other than juicing, this apple is great for fresh eating and baking as well. Here is a great recipe that you can try that includes Gold Rush apples.
Fun Facts
This particular apple variety was developed to be scab resistant. Apple scab is a disease that looks like grey or black lesions on the apple. It’s a fungus that is found most commonly on the leaves. It causes a reduction in fruit quality and fruit yields. So, you could say, Gold Rush, is the superhero of apple varieties!
This apple is the only yellow apple variety at Fair Oaks Farms. It looks similar to a Granny Smith (more yellow) or Golden Delicious but can also blush more towards harvest season having a hint of rose coloring. It’s an easy-to-grow variety with a heavy harvest and excellent fruit quality.
The Orchard at Fair Oaks Farms is open until October 27 so don’t miss out and go pick some Gold Rush and create juices, baked goods, and hot apple cider this fall season!