Thursday, October 16, 2025

Apples :: Golden Russet

 


Late Season • Sweet

Ripens

Late September - Early October


Characteristics

Crisp, highly flavored, fine-textured, yellow flesh makes very sugary juice. Golden bronze with a coppery orange cheek; heavily splotched with light brown russet. The Golden Russet apples are high in both sugar, acid and tannins, which make them a good pair with almost any apple for eating, cooking, cider or drying. The Golden Russet was prized as the "champagne" of old-time cider apples. 


History

The Golden Russet apple declined in marketability in the twentieth century when the alluring shininess and color of red apples gained popularity. 

The Golden Russet apple was known about in the 1700s and most likely sprang from New York. Some have speculated that it may descend from the English russet apple. Others allude to it having almost perfect resemblance to the roxbury russet. Whichever its lineage, little is known about its origin. 

Parentage: Unknown.

StorageKeeps 3+ months.

NotesWe have a few customers that wait for this all season each year! Great example of a unique heirloom apple. Some years russeting is more than others.

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Farm Store 10/14

Well, the weather is giving me some extra time for outside tasks and still so much to do! Need to just pull the tomatoes and close the garden down, prep space for garlic planting and get that done in the next week. I had to order some more seed, because mine just didn't look the greatest this year and asters yellows is making it's way around. The winter greenhouse is started, with micros and pea shoots and I'll be getting the first salad mix planted today - better late than never!!

Farm Store 10/14

Organic Apples in stock:

Haralson - classic baker, complex tart flavor, firm, crisp, juicy.
Cortland - rich sweet-tart flavor, aromatic, vinous, all-purpose
Spartan - kid fav, more sweet than tart, with hints of strawberry, vanilla and spice, aromatic
Fameuse - grab this if you are looking for McIntosh, tender, juicy, distinctive in flavor, aromatic
Honeygold - crisp, juicy, sweet, honeyed
Golden Russet - intense heirloom flavor, fine grained, champagne of old cider apples
Fireside - big, sweet, crisp, baker and fresh eating

Watch for: Regent, Jonathon, Heirlooms

More in the Farm Store



Canned Items in Store:
Applesauce *Back sometime this month!
Apple Butter
*Watch for jams returning! Attentions can return to this after all the apples are picked and tomatoes processed!!

Eggs are limited and hit or miss at this time, likely til Spring, when the pullets start laying.

Winter Greens - 1+ week to micros and pea shoots, 5 weeks to salad!


Herbal Wellness:
Salves:
-Bruise Salve - stop a bruise in its tracks, aid healing of existing bruises, hemorrhoids
-Knitbone Salve - musculoskeletal, sore muscles, sprains, strains, broken bones
-Cottonwood Wound Salve - think of it as a natural neosporin, plus pain relief, use on cuts, minor wounds, burns, etc.

Calendula Lotion Bar - solid lotion bar that soothes and moisturizes
Herbal Sore Throat Spray
Elderberry Syrup Kits
Herbal Tinctures - Willow Bark, Astragalus, Stinging Nettles, Elderberry, Ashwaganda, Holy Basil


Farm Store Hours - Tu-Fri 9-7 & Sat 9-2, or by appt.



Sweet cider is in stock!!



Mankato Market Schedule

This Saturday was up in the air, but John's at Ciderfest (grab tickets HERE), and Leo has a birthday party, SO, see you back in November!

Nov. 1 - Winter Markets begin! 1st & 3rd Saturdays at Bomgaars Mankato, through the first week in April!




Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Apples + Sweet Cider 10/7

 See the previous October 1st update for full farm store deets + add on the update below...

Apples in stock:

Haralson
Sweet Sixteen 
Cortland
Honeygold
Fameuse
Spartan
Smokehouse - 1 left!
Golden Russet
Fireside

Sweet cider is in stock!!




Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Oct. 1 Updates :: Farm Store & More

Apple season is keeping us busy!! Picking mid and late season varieties, bringing in the harvest, sorting and packing fresh eating apples, as well as seconds for customers processing. The temperature fluctuations have made harvest funny, and we are seeing more drops from the trees. Cool temps would be welcome!! 

The garden is wrapping up for farm store goods and the deep winter greenhouse is not started yet, so we are at a little in-between spot for Organic produce other than apples. BUT you'll see 5-10 varieties gracing farm store shelves and the market table. Read on...

Mankato Market Schedule

Find us at the Saturday Mankato Farmers' Market from 8am - 12:00pm the following Saturdays"

Oct. 4
Oct. 11
Oct. 18 likely?? (Find John at Ciderfest.)
Oct. 25 - gone.
Nov. 1 - Winter Markets begin!

What's in the Farm Store

Organic Apple Varieties:
Haralson - classic baker, complex tart flavor, firm, crisp, juicy.
Sweet Sixteen - kid fav, sweet, crisp, juicy, aromatic 
Cortland - rich sweet-tart flavor, aromatic, vinous, all-purpose
Spartan - kid fav, more sweet than tart, with hints of strawberry, vanilla and spice, aromatic
Fameuse - grab this if you are looking for McIntosh, tender, juicy, distinctive in flavor, aromatic
Smokehouse *one bag left!

Watch for: Connell Red, Fireside, Regent, Jonathon, Honeygold, heirlooms like Golden Russet

All of these are great fresh eating varieties, all with their own unique profile. Many are also good for cooking!


MAKE THIS - Apple Fritters - we are enjoying about once a week for breakfasts!

If you are interested in picking up a Bushel of baking apples (seconds) for processing, give us a holler! $35/bushel seconds organic apples.

**Sweet apple cider - watch for our next pressing date!


Canned Items in Store:
Applesauce *out of stock for now.
Apple Butter
*Watch for jams returning!

Eggs are limited and hit or miss at this time.

Herbal Wellness:
Salves:
-Bruise Salve - stop a bruise in its tracks, aid healing of existing bruises, hemherroids
-Knitbone Salve - musculoskeletal, sore muscles, sprains, strains, broken bones
-Cottonwood Wound Salve - think of it as a natural neosporin, plus pain relief, use on cuts, minor wounds, burns, etc.
Calendula Lotion Bar - solid lotion bar that soothes and moisturizes
Herbal Sore Throat Spray
Elderberry Syrup Kits
Herbal Tinctures - Willow Bark, Astragalus, Stinging Nettles, Elderberry, Ashwaganda, Holy Basil

Farm Store Hours - Tu-Fri 9-7 & Sat 9-2, or by appt.