Washington Apple Outlook Pt 1

Washington Apple Outlook Pt 1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson. Growers in Washington state are expecting a pretty good apple harvest in the months ahead. Washington State Tree Fruit Association president, Jon DeVaney says growers are pretty confident ...

Devaney ... "At the end of July every year we survey our members to get their best take on what they think the packable fresh apple crop is going to look like for the coming season."

DeVaney says the later apple varieties won't come off the trees until almost Thanksgiving so there's a lot that can happen between now and then, but it's a pretty good indication of what to expect ...

Devaney ... "And this year, the number came in at about 131-million boxes which is pretty close to last year. It's about 2% lower than last year's number of 134-million fresh boxes. So, that's pretty even production."

He says the fruit on the trees is LOOKING very good as well ...

Devaney ... "Our members were also saying it's looking like a really good quality crop and they are actually expecting slightly better sizing and more larger apples than they had last year which helps with sales as well."

DeVaney says they find these annual grower predictions are usually pretty accurate ...

Devaney ... "Our three-year average in the difference between our production forecasts and the final numbers is about 1 %. So, our forecasts have been fairly accurate, but some years we do better than others."

Listen tomorrow to hear more about this year's projections for the Washington apple crop and the expanding number of varieties in production today.

####

BL: Welcome back for another "Fruit Bites" brought to you by Valent U.S.A. With us again is Valent's Allison Walston. And this week Allison, you're here to tell us about the oldest apple trees in the Pacific Northwest.

AW: At 192 years old, the oldest apple tree in the PNW resides in Vancouver, Washington.

BL: Who planted this tree? Johnny Appleseed?

AW: The story goes that at a party in London, Lieutenant Emilius Simpson was given apple seeds from a lady's dessert and was asked to plant them on the other side of the world as he set out for Fort Vancouver. So in 1826, Lt. Simpson planted the seeds & 4 years later, they harvested the apples.

BL: How do they know it is that old?

AW: From core samples & the HBC has a record of importing the apple seeds.

BL: wasn't there another tree that tried to claim this honor?

AW: Renamed & claimed as the oldest "grafted-standard variety" apple tree is in Portland. The Yellow Bellflower Apple, on the Dosch Estate, was planted in 1850 by Albert Kelly, a minister from Kentucky.

BL: Well, thanks Allison. Join us again next time for Fruit Bites, brought to you by Valent. Until then, I'm Bob Larson.

Old Apple Tree Park, 112 Columbia Way

4700 SW Campbell Ct., Portland, OR 97239

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-old-apple-tree

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/when_it_comes_to_trees_in_the.html

https://www.cfsww.org/donor-stories/seeding-heritage/

http://www.homeorchardsociety.org/growfruit/apples/all-about-the-apple-called-yellow-bellflower/

Previous ReportLock N Lube
Next ReportWashington Apple Outlook Pt 2