Golden Delicious
Available as:
Stemilt & Artisan Organics
Facts of Interest: This popular variety was discovered as a chance seedling growing on the Mullins’ farm in Clay County, West Virginia around 1900. The Stark Brothers Nursery introduced the apple commercially in 1916 as a companion to the Red Delicious even though the two varieties are not related.
The parentage of Golden Delicious is unclear. Many people speculate the chance seedling can be traced to the Golden Reinette and the Grimes golden. Today there are several golden-like chance seedling varieties in existence, including Ginger Gold, Earligold, and Lucky Rose. This mellow, sweet apple thrives in the dry, warm climate of Eastern Washington. It is perfect for many uses, especially baking and fresh eating.
To select a good-quality Golden Delicious, look for a Washington apple with firm, smooth, clean skin that ranges in color from light green to pale or creamy yellow. Some Goldens may have a wash of pink color or blush across the “shoulders,” the result of warm, sunny, Eastern Washington days and cool summer nights.
Characteristics
Appearance:
Yellow, sometimes with a bright pink blush if cool nights precede harvest
Texture & Firmness:
Fine, smooth, and crisp
Internal Character:
White or buff-colored
Flavor:
Crisp, clean apple with extremely mellow flavors
Shape:
Conical and uniform
Size:
Medium to large
Uses:
Excellent for pies, sauce, and baking; Great for fresh eating
Artisan Organics is Stemilt’s banner for organic tree fruits. This label adorns all packaging and price look-up (PLU) stickers on Stemilt’s organic apples, pears, cherries and stone fruits.
Stemilt began major investments in organic tree fruit production back in 1989. At the time, farming organically on a large-scale was unheard of, since there were so few organic applications available. Despite the challenges, Stemilt founder Tom Mathison knew there was potential for organics in the marketplace and continued preparing Stemilt for future growth.
Because of Tom’s foresight, Stemilt gradually increased its organic presence, and today, is one of the nation’s leading shippers of organic tree fruits. Try Artisan Organics for a unique flavor experience that only natural farming methods can deliver!
Check out our Organic Leader page to learn more about what makes Stemilt a standout in the organic field!
Check out our Organic Leader page to learn more about what makes Stemilt a standout in the organic field!
Stemilt’s World Famous apples are terrific for many reasons. The first is our area’s perfect conditions for producing apples. Central Washington is known for having sunny days, cool nights, plentiful water and nutrient-rich soils – all things that apples need to develop the perfect shape, color and flavor.
Our rich farming heritage means that Stemilt apples are produced by generations of apple experts that understand how to grow different varieties and strains. Finally, endless quality checks by our growers and field staff ensures that every apple meets Stemilt’s strict quality expectations.