Red Delicious
Available as:
Stemilt & Artisan Organics
Facts of Interest: This popular variety is commonly called America's favorite snacking apple. It was discovered in 1874 as a chance seedling growing on a farm owned by Jesse Hiatt in Peru, Iowa. Thinking it was a nuisance, Hiatt tried to chop down the seedling, but the tree grew back repeatedly. On the third time, Hiatt allowed it to grow and the tree produced red apples.
Hiatt originally called the seedling variety Hawkeye. He displayed the apples in 1893 at a fruit show in Louisiana, Missouri, sponsored by the Stark Brothers Nursery. The Stark brothers purchased the propagation rights to the apple and commercialized the variety, renaming it Red Delicious.
Since then, Red Delicious has become the flagship variety of the Washington apple industry. It grows better in Eastern Washington's dry climate than in any other location in the world. Red Delicious production has declined in recent years as more apple varieties have been introduced. However, Red Delicious is still considered a favorite among apple buyers for its sweet flavor, firmness, and long shelf life.
Characteristics
Appearance:
Deep to bright red, sometimes slightly striped
Texture & Firmness:
Very crisp
Internal Character:
White or buff-colored
Flavor:
Strong sweet presence and only a few notes of acidity
Shape:
An elongated shape with five points or knobs on the end; often described as heart-shaped
Size:
Medium to large
Uses:
Great for fresh eating and salads
Artisan Organics is Stemilt Growers’ banner for organic tree fruits. This label adorns all packaging and price look-up stickers on Stemilt’s organic apples, pears, cherries, and stone fruits.
We began major investments in organic tree fruit production back in 1989. That’s when Stemilt founder Tom Mathison launched his Responsible Choice program, urging growers and company managers to look for ways to conserve natural resources and reduce synthetic materials in all our growing and packing operations.
Since that year, Stemilt has become a national leader in organic tree fruit production and packing:
• Artisan Organics are grown with tree and soil balance in mind.
• Natural tree and soil balance encourages the orchards’ innate defenses, creating tastier fruit that needs no synthetic fertilizers.
• Artisan Organics are farmed 100% organically so there is no residue on the fruit.
• Artisan Organics come from modern orchards that use the latest growing and harvesting techniques.
Stemilt’s Artisan Organics are grown with extreme care. See and taste the difference that our natural farming methods produce.
Check out our Organic Leader page to learn how we grow and pack organic fruit and what makes Stemilt a standout in the organic field!
Stemilt’s World Famous apples are terrific for many reasons. The first is the area’s perfect conditions for producing apples. Central Washington has the sunny days, cool nights, plentiful water, and nutrient-rich soils that apples need to be super-flavorful. But that’s not the only reason Stemilt’s apples are great.
Generations of apple-growing expertise and endless quality checks have produced only the best fruit. Tom Mathison, Stemilt’s founder, has made sure that flavor comes first when it comes to Stemilt apples. Today, Stemilt’s field advisors also work hand-in-hand with growers so every apple meets Tom’s strict flavor expectations. Look for Stemilt’s Artisan Organics apples too. They’re naturally-farmed to perfection!