HAZEL GREEN, Ala. (WHNT) — Apple trees blossomed in the spring, growing their fruit over the summer, and now, crisp apples are just weeks away from being ready to harvest.
Will Scott is a fifth-generation fruit farmer. His family has been growing apples in Hazel Green since his great-great-grandfather planted apple trees there 124 years ago.
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“We’ve kept the apple trees growing that entire time,” Scott said.
Scott said a successful apple harvest requires taking the climate in North Alabama into account.
“We typically have late freezes, late when it comes to fruit growing,” Scott said. “Those are always really harmful when we’re trying to grow apples or peaches. We get blooms there at the end of March, beginning of April, so we really try to look for varieties that are hardy through cold spells and maybe bloom a little bit lighter. We try to miss those light-season freezes.”
Of the thousands of apple varieties grown worldwide, Scott’s Orchard has chosen to plant 18.
“The Cameo is a great apple in this part of the country; it kind of slides in there and replaces the Honeycrisp apple for us. It’s a great, sweet, crisp apple. Other things like Fuji and Dixie Red and Pink Ladies are great apples in this part of the country.”
Some of the varieties he described are only grown in this region.
“I don’t know anywhere else you can get a Dixie Red,” Scott said.
There is plenty of variety for apple lovers to choose from, but Scott said people often stick with what they know.
“Our customers like traditional apples, like Golden Delicious,” Scott said. “Our number one customers are local school systems, and kids like the familiar apple that they also have at home. Things like Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Fuji and Pink Lady are all things that people are just familiar with, and they like sticking with it.”
Scott said the orchard will have apples on the trees from early September until about Christmas. The orchard will begin apple picking for the public on Labor Day.
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