Apples are available at the grocery store every day of the year, but maybe you’re like Katherine Freeman of Acworth.
She told me, “I have always preferred heirloom and antique varieties of apple like Stayman, Grimes Golden, Yates and Arkansas Black; apples you just cannot find in your local grocery store. And I like them picked at the peak of perfection!"
A love of fresh apples is one of the reasons Freeman and her husband, Jim, started Freedom Farms and Fruit in Murray County in North Georgia. They’ve planted 15,000 apple trees on their 55 acres and plan to put in at least 3,000 more. The first plants went in about two-and-a-half years ago, and they had their first big harvest this year. So far, there are 68 varieties of apple, along with peaches and bramble fruits.
Ginger Golds were first to be ready to harvest, coming at the end of June, and the Freemans just picked the last variety, Gold Rush, which they’ll be selling at the Marietta Square Farmers Market on Saturday mornings until the last apple is gone. The microclimate of their farm allows for this long growing season.
Although it might seem that tending 15,000 apple trees would be a full-time job, Freeman said the farm started out as her husband’s weekend hobby. “It’s turned out to be a great opportunity to spend time with our three children and for them to learn important life skills,” she said.
Freeman said some customers want their apples to be sweet and firm, while others are looking for tart varieties. With so many varieties of apples to sell, they’ve got an apple to suit everyone’s taste.
Not surprisingly, her most frequent recipe request at the market is for pie crust. Still other customers are interested in general ideas on how to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diet.
She’s happy to accommodate their interest and makes a point of trying a new fruit recipe every week so she can share it with her customers at the market. When she has time, she even has printouts of her latest inspiration.
“I love to cook; now from June to October, there is something new and fresh each week for inspiration,” she said.
What's happening at local farmers markets
For sale
Fruit: apples, muscadines, pears
Vegetables and herbs: arugula, basil, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, collards, chard, chestnuts, cucumbers, edamame, eggplant, fennel, garlic, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, onions, Southern peas, peppers, potatoes, radishes, summer squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, winter squash
Cooking demos
9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 30. Chef Ford Fry, JCT Kitchen. Morningside Farmers’ Market, Atlanta. For information: www.morningsidemarket.com.
10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 30. Chef Thomas McKeown, Terrace Restaurant. Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta. For information: www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com.
From local reports
Apple, Chicken and Smoked Gouda Salad
Hands on: 25 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Serves: 6
Using fruit in entree salads is a great way to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet. This adaptation of a traditional Waldorf salad combines some of my favorite ingredients. The honey mustard dressing is a nice foil for the richness of smoked Gouda and the sweet crunch of the apples. Use all one variety of apple or mix them for contrasting flavors and colors. Substitute Swiss cheese for the Gouda if you’re not fond of smoked cheeses.
10 tablespoons honey
6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 large apples, cut into bite-size chunks
1 (6-ounce) package salad mix
1 1/2 (one and a half) cups (about 6 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda
1 1/2 (one and a half) cups (about 4 stalks) thinly sliced celery
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup salted roasted pecans
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
In a 1-pint screw-top jar, make dressing by combining honey, mustard and vinegar. Shake vigorously to emulsify. Set aside.
In large salad bowl, combine chicken, apples, salad mix, Gouda, celery, cranberries, pecans and onions. Add dressing and toss to combine.
Per serving: 513 calories (percent of calories from fat, 40), 32 grams protein, 47 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 24 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 92 milligrams cholesterol, 509 milligrams sodium.
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