Hackett’s Orchard

When to Eat a Yellow Transparent

WHEN DO YOU EAT a Yellow Transparent apple? The short answer: soon. That’s because their season is short, and they do…

10 Overlooked Apples for Apple Lemon Cake

PART OF THE BEAUTY of New England’s orchards is their diversity, in size, location, crops, and, especially, their apple varieties. More…

Great October Apples

SOME OF THE BEST APPLES of the New England harvest ripen in October. As days grow shorter and nights get cooler,…

Double Vision (and Apple Squares)

MANY NEW ENGLAND ORCHARDS offer spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Situated atop hills, overlooking valleys, or nestled in among the…

Apple Beauty Shots (and Air-Fried Turnovers)

NOW THAT THE APPLES are mostly off the trees at New England’s orchards, we get to enjoy their beauty close…

Glazed Apple Cookies (Russell Steven Powell)
Ron Hackett’s Cider Donuts and Favorite Apple Cookies

RON AND CELIA HACKETT have been growing apples for more than 50 years in South Hero, Vermont, on the southern…

Mutsu apple at Mack's Apples, Londonderry, New Hampshire (Russell Steven Powell)
Pies, Brownies, and Late-Season Apple Gold

WITH FROST expected over most of the region over the next few days, the fresh apple harvest is likely headed…

New England’s Apple Crop Approaching its Peak

A BRIEF TOUR of Vermont orchards Monday shows how New England’s 2016 apple crop is shaping up. Mid-season varieties like…

Suncrisp apples, Tougas Family Farm, Northborough, Massachusetts (Russell Steven Powell photo)
Good Now, Better Later: Idared and Suncrisp

SOME APPLES, like fine wines, improve with age. Two relatively new varieties, Suncrisp and Idared — are examples. Their flavor…

Pears with Apples (Like Shamrock, Honeycrisp, and Hudson’s Golden Gem)

PEARS PLAY a supporting role to apples in New England. You never hear of a pear orchard with a few apple…