Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 2015)
Polk County Living Polk County Itemizer-Observer • September 2, 2015 7A APPLES for ALL Riverwood Orchard sports apple varieties to fit every tastebud By Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer MONMOUTH — When it comes to apples, there’s something for every palate. Whether sweet or tart, and everything in between, there’s a perfect apple for you. Perhaps the most popular apple is the honey crisp. “In recent history, there hasn’t been an apple like this,” said Alan Frost, owner of Riverwood Orchard in Monmouth. Honey crisp apples have such large cells, that when you bite into it, it’s a gush of flavor and juices, he said. “I think that’s why people tend to like it so much,” he said. “It’s just so different. Plus, it’s sweet. Most people like a sweet apple. But it does have acid behind it.” Frost has grown apples since 1974, starting with just 2.5 acres in Wenatchee, Wash. He has owned River- wood Orchard for 25 years. He has 40 acres of trees with 16 different varieties of apples and six different types of pears. The crop has come early this year, Frost said, and that means a compressed season. “Usually with gala apples, we do three to four picks,” he said. “This year, we’ll do two picks.” That means instead of going out to harvest ripe ap- ples multiple times, the trees will be cleaned off ear- lier. There’s still the same number of apples as usual, they’re just picking them quicker, Frost said. The warm spring and summer has not just made the apples ripen faster, but earlier. “We picked gravenstein in July, and I’ve never picked apples in July in my life,” Frost said. Frost carries himself with EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer Alan Frost grows crimson crisp apples, his personal favorite for their hard, dense texture and their sweet, yet tart flavor. The apple crop is, like all of Polk County’s crops, early this year after a long, warm spring and summer. A quick guide • To check if an apple is ripe, do not squeeze it, as this may bruise it. Instead, check the background color. For bi- color apples, that usually means yellow. • Riverwood Orchard apples may be found at Roth’s Fresh Markets, or in Two Towns Cider’s brews. • Keep them cold to keep them snappy. authority in his orchards. He understands the trees and the fruit, and doesn’t get dis- couraged by whatever Moth- er Nature throws his way. “We got that big wind- storm (Saturday and Sun- day) and a lot of the sun- burned apples got knocked off,” Frost said. His apples can be found in Polk County at Roth’s Fresh Markets and in school lunches — he works with the school districts to sell fresh produce to them. Frost also gives tours of his orchard to school kids in Luckiamute Valley Charter School. “The older kids, I try and tell them a little about botany,” he said. That in- cludes explaining about root stocks and grafting, both of which are important to growing apples. Frost finds great satisfac- tion in his trees. “It’s the satisfaction of ac- complishment,” he said. “It’s the process. You prune, and you spray, and you nurture the apples. You do all the work to get the apples there and then you pick and then you sell it, and someone comes out here and says, ‘I love your apples.’” EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer The crew is busy sorting honey crisp apples by size, care- ful to spot any bruised ones along the way. EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer Apple trees at Riverwood Orchard are grown to be short, limiting the use of a ladder to harvest them. EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer Riverwood Orchard sits in the rolling hills of the Cascade foothills on the outskirts of Monmouth. It benefits from the cool breezes microclimate of the Willamette Valley. The Frugal Shopper! 503-623-4943 967 Main St. • Dallas, OR d Phone Ahea ur o y and have ! y d a order re BUD ON TAP Sunday - Thursday 11:00 am to 9:00 pm Friday & Saturday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm FREE GAMES FOR KIDS $ 00 OFF $ 00 OFF $ 00 OFF 4 3 2 ANY GIANT PIZZA ANY LARGE PIZZA ANY MEDIUM PIZZA In store, pick up or delivery + charge. Not valid with other offers. With coupon. Expires 9/30/15 FAMILY FILLER 1 Large Single Topping Pizza 8-Piece Chicken SAVE 2 Orders Spuds $ 6.55 1 2-Liter Pop $ 40 20 BUY ONE GET ONE FREE ALL DAY Reg. $46.75 In store, pick up or delivery + charge. Not valid with other offers. With coupon. Expires 9/30/2015 BUY ANY 6” AND GET ONE 6” FREE OF EQUAL OR LESSER PRICE Valid only at: 242 Main St Dallas OR 97338 The Savings Start Here! Call Rachel, Heidi or Karen to reserve your coupon for next month 503-623-2373 Available online Come celebrate with us on September 12th ©2015 Doctor’s Associates Inc. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc. MMTK-029013 Limited time only at participating restaurants. Additional charge for Extras. Plus tax where applicable. No cash value. One coupon per customer, per visit. May not be combined with other offers, coupons or discount cards. Coupon must be surrendered with purchase. Void if transferred, sold, auctioned, reproduced or altered. ©2015 Doctor’s Associates Inc. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc.