In 2009, we leased a tree from Earth First Farms in Berrien Center, Michigan for $50. The tree lease program is like a CSA for apples. As harvest time hit this week, they picked our apples & brought them to Chicago for us to a nearby famer's market . They provided us with the entire harvest of apples from our tree, freshly picked! Our Empire apples are organic, crispy and sweet!We leased an Empire apple tree this year because the Empire variety (the offspring of Red Delicious and McIntosh) is said to be good for eating, salads, baking, sauce, pies and freezing. Its an excellent blend of sweet and tart and has a very crispy flesh. We've already cooked up a batch of homemade applesauce and there's lots more to come.
If you're interested, contact the good folks at Earth First Farms. They're a certified organic farm about 100 miles from Chicago. You can have apples delivered to a drop off point in the city or pick them yourselves.
Photos/layouts by Ann Hetzel Gunkel; digital supplies by Digital Design Essentials
