The Minnesota-Grown Haralson Apple
Minnesota-Grown; me and the Haralson apple. While visiting Minnesota this past week, I stumbled upon my favorite childhood apples at the local market. With many varieties to choose from, Haralson’s were actually the only apples we were allowed to pick when we were venturing out for a day of apple picking in La Crescent, Minnesota, right along the Mississippi River and among the beautiful scenic bluffs. Fortunately, my mom had good taste as well as good reason for choosing this delicious and delightful varietal. Haralson apples are mostly red in color with small noticeable dots, a classic characteristic, and are crisp and juicy with a perfectly balanced tart flavor. Not only are they ideal for eating and cooking but have been the exclusive apple that my mother has used in baking her perfect apple pies!
The Haralson apple was introduced by the Minnesota Horticulture Center in 1922 so it’s been around for quite a while now. However, as a Georgia resident, I have looked on the ‘apple list’ each year hoping for my beloved Haralson’s to appear only to find out they are pretty much only available in my home state of Minnesota. Of course, shipping is a viable option these days and perhaps my dear friends and family will decide to send them to me annually so maybe just being reminded this past week of the luscious bite of my favorite apple I can now say “home is where the apple is.”
