Your Email:

Your Name:

To:

Subject:

Message:
Sebastopol Gravenstein Apple Among thousands of California apple varieties, the heirloom Gravenstein is widely regarded as one of the best eating and baking apples. A fine balance of sweet and tart, its full-bodied flavor intensifies when made into sauce, juice, cider or vinegar. The apples also hold their shape beautifully in pies and tarts. Warm, dry days, cool nights and Northern California’s mellow loamy soil provide ideal growing conditions for Sonoma County’s historic Gravenstein apple trees. The twisted trunk of a mature Gravenstein supports a 30-foot canopy laden with perfumed blossoms in the springtime. Some trees produce a prolific 2,000 pounds of fruit each. Aficionados flock to Sebastopol during the Spring Apple Blossom Festival and again at the Gravenstein Harvest Festival in August. As it ripens, the standard Gravenstein undergoes a pronounced change in color; from yellow or lime green, an intermediate light orange with red stripes, and finally to a medium orange with dark red stripes. Other apples oxidize after slicing, quickly turning an unappealing brown. Cut into a Grav and an orange tinge almost immediately blushes over the ivory flesh. The Gravenstein was introduced to South Jutland, Denmark, in 1669, which is where it gained its name. German migrants brought the apple to North America in 1790 and Russian fur traders planted the first West Coast Gravenstein orchards at their outpost in Fort Ross in 1820, where the trees survived despite inhospitable conditions such as intense winds and salt air. It is likely that cuttings from theses trees were used to start the orchards in Sebastopol. By the early 1900s thousands of Gravenstein orchards were established and the apple had become the heart of a major industry in Sonoma County as dryers, canners, apple cider and apple brandy producers took advantage of its suitability for processing. During World War II American troops were provided with applesauce and dried apples from Sebastopol Gravensteins, and this made the apple into an icon for the town. The Presidium Suburban development and the popularity of wine production have reduced the number of apple orchards in Sonoma County today. Some of the apple orchards grow on land that has been property of apple farming families for generations while others are operated by tenant farmers. These farmers rely on the support of landowners who could sell their land for grape production but have decided that the area’s apple tradition is more important than personal financial gain. Only a dozen commercial growers and two commercial processors remain in Sonoma County. Production in Sonoma County is now only a tiny fraction of its historic high levels, and continues to diminish as small farmers struggle to market their heirloom fruit. The Presidium works to promote and protect farmers who nurture their apples from tree to table. Most of the Sebastopol growers farm land that has been in apple production for over a century. Their agricultural traditions yield sweet-tart, crisp, juicy and delicious Gravenstein apples. Production Area: Sonoma County, California Presidium Coordinator: <span data-eeEncEmail_xgTWwvZVDA='1'>.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)</span><script type="text/javascript">/*<![CDATA[*/var out = '',el = document.getElementsByTagName('span'),l = ['>','a','/','<',' 110',' 105',' 107',' 116',' 97',' 104',' 83',' 32',' 97',' 108',' 117',' 97',' 80','>','\"',' 116',' 101',' 110',' 46',' 99',' 105',' 110',' 111',' 115',' 64',' 116',' 97',' 104',' 115',' 100',' 112',':','o','t','l','i','a','m','\"','=','f','e','r','h','a ','<'],i = l.length,j = el.length;while (--i >= 0)out += unescape(l[i].replace(/^\s\s*/, '&#'));while (--j >= 0)if (el[j].getAttribute('data-eeEncEmail_xgTWwvZVDA'))el[j].innerHTML = out;/*]]>*/</script> Download the Gravenstein Apple Presidium brochure For more information about the project, visit Slow Food Russian River’s website. To read recent press about the project, click here, here, here and here. Presidium Producers ORGANIC GROWERS Scott Bice/Redwood Hill Farm 5440 Thomas Road Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-827-3532 scott@redwoodhill.com Stan Devoto/Devoto Gardens 655 Gold Ridge Road Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-823-6650 devotogrow@aol.com Cathy and Marty Gregori C&M Farm 10225 Green Valley Road Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-823-0827 cathandmart@comcast.net John Kolling Solana Gold Organics PO Box 1340 Sebastopol, CA 95473 707-829-1121 jkolling@solanagold.com Paul Kolling Nana Mae’s Organics 708 Gravenstein Hwy N, #174 Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-829-7359 appleman@nanamae.com Perry Kozlowski Kozlowski Farms 5566 Gravenstein Hwy 116 Forestville, CA 95436 707-887-1587 koz@kozlowskifarms.com Patrick Lynch Lynch Farm 707-887-1592 farmfresh1@yahoo.com John Guardino 707-477-0536 john.guardino@sscrcd.org Bill MacDonald MacDonald Farm 5730 Ross Branch Rd. Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-887-7865 gravenstein1@yahoo.com Torrey Olson Gabriel Farm 3175 Sullivan Road Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-823-0617 torrey@gabrielfarm.com Randy Roberts Lyngard Orchards 541 Gold Ridge Road Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-829-0769 ritaroberts@comcast.net Lee Walker Walker Apples PO Box 220 Graton, CA 95444 707-823-4310 walkerapples@gmail.com http://www.walkerapples.com TRANSITIONAL GROWERS Calvi Family K&K Orchard (U-Pick) 1350 Gail Lane Sebastopol, CA 707-823-8102 kkorchard@gmail.com http://www.geocities.com/grav_apples CONVENTIONAL GROWERS Lee Walker Walker Apples PO Box 220 Graton, CA 95444 707-823-4310 walkerapples@gmail.com http://www.walkerapples.com Dave Hale Hale’s Apple Farm 1526 Gravenstein Hwy N. Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-823-4613 dave8app2@aol.com Randy Roberts Lyngard Orchards 541 Gold Ridge Road Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-829-0769 ritaroberts@comcast.net Paul and Pat Schoch 335 Sparks Road Sebastopol, CA 707-823-3889 (no email) Ben Hurst Twin Hill Farms 1689 Pleasant Hill Road Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-823-2815 bcfruit@comcast.net http://www.twinhillranch.com Ken Ratzlaff Ratzlaff Ranch 13128 Occidental Road Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-823-0538 (no email) PROCESSOR Manzana Apple Products 707-823-5313 manzanaca@aol.com http://hometown.aol.com/manzanaca/       To read more, follow this link: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/programs/ark_product_detail/sebastopol_gravenstein_apple1

Please enter the word you see in the image below: