Applecart Fruits

Organic Apples, Cherries, Apricots and Peaches from Washington State.
Home
About Us
Apples
Cherries
Apricots
Peaches
Apple Chips
How to Buy
O.P.M.A.
Contact Us
Site Map

 

APRICOTS

Applecart Fruits grows several varieties of Apricots, 

harvesting in late July.

In 2011:

           

 
 
 

Heirloom: this small apricot is nearly perfect. The skin is a light orange, the flesh soft and super sweet. Each half is a single bite. This apricot tree was old when Michael Simon started farming in 1976. It is only available through direct farm sales, as retailers don't carry it due to it's delicate quality.

 

Rival: a beautiful apricot. Bright orange with red blush. Very firm flesh, somewhat tart.

 

Tomcot: yellow, extra juicy. 

 

Perfection:

 

Robada: a large apricot, with full flavor and aroma.

 

Omar 'cots: medium sized, classic apricot color and flavor, with firm sweet flesh and tart skin.

 

Clover 'cots:

Our apricot production had a unique begining. Many years ago Michael Simon was visiting a farm that had recently experienced a house fire. Near the house was a compost pile which had sprouted two young saplings, partially burned but growing. Michael dug up these saplings and returned home to his two children, Clover and Omar. He gave each child a sapling to plant. These trees grew into two distinctly different apricot trees, known familiarly to the farm as "Omar's tree" and "Clover's tree."

 

 

 

 Eating
Handle Apricots with care to prevent bruising. Always rinse your fruit before consuming. We recommend splitting your apricots in half to eat, rather than eatting off the pit. You can do so by placing your thumbs in the space where the stem was and prying it apart.
 
Storage
Apricots can last up to 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator when stored properly. Wait to rinse your fruit until just before eatting to avoid spoilage. To ripen fruit, keep at room temperature or place in a paper bag with an apple or banana.
 
Long Term Storage
Apricots are well known as excellent dried fruits. We recommend drying the fruit a little longer than found in the store, until it's like fruit leather. Some of us here prefer them dried in quarter slices rather than halves. Dried apricots are a treat in oatmeal.
 
History
The Apricot originated in China, where it's been cultivated for over 4,000 years. It travelled across the Persian Empire to the Mediterranean where it flourished. The Spanish Explorers are credited with bringing it to the New World, where they planted them in the gardens of Spanish Missions as early as 1793. California is the largest producer of Apricots in the United States, but we're sure you'll agree the climate of the Okanogan grows a superior fruit.