Third Street Apples
935 3rd Street
Penrose, CO 81240
(719) 372-6283
 
Orchard and store hours are
9:30 to 5:00
Thursday - Monday
Closed
Tuesday and Wednesday
August 28 - October 31
When is an apple ripe?  There are several subtle signs.  The grass green color, or background color turns to a pale yellow.  The seeds turn dark brown.  The apple separates more easily from the stem.  It no longer has that "green apple" taste.  The best way to tell in our orchard is to look for the green plastic ribbons or flagging tape on the trees that are ripe.  If there is a red plastic ribbon it is NOT ripe and please leave it to ripen.  If it has a red ribbon on it, DON"T pick it and taste it just to see if we are right!  We adjust the colored ribbons on a daily basis as the different varieties ripen.

Apple Ripening Calendar

These are the major varieties in the orchard. All dates are approximate, call if you have specific questions.  Not all varieties are available every year - it's farming and things happen, like frost, hail, and wind that affect different varieties in different ways.


Gala,Gold Supreme,McIntrosh                      Late August

Honeycrisp, Lura Red                                          Early September 

Jonathan, Haralson                                           Mid September

Red Delicious, Jonalicious,Golden Delicious        Late September
 Hudson's Golden Gem, Roxbury Russet                                    

Calville Blanc, Prairie Spy, Idared                     Early October

Winesap, Ben Davis, Stayman, Rome              Mid October 

Arkansas Black, Granny Smith, Fuji                 Late October

 Apples too few to include above:  Red June, Newtown Pippin, Seek-No-Further, Ashmead's Kernel, Winter Banana, Early Blaze, Egremont Russet.