The Most Exciting Apple this Decade

Like so many other great apples, Minnesota 1711, or MN1711 as it was known as during development, was destined for the burn pile.  The Red Delicious, originally cut down three times before it was allowed to grow.  The Granny Smith, literally springing up from a pile of garbage.  And now, MN1711.  The first little apple seedling was planted in 1962 by the University of Minnesota apple breeding program.  You may be wondering…Minnesota?  Well, that is where Jonhnny Appleseed planted so many of his apple trees.  By 1974, breeders at the Horticultural Research Center were still considering MN1711 as an exciting new variety.  Before long, MN1711 was destined for fire wood.  That is until 1982 when breeders Dave Bedford and James Luby rediscovered MN1711.  They loved it.  They researched the records for the variety and  the word “DISCARD” was scrawled across the data sheet.  Today, growers around America can’t get MN1711 grafted fast enough into their orchards.  Within the next decade, MN1711 could possibly be one of the top three apples in the United States.  By the way, they finally gave an official name to MN1711.  It’s the Honeycrisp.  Cream colored flesh, well balanced flavor from sub acid and sugar content.  It is sweet as honey.  It also has larger cell structure, but also twice as many cells as a normal apple, which is why it is so crisp and almost literally explodes in your mouth.  Double the cells…double the pleasure.  Yes, the Honeycrisp will cost more than other apples right now, but over the coming years, as more acreage comes into production, this brand new apple, which almost made it into the burn pile, should make it onto your weekly grocery list.