The Peru Gazette

Posted October 4, 2008
By John T. Ryan

Peru apple grower Mason Forrence calls 2008 an “excellent crop year!” Along with the excellent yield, Forrence said, “The fruit is staying on the trees. It’s amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Peru is Clinton County’s is leading apple producing community with seven orchards: Forrence’s, Northern, Sullivan’s, Irwin’s, Ruff’s, Everett’s and Apple Jack’s.

Two years ago New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets surveyed the state’s fruit growers and developed county-by-county production statistics. Here are some of the survey findings:

• Clinton County was the fourth ranked county in New York State in the number of apple trees. Wayne County had 4,297,498. Orleans County had 1,100,441. Ulster County had 864,360. Clinton County had 771,770. Statewide there were 9,464,203 apple trees.Map of top Apple Counties

• The McIntosh was still Clinton County’s #1 apple variety with 1,815 acres and 313,874 trees. The Cortland apple was a distant second with 386 acres and 90,667 trees under cultivation. Empire apples were #3, Honey Crisp #4 and Red Delicious #5. Apples grown in lesser quantities included Macoun, Paula Red, Rome, Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, Gingergold and Idared.

• In 2006 the total dollar value of fruit produced in New York State constituted almost 10% of New York State’s total agriculture receipts, an increase of 80% over 2001.

• The total number of apple trees in the state increased by 25% from 2001 to 2006 while the total apple acreage declined by 5%. There is definite movement toward higher density planting methods.

• Statewide there were 42,360 acres devoted to apples on some 697 farms. Wayne County just east of Rochester is #1 with 17,857 acres on 141 farms, Ulster County in the Hudson valley is #2 with 4,915 acres on 51 farms, Orleans County just west of Rochester is #3 with 4,415 acres on 50 farms and Clinton County is #4 with 3,151 acres on 10 farms.