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Apples are one of the most historically, culturally, and economically significant fruits on earth. It’s estimated that humans have been eating apples since 50,000 BCE. Today, there are currently over 7,500 known cultivars of apples, ranging from small, green and tart, to big red sweet globes. The modern apple is thought to have been domesticated in modern-day Kazakstan 4,000-10,000 years ago.
Apples are not native to New York State or the United States at all. However, today there are over 42,360 acres of apple orchards in the state of New York, which is second in the US behind the state of Washington for apple production. The United States (5M tons/year) is second only to China (50M tons/year) in apple production.
So how did the United States become a leader in growing a fruit that is relatively new to the area?
New York is the nation’s second-largest apple producing state. With more than 10 million trees, our roughly 600 commercial apple growers produce, on average, 29.5 million bushels of apples annually. And they grow more varieties than producers in any other state. Among them: McIntosh (the national apple of Canada), Empire, Cortland, Rome, Gala, and many others.
There’s little in life more pleasing than biting into a crisp, juicy, slightly sweet, slightly tart, fresh-off-the-tree apple. And what could be healthier? Apples contain vitamins A and C, antioxidants, potassium, pectin, fiber, and no cholesterol. They can be eaten fresh, baked, or stewed; turned into juice or cider; made into sauce, butter, jelly, vinegar, wine, and delightful confections when coated with candy (sugar syrup), caramel, or toffee and nuts; or cooked into pies, crisps, crumbles, cakes, doughnuts; even meat dishes.
When Dan and Brandyn Prairie purchased their home on County Route 24 (the Brainardsville Rd), Malone in 2013, Dan really wanted to utilize the open field behind their home to grow a crop. After a lot of thought, he ended up narrowing his choices down to either planting a vineyard or an apple orchard. Dan eventually settled on growing apples, not only because of their profitability potential but also because it would be something the family enjoyed doing together. In the spring of 2014, Prairie’s Orchard was established with the planting of sixty Macintosh and sixty Honey Crisp trees. Since then, more trees have been planted each spring with plans to continue to do so. 
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