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Apple

Apple

Malus domestica GRIN 104681

fruitperennial Zone 4–9

Perennial pome fruit tree well-suited to Zones 4-8; requires chill hours met locally; high-density modern orchards yield well with intensive management.

24/30

Crop Snowflake Score

Gross Revenue
$11,550

/acre

Net Return
$200

/acre

Price Trend
stable
Establishment Cost
—

/acre

Crop Insurance
Available
Years to Production
5

years

Overview

Growing Season

Plant
early spring – early spring
Harvest
late Aug-Oct – late Aug-Oct
Frost-free days
135+
GDD (base 50°F)
2,000

Yield

Typical yield
784 bu/acre
Productive lifespan
20 years
Years to full prod.
5
Labor
300 hrs/acre
92%

Market Fit

6/6

Active Regional Buyers

2 active buyers on record purchasing this crop.

Price Trend Stable/Up

3-year price trend recorded as "stable".

Supply Below Demand

4 of 6 documented channels rate viability "strong". Sold into regional rather than national markets, fruit supply here generally trails that demand.

Multiple Buyer Channels

6 of 6 documented market channels rate viable or better (farmers_market, direct_to_consumer, wholesale, csa). Multiple independent routes to market.

Value-Added Potential

4 viable direct-market channels (farmers_market, direct_to_consumer, csa, restaurant). Supports value-added and margin capture beyond wholesale.

Market Growth Projected

Specialty fruit segment; consumer demand for regionally grown specialty produce has been expanding.

Market Channels

farmers_market · Apples are a high-demand farmers market staple. Consumers seek locally grown varieties unavailable in retail. Seasonal availability from late summer through fall aligns with peak market attendance.
direct_to_consumer · Farm stands, U-pick operations, and on-farm stores are primary channels. Apple orchards often combine pick-your-own with value-added products (cider, pies). Strong consumer association with farm visits.
wholesale · Well-established wholesale channels through packers and distributors. Requires grading to USDA standards (US Extra Fancy, US Fancy). Long storage life via controlled atmosphere enables year-round wholesale supply.
csa · Apples are a popular fall CSA box addition. Long harvest window and storage capability make them reliable CSA components. Often paired with other fall produce.
retail · Grocery chains and independent retailers are major outlets. Requires consistent volume, quality grading, and often food safety certifications (GAP). Retail accounts can absorb large volumes.
restaurant · Local restaurants and bakeries purchase apples for pies, salads, ciders, and desserts. Seasonal demand; requires reliable delivery. Specialty and heirloom varieties command premium pricing.

Climate Fit

6/6

Hardiness Zone Match

Crop tolerates zones 4-8; region spans 5-6. Overlaps.

GDD Sufficient

Crop needs 2500 GDD (base 50F); region accumulates 2500+. Sufficient.

Precipitation Compatible

Crop needs ~20 in; region receives ~38 in/yr. Compatible, irrigation available as supplement.

Frost-Free Season OK

Crop needs 160 frost-free days; region provides ~180. Sufficient.

Chill Hours Met

Perennial. Region's zone 5-6 winters deliver well over 1,000 chill hours, ample for temperate perennials.

Climate Trend Favorable

Crop spans 5 hardiness zones (4-8). Wide adaptive range buffers against warming trend.

Fit by region

The farm matcher, run on each region's cited climate normals. Soil and site are not included here; add your own on the match page.

Match your farm
Finger Lakeszone 5b/6a · 2,200 GDD · 145 frost-free days · 38.29" rain

Limited by high-severity risks. 6 criteria evaluated; 100% cited.

Strong fit
92/100
Hardiness zoneHeat accumulation (GDD base 50F)Frost-free seasonRainfallHigh-severity risksKnown buyers
Lake Erie Concord Grape Beltzone 6a/6b/7a · 2,923 GDD · 185 frost-free days · 41.09" rain

Limited by high-severity risks. 6 criteria evaluated; 100% cited.

Strong fit
92/100
Hardiness zoneHeat accumulation (GDD base 50F)Frost-free seasonRainfallHigh-severity risksKnown buyers
Chautauqua Uplands (Allegheny Plateau)zone 6a · 2,364 GDD · 158 frost-free days · 45.93" rain

Limited by high-severity risks. 6 criteria evaluated; 100% cited.

Strong fit
92/100
Hardiness zoneHeat accumulation (GDD base 50F)Frost-free seasonRainfallHigh-severity risksKnown buyers

Climate envelope & site

What the farm matcher compares your conditions against.

Climate envelope

Hardiness zone
4–9
Frost-free season
135+ days
Heat (GDD base 50°F)
2,000+
Winter chill
1,000–1,200 hours
Rainfall
27.6–126 in/yr

Below the minimum, irrigation is needed; above the maximum the crop fails.

Soil pH target
6.0–7.0

Extension lime target; within 1.0 of it is correctable.

Site & structure

Spring frost at bloom
high sensitivity
Needs cold-air drainage
yes — avoid frost pockets
Shade tolerance
none — full sun
Mature height
not yet recorded
Rooting depth
not yet recorded
Wind exposure tolerance
not yet recorded
Workable slope
up to 10%

Height, rooting depth and shade tolerance are the inputs an alley or guild layout needs.

Soil Compatibility

Soil Texture

sandy_loam (ideal)loam (ideal)silt_loam (ideal)sandy_clay_loam (suitable)clay_loam (suitable)loamy_sand (suitable)silty_clay_loam (marginal)silty_clay (marginal)clay (marginal)sand (marginal)

Drainage

well_drained (ideal)moderately_well_drained (suitable)somewhat_excessively_drained (suitable)somewhat_poorly_drained (marginal)excessively_drained (marginal)poorly_drained (marginal)very_poorly_drained (poor)

Infrastructure Fit

5/6

Equipment Compatible

5 of 9 documented equipment items are crop-specific (56%) against a catalog median of 29%. Above-median share of purpose-built equipment, implying real capital outlay.

Storage Available

3 documented storage routes; at least one (Regular cold storage (RA)) is reachable with conventional on-farm or third-party facilities.

Irrigation Compatible

Requires ~20 in. Deliverable with conventional drip or overhead irrigation.

Field Layout Suitable

Suited to the small-to-mid-size fragmented parcels typical of the region.

Labor Availability

230 labor hr/ac vs catalog 75th percentile 250 hr/ac. Manageable with typical farm labor.

Processing Proximity

2 processor/cooperative buyers on record for this crop, 1 within NY/PA/OH.

Equipment Requirements

planting

Tractor (45+ HP)Required

Minimum 45 HP for orchard work including spraying, mowing, and bin hauling. Narrow profile preferred for orchard row spacing.

$25,000
Trellis System / Support PostsOptional Specialized

Per-acre cost for high-density plantings on dwarfing rootstocks. Includes posts, wire, and anchors. Not needed for standard or semi-dwarf freestanding trees.

$5,000

harvesting

Harvest Bins (Bulk)Required Specialized

Standard 20-bushel wooden or plastic bulk bins. Cost is per bin; a small orchard needs 50-200 bins. Used for field collection and cold storage.

$100
Bin Trailer / ForkliftRequired

Tractor-mounted forklift or bin trailer to move full harvest bins from orchard to packing area or cold storage.

$8,000

post_harvest

Cold Storage RoomOptional Specialized

Insulated cold room with refrigeration to hold apples at 31-33°F and 90-95% humidity. Size depends on volume. Essential for extended marketing season.

$15,000

spraying

Airblast Orchard SprayerRequired Specialized

Vertical boom sprayer with fan(s) to penetrate tree canopy. Essential for fungicide and insecticide applications. Size matched to orchard scale (100-500 gallon tank).

$12,000
Herbicide Sprayer (Shielded)Required Specialized

Boom sprayer with shields or directed nozzles for under-tree weed control. Prevents herbicide contact with tree trunks and foliage.

$3,000

cultivation

Rotary Mower / Flail MowerRequired

For maintaining orchard floor between rows. Flail mowers also chop fallen leaves to reduce apple scab inoculum.

$4,000

general

Pruning Equipment (Hand Tools)Required

Hand pruners, loppers, and pruning saws. Pneumatic pruners optional for larger operations. Essential for annual dormant and summer pruning.

$500

Storage Requirements

Regular cold storage (RA)

Temperature

30–32°F

Humidity

90–95%

Max Storage

180 days

Controlled atmosphere (CA)

Temperature

30–34°F

Humidity

90–95%

Max Storage

365 days

Ambient/short-term display

Temperature

50–70°F

Max Storage

14 days

Financial Return

3/6

Revenue Above Average

Gross revenue $11,550/ac vs catalog median $6,000/ac. Above median.

Input Costs Acceptable

Total input cost $11,350/ac vs catalog 75th percentile $6,300/ac. Above the top quartile.

Payback Period OK

Reaches full production in 5 years. Long establishment — capital tied up 5 years before full return.

Insurance Available

Federal crop insurance or an equivalent risk product is available.

Revenue Per Labor Hour

Net return per labor hour $0.87 ($200/ac over 230 hr/ac) vs catalog median $13.16. Below median.

Grants/Subsidies

Fruit crops are eligible under the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

Economics Breakdown

Avg Price/Unit$21/$/bu (blended fresh+processing)
Gross Revenue/Acre$11,550
Annual Operating Cost—/acre
Establishment Cost—/acre
Total Input Cost$11,350/acre
Net Return/Acre$200
Revenue/Labor Hour—
Crop Insurance Available
SubsidiesUSDA RMA premium subsidy, USDA SCRI (research, indirect)

Source: USDA NASS Agricultural Prices 03/2026 (Feb 2026 fresh US $0.739/lb; Feb 2025 $0.713/lb — verified 2026-08-19 against the release text). CORRECTION 2026-08-19: this field previously cited "processing $850/ton" (and $790/ton for 2025) as a price received. Those figures are from the Commodity Parity Prices table of the same release, not from Prices Received — parity is a statutory formula price, not a price farmers were paid. NASS publishes no monthly processing-apple price received; that series is annual, in the Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts Summary. The stored $21/bu therefore rests on an unverified processing component and avg_price_per_unit is deliberately left uncited until an annual processing price is sourced. Yield 550 bu/ac from Cornell Dept. of Horticulture typical mature orchard; cost from Cornell NY Apple Enterprise Budget 2025 (~$11,350/ac all-in). (2026)

Risk Profile

4/6

Manageable Pest/Disease

5 of 9 documented risks are high-severity (56%) against a catalog median of 36%. Above-median concentration of high-severity risk, demanding intensive management.

Market Diversified

6 viable market channels of 6 documented, plus 2 named buyers. Not dependent on a single outlet.

Low Establishment Risk

5 years to full production. Multi-year capital commitment before first full return.

Climate Resilient

Tolerates zones 4-8 (5 zones). Broad tolerance indicates resilience to seasonal variability.

Regulatory Burden Low

No crop-specific licensing or reporting regime beyond standard food-safety and pesticide rules.

Diversifies Portfolio

Adds a fruit revenue stream distinct from the region's grape-dominated base.

Known Risks

disease

Apple Scab (Venturia inaequalis)high

Most economically damaging apple disease worldwide. Causes olive-green to black lesions on leaves and fruit, leading to premature defoliation and unmarketable fruit. Primary infections from ascospores released in spring.

Fire Blight (Erwinia amylovora)high

Bacterial disease causing blossom blight, shoot dieback, and can kill entire trees in susceptible cultivars. Spread by rain, wind, and pollinators during bloom. Widespread in North America, Europe, Middle East, and spreading globally.

Cedar-Apple Rust (Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae)moderate

Fungal disease requiring both apple and Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) hosts. Causes yellow-orange lesions on leaves and fruit, reducing photosynthesis and fruit quality. Spores travel up to several miles from cedar hosts.

pest

Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella)high

Key pest of apples globally. Larvae tunnel into fruit causing direct damage and entry points for decay. Can cause 80%+ crop loss if unmanaged.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys)high

Invasive pest established across US, Europe, and parts of Asia. Feeds on developing fruit causing corky tissue, deformities, and unmarketable fruit. Emerging threat globally since 2010.

Plum Curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar)moderate

Weevil that causes crescent-shaped egg-laying scars on fruit shortly after petal fall. Infested fruit often drops prematurely. Adults overwinter in leaf litter and hedgerows adjacent to orchards.

weather

Spring Frost During Bloomhigh

Late spring frosts at bloom can destroy entire crop. Critical temperature for apple blossoms ~28°F (-2°C). Climate change is increasing risk by advancing bloom timing before last frost.

Hail Damagemoderate

Hail causes fruit scarring, bruising, and puncture wounds that downgrade fruit from fresh to juice market, typically reducing revenue 50-80% on affected blocks.

market

Concentrated Buyer Marketmoderate

Fresh apple market dominated by large packers and retailers, giving growers limited price negotiation power. Processing/juice prices often below production costs.

Nutritional Yield

Nutrition data pending.

Research agents will profile Apple against USDA FoodData Central on the next maintenance pass. Per-acre nutritional yield will appear here once the per-100g panel is recorded.

Ecosystem Services

Ecosystem service data pending.

The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.

Cultivars

Named varieties and what the sources say sets each apart. A cultivar-specific zone, chill or maturity figure overrides the species value above.

Grows With / Avoid Near

Documented interactions with other catalog crops — shared pests, allelopathy, rotation effects, alley and understory pairings — for companion, guild and rotation planning. Plan a combination with Apple →

Avoid near, or plan around (26)

Grows with (4)

Direction matters: a rotation benefit of A before B says nothing about B before A. Interactions are documented pairs only; absence is a research gap, not a clean bill.

Nearby Buyers

Radius from Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt:

Eden Valley Growers

Eden, NY · 30.0 mi

cooperative
Accepts contracts

Data Sources

Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.

Primary sources: Data sourced from Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State Extension, USDA resources, and regional research.

Economics data year: 2026 · Basis: lake erie View economics source →

82 tracked changes across 10 data categories

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  • NY / PA
  • United States
  • Zone 6a

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Experimental research database. AI-assisted, may contain errors. Not formal agricultural, financial, or planting advice. Verify with your local extension service before making decisions.

© 2026 Every.Farm · Data for informational purposes only.