“This year we replaced the entire engine room that runs our full operation,” Lee Peters, vice president of sales and marketing for Fowler Farms in Wolcott, NY, told The Produce News on Aug. 12. “This was a major investment by the Fowler family. But it provides us with better controls, monitors and probes. We are very excited about the apples we’ll be bringing out of storage next spring and summer because this new technology will ensure that we’ll have the best quality fruit available anywhere.”

Peters explained that the project started two years ago when the footprint for the building that houses all of the equipment was constructed. The company slowed building off a little last year because it, like the majority of New York apple growers, suffered a devastating crop loss due to weather conditions. It picked development of the project back up this past January, and the new engine equipment was fully operational in late July.

“We also updated the electronics on our pre-size facility,” Peters added. “It is 11 years old, and been updated four times. But this time we had the latest and greatest equipment installed for defect sorting of both the internal and external condition of the fruit. It went operational last week.”

Both the new engine room and the new sorting line are up and running for what Peters said is a fabulous crop this year. The company started harvesting Jersey Macs in early August, and was closing in on the start of the Paula Red harvest the following week. From there it moves on to Ginger Gold, Zestar and, by Labor Day, it will be harvesting Galas, which is followed by the McIntosh.

“We are still producing 23 varieties each year,” Peters said. “Following the McIntosh harvest, we’ll be on a ‘variety a week’ schedule through the first week of November. I can’t describe how wonderful it is to stand in the middle of an orchard every week and take a bite out of a different delicious variety. It’s really a joy.”

Fowler Farms also produces and packs the managed apple, SweeTango, which was developed by apple breeders at the University of Minnesota. Fowler has exclusive marketing rights in the Eastern Time zone. It planted its first SweeTango trees about six years ago. Peters noted than one additional packing house packs the apples, but Fowler is responsible for all marketing endeavors.

“We are maxed out on the amount of acreage that we committed to for the SweeTango,” said Peters. “And we anticipate it being a home run. It has a truly incredible flavor and crunch. The first bite sort of sets your taste buds up for what’s coming, and the second bite sort of explodes with flavor in your mouth. The flavor exceeds even the wildest expectations.”

The SweeTango is a cross between the Honeycrisp and the Zestar, and appears to have inherited only the best attributes from both of its parents.

Fowler Farms is also producing the newly named SnapDragon and RubyFrost apple varieties. These are also managed varieties which were developed by Cornell University breeder, Susan Brown.

“We will have some volumes available in the fall — enough to share with customers for tastings,” Peters explained. “Significant commercial volumes are still one or two years away. I’m intrigued by both of these varieties. They offer a good crunch and firmness, and both have a very unique and wonderful flavor.”

Peters noted that despite the huge crop losses the company suffered with last year’s crop, Fowler Farms’ customers are strongly supportive of the company.

“Our customers have assured us that they’re behind us and this year’s great crop,” he said. “We would expect, with everyone in the country seeming to have a good crop, that it will drive prices down a bit. But the local scene is making a big difference currently. And, apple consumption in the U.S. is the highest in the Northeast — so we’re in the perfect place to supply consumers locally grown, high-quality best variety apples.”