Sunrise Orchard in Cornwall, Vermont

Sunrise Orchards is an orchard in Cornwall, Vermont. It is one of the larger orchards in the area. Sunrise Orchards apple cider donuts are all around town including the local Co-op.

Apples are the point of course. Its early in the season so the trees are packed with apples.

Some good fall decor is a must for orchards during the fall apple picking season. It was rainy the day we visited Sunrise Orchards. But we still picked a half a peck of apples.

Specifically we picked some Macoun apples. Macoun is one of our favorites and a New England favorite. The Macoun is a delicious apple when picked at its peak right off the tree. A good eating apple. But unfortunately it doesn't last very long and quickly loses its peak flavor. Or maybe thats what makes it an apple picking favorite. You will seldom see it in a market.

One of the things we don't like about Sunrise is that it is a commercial orchard. I guess the "scientific" way to grow trees now is on trellises in long rows. The trees are only about 3 feet apart and about 10 feet high. Extremely agressively pruned. Almost 2 dimensional with all the branches on the wires of the trellis none extending out perpendicular. Irrigated with lines installed along the base of the trellis. Probably fertilized through these lines also. The trees are more dense, produce earlier and more, make better use of the sunlight in the short Vermont growing seasons, and also deal better with early season frost.

But I still like the old traditional orchards. Like these old trees at Sunrise.