The Gravenstein is a very special heirloom apple that is mostly grown only in Nova Scotia and Sonoma County, CA, home of North Coast Organic. Our wonderful climate of refreshing morning fog and warm, lazy afternoons is a perfect match for the Gravenstein’s needs. This apple has been long celebrated for its unique and exceptional taste, and for good reason. Even Luther Burbank, famed horticulturist and pioneer in agricultural science, has been quoted saying, “It has often been said that if the Gravenstein could be had throughout the year, no other apple need be grown.”

First planted in Sonoma County in 1811 by Russian fur traders, the Gravenstein is known for its crisp, juicy texture and sweet, tart flavor. It is a great eating apple that is often used in making apple sauces and pies. It is squat and irregularly shaped, with a very short stem. The Gravenstein usually has a greenish yellow background, covered with broad red stripes. It is the first apple to ripen every season, usually mid-July, depending on the amount of rain received the preceding winter.

Gravenstein apples are extremely delicate and easily perishable. Although you’ll find them in farm stands all around Sonoma County throughout the summer, they don’t travel well. And, according to the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, the Gravenstein apple is in danger of becoming broadly extinct due to many reasons, the most observable being their difficulty to harvest. The Gravenstein is also declining due to an alarming loss of local farmland, as many former orchards are converted into vineyards or rural estates.

Production of the Gravenstein in Sonoma County is now a tiny fraction of its historic high levels, and it continues to diminish. There are only six commercial growers remaining and, together, their crop totals just 6,000 tons of Gravenstein apples a year.

North Coast Organic Treasures the Gravenstein Apple

We at North Coast Organic particularly treasure our local Gravenstein apple for its perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors. The fruit has a very short growing season, and we take great care to select our apples at their absolute peak. Then, we carefully craft them into delicious apple juice and sauce, with no added sugars, preservatives, colorings or flavorings. We ship both our Gravenstein apple juice and sauce to grocers all over the United States, so that everyone can have the opportunity enjoy our beloved Gravensteins all year round. According to The Fruit Guys Magazine, a merry band of volunteers called the “Apple Core” are the biceps of the Gravenstein Apple Presidium, which has implemented many creative awareness campaigns. Because of the Apple Core’s efforts, public awareness of the very special Gravenstein apple is growing. Banners announcing the apple’s arrival span Sebastopol’s downtown each season, and excitement surrounds the annual Gravenstein Apple Fair, a two-day hoedown jam-packed with music, dancing, great food and ciders, kids’ activities, and more.

Come to the 2023 Gravenstein Apple Fair!

The Gravenstein apple is so special to everyone in Sonoma County that every year there’s a fair in its honor. People come from all over the country to celebrate this heirloom apple and to pick up a box of Gravenstein products to take home. In addition to Gravenstein apple juice and sauce, other items found at the fair and made from Gravenstein apples are ice cream, fritters, pies, panini’s, and even Gravenstein Hard Ciders. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Gravenstein Apple Fair and will be held as usual at Ragle Park in Sebastopol, CA the weekend of August 12th and 13th, under the beautiful shade of the majestic oaks. North Coast Organic will be at there with our delicious organic apple juices, sauces, and apple cider vinegar. We will also be selling our products so you won’t go home empty handed. This is an event that many wait all year for, so make sure you don’t miss out on the fun!

You can purchase tickets and find more information about the fair on the Gravenstein Apple Fair website.

North Coast Organic apple products are made in Sebastopol, CA from U.S. grown certified organic apples. They contain no added sugars, preservatives, colorings or flavorings.