Mountainboy, I have no idea about local places, but here is a rough draft of some mail order sources for different types of fruit. If anyone can add others or find mistakes, changes, or additions that need to be made to this list PLEASE let me know! I don't think I've ever posted this in this forum before, but I'm not sure. Adams County Nursery - various fruit tree types - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.acnursery.com/ Big Horse Creek Farm - apple trees - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.bighorsecreekfarm.com/ Blossom Nursery - pawpaw trees & seeds - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.blossomnursery.com/ Burnt Ridge Nursery - various types of fruit - very good G.WD. rating - http://www.burntridgenursery.com/ Cloud Mountain Farm - various types of fruit & impressive selection of other plants - excellent G.WD. - ratinghttp://www.cloudmountainfarm.com/ C&O Nursery - various fruit trees types - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.c-onursery.com/ Cummins Nursery - various fruit trees types - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.cumminsnursery.com/ Durio Nursery - various types of fruit - limited G.WD. review - http://www.durionursery.biz/ Edible Landscaping - various types of fruit - good G.WD. rating - http://www.ediblelandscaping.com/ Fedco Trees - various types of fruit - excellent G.WD. rating - http://fedcoseeds.com/trees.htm Forestfarm - huge selection of plants - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.forestfarm.com/ fruit-tree.com Nursery - multiple types of fruit trees and plants - limited G.WD. review - http://www.fruit-tree.com/ Greenmantle Nursery - various types of fruit - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.greenmantlenursery.com/ Hartmann's Plant Company - various types of fruit (mostly berries) - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.hartmannsplantcompany.com/ Henry Field's Seed & Nursery - various types of fruit - poor G.WD. rating - http://henryfields.com/ Leuthardt Nurseries, Inc. - various types of fruit (specialize in espalier) - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.henryleuthardtnurseries.com/ Hidden Springs Nursery - multiple types of organically-grown fruit trees and plants - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.hiddenspringsnursery.com/ Isons Nursery & Vineyards - multiple types of fruit trees and plants (specialize in muscadines, blueberries and blackberries) - very good G.WD. rating - http://www.isons.com/ Johnson Nursery, Inc. - multiple types of fruit - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.johnsonnursery.com/ Jung Quality Garden Seeds - multiple types of fruit trees and plants - good G.WD. rating - http://www.jungseed.com/ Lawson's Nursery - apples - not sure if this place is still open, the website is outdated - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.lawsonsnursery.com/ McKenzie Farms Nursery / World Wide Plants - unsure of products sold - excellent G.WD. rating - http://mckenzie-farms.8m.com/ Miller Nurseries - various types of fruit - OK to poor G.WD. rating - http://www.millernurseries.com/ Montoso Gardens - tropical fruits and seeds - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.montosogardens.com/ Morse Nursery - various types of fruit - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.morsenursery.com/ Nash Nurseries - pawpaw, hybrid chestnut, pine nut, etc. - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - no website - phone: 517-651-5278 Nolin River Nut Tree Nursery - persimmon, pawpaw, & multiple types of nut trees - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.nolinnursery.com/ Nourse Farms Inc. - berries and small fruit - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.noursefarms.com/ Old Southern Apples Nursery - apple rootstock and custom grafts - no G.WD. rating - http://www.oldsouthernapples.com/ Raintree Nursery - multiple types of fruit trees and plants - good G.WD. rating - http://www.raintreenursery.com/ Rhoras Nursery - various nut and fruit trees and plants - limited, mixed G.WD. rating - http://www.nuttrees.com/ Rombough, Lon J. - grapes - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.bunchgrapes.com/ St. Lawrence Nurseries - various northern climate fruit and nut trees - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.sln.potsdam.ny.us/ Stark Brothers Nurseries & Orchards Company - various fruit trees and plants - OK/good G.WD. rating - http://www.starkbros.com/ Tomlinson's #1 Farm - antique apple trees - no G.WD. review - http://www.netreach.net/~tugger/apples/apples.html Trees of Antiquity (formerly Sonoma Antique Apple Nursery) -multiple types of fruit trees and plants - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.treesofantiquity.com/ Tripple Brook Farm - unusual fruits - very good G.WD. rating - http://www.tripplebrookfarm.com/ Van Well Nursery - various fruit and nut trees - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.vanwell.net/ Vintage Virginia Apples - apple, pear, and quince trees - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.vintagevirginiaapples.com/index.html Whitman Farms - small-fruit plants and trees and nut trees - excellent G.WD. rating - http://whitmanfarms.com/ Woodlanders, Inc. - wide variety of hard-to-find southern plants - OK/good G.WD. rating - http://www.woodlanders.net/

Here are some mail order sources for various types of fruit: Aaron's Bulb Farm, Arron's Fruit Nursery, Aaron's Nursery, etc. - see TyTy Nursery Adams County Nursery - various fruit tree types - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.acnursery.com/ Apple Tree Nursery, Fig Tree Nursery, Pecan Tree Nursery, etc. - see TyTy Nursery Autumn Ridge Nursery - various fruit and nut trees and plants - very poor G.WD. rating - http://www.autumnridgenursery.com/ Bay Laurel Nursery - multiple types of fruit and nut trees and plants - very good G.WD. rating - http://www.baylaurelnursery.com/ Big Horse Creek Farm - apple trees - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.bighorsecreekfarm.com/ Blossom Nursery - pawpaw trees & seeds - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.blossomnursery.com/ Burgess Seed - various fruit and nut trees and plants - poor G.WD. rating - http://www.eburgess.com/ Burnt Ridge Nursery - various types of fruit - very good G.WD. rating - http://www.burntridgenursery.com/ Century Farm Orchards - apple and pear trees - limited, excellent G.WD. rating, knowledgeable and helpful owner - http://www.centuryfarmorchards.com/ Cloud Mountain Farm - various types of fruit & impressive selection of other plants - excellent G.WD. - ratinghttp://www.cloudmountainfarm.com/ C&O Nursery - various fruit trees types - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.c-onursery.com/ Cummins Nursery - various fruit trees types - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.cumminsnursery.com/ Direct Gardening - see Burgess Seed Durio Nursery - various types of fruit - limited G.WD. review - http://www.durionursery.biz/ Edible Landscaping - various types of fruit - good G.WD. rating - http://www.ediblelandscaping.com/ Fedco Trees - various types of fruit - excellent G.WD. rating - http://fedcoseeds.com/trees.htm Forestfarm - huge selection of plants - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.forestfarm.com/ fraises des bois - alpine strawberries - no G.WD. review, but my order was great! - http://www.fraisesdesbois.com/ fruit-tree.com Nursery - multiple types of fruit trees and plants - limited G.WD. review - http://www.fruit-tree.com/ Going Bananas - banana plants and corms - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.going-bananas.com/ Greenmantle Nursery - various types of fruit - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.greenmantlenursery.com/ Gurney's Seed & Nursery - multiple types of fruit and nut trees and plants - poor G.WD. rating - http://gurneys.com/ Hartmann's Plant Company - various types of fruit (mostly berries) - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.hartmannsplantcompany.com/ Henry Field's Seed & Nursery - various types of fruit - poor G.WD. rating - http://henryfields.com/ Hidden Springs Nursery - multiple types of organically-grown fruit trees and plants - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.hiddenspringsnursery.com/ House of Wesley - see Burgess Seed Inter-State Nurseries - see Burgess Seed Isons Nursery & Vineyards - multiple types of fruit trees and plants (specialize in muscadines, blueberries and blackberries) - very good G.WD. rating - http://www.isons.com/ Johnson Nursery, Inc. - multiple types of fruit - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.johnsonnursery.com/ Jung Quality Garden Seeds - multiple types of fruit trees and plants - good G.WD. rating - http://www.jungseed.com/ Kelly Nurseries - see Burgess Seed Lawson's Nursery - apples - not sure if this place is still open, the website is outdated - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.lawsonsnursery.com/ Leuthardt Nurseries, Inc. - various types of fruit (specialize in espalier) - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.henryleuthardtnurseries.com/ McKenzie Farms Nursery / World Wide Plants - unsure of products sold - excellent G.WD. rating - http://mckenzie-farms.8m.com/ Miller Nurseries - various types of fruit - OK to poor G.WD. rating - http://www.millernurseries.com/ Montoso Gardens - tropical fruits and seeds - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.montosogardens.com/ Morse Nursery - various types of fruit - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.morsenursery.com/ Nash Nurseries - pawpaw, hybrid chestnut, pine nut, etc. - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - no website - phone: 517-651-5278 Nolin River Nut Tree Nursery - persimmon, pawpaw, & multiple types of nut trees - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.nolinnursery.com/ Nourse Farms Inc. - berries and small fruit - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.noursefarms.com/ OIKOS Tree Crops - multiple types of fruit and nut trees and plants - excellent G.WD. rating - http://oikostreecrops.com/store/home.asp?cookiecheck=yes& Old Southern Apples Nursery - apple rootstock and custom grafts - no G.WD. rating - http://www.oldsouthernapples.com/ One Green World (Northwoods Nursery) - multiple types of fruit trees and plants - OK/fair G.WD. rating - http://www.onegreenworld.com/ Raintree Nursery - multiple types of fruit trees and plants - good G.WD. rating - http://www.raintreenursery.com/ Rhoras Nursery - various nut and fruit trees and plants - limited, mixed G.WD. rating - http://www.nuttrees.com/ Rombough, Lon J. - grapes - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.bunchgrapes.com/ St. Lawrence Nurseries - various northern climate fruit and nut trees - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.sln.potsdam.ny.us/ Stark Brothers Nurseries & Orchards Company - various fruit trees and plants - OK/good G.WD. rating - http://www.starkbros.com/ Tomlinson's #1 Farm - antique apple trees - no G.WD. review - http://www.netreach.net/~tugger/apples/apples.html Trees of Antiquity (formerly Sonoma Antique Apple Nursery) -multiple types of fruit trees and plants - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.treesofantiquity.com/ Tripple Brook Farm - unusual fruits - very good G.WD. rating - http://www.tripplebrookfarm.com/ TyTy Nursery - extremely poor reviews Van Well Nursery - various fruit and nut trees - excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.vanwell.net/ Vintage Virginia Apples - apple, pear, and quince trees - limited, excellent G.WD. rating - http://www.vintagevirginiaapples.com/index.html Whitman Farms - small-fruit plants and trees and nut trees - excellent G.WD. rating - http://whitmanfarms.com/ Willis Orchard Company - multiple types of fruit and nut trees and plants - fair G.WD. rating - http://www.willisorchards.com/ Woodlanders, Inc. - wide variety of hard-to-find southern plants - OK/good G.WD. rating - http://www.woodlanders.net/

I have been tasting my winter apples almost daily all fall. I noticed that up until the tree loses it's leaves the apples continue to sweeten. Immediately after the tree loses it's leaves a great deal of the sweetness is lost. I pick most of them for storage before that time. With many trees the nutrients are drawn back to the roots for winter storage. Maybe some of the sugars are also. I do not know. Maybe there is a study that can tell us. I tend to agree with most of what H-man has to say about ripeness. Certainly some perfectly ripe (by test) apples may be up in sugars but down in other qualities. Sensibly an individuals taste must rule here. Here is an anomaly for you. My unique winter apples froze solid this morning at 19 degrees. They have already frozen very hard many times. Tomorrow they will be solid, crisp and quite good. I have picked them in the middle of Dec and still very nice. This is the only tree I seen this happen to. All the rest are long gone to mush! This is a very old tree and has always been and still is extremely productive. Bberry

You may be able to find a local fruit growing club in your area. Either do a web search, check with Nafex (North American Fruit Explorers), or contact living history museums in your area. When I joined Backyard Fruit GRowers (based in Lancaster PA) I got to learn to graft, as well as gaining access to about 300 varieties of apples, pears, small fruits, et cetera. They also host an apple tasting meeting for members every fall. perhaps there is a local group in your area? Last fall I attended the tasting meeting and tried a wonderful apple called Ditlow's Hardwinter, which tasted like the perfect candy-apple apple. You know, the perfect blend of crisp, sweet, and tart, and big, too. Unfortunately, the only member who lists the tree just passed away in December. His name was Bob Ditlow. Somehow, I don't think the names are a coincidence. If you learn to graft, you can make your own multi-variety trees with YOUR choice of varieties. You can also grow dwarf trees and espallier them to walls, fences, trellises...well you get the idea. Dwarf trees are also much easier to care for, since you can reach the tops much easier. I spray mine with an organic horticultural oil (when I remember). Of course, I'm not selling them and I don't mind a few bug spots. If I did, I'd be more diligent with the oil.