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    Home Β» Fruit Reviews Β» Apples Β» Where are Gala Apples Grown?

    Where are Gala Apples Grown?

    Published: Sep 16, 2020 by Eric Samuelson

    Learn all about where Gala apples are grown and when they are in peak season. We answer what are the best times to enjoy one of the most popular apples and where you may be able to pick them yourself.

    Boxes of Gala apples with a sign saying Fresh From Our Farm" for $7.99 a basket. At the bottom is the words "Where Are They Grown Gala Apples"

    In 1930s New Zealand, J.H Kidd cross together a Golden Delicious apple and a Kidd's Orange Red. The Gala apple was one of the results of this cross.

    In 1974, Donald McKenzie from Stark Bros Nursery got a patent on the apple in the United States.

    Ever since then this apple has made it's way up the charts to be one of the most popular apples in the United States. People love it for it's sweet flavor and crunch.

    Today we are going to talk about where they are grown and when the best of the year is to get them.

    Boxes of Gala apples with a sign saying Fresh From Our Farm" for $7.99 a basket.
    Baskets of freshly picked Gala apples at Fruit Acres Farm in Coloma, Michigan.

    ?? What States Grow Them

    Below you find a list of states where Gala apples are grown with an example of an orchard that grows them in that state. Check with the individual orchard to see if you can pick them yourself.

    AlabamaCrow Mountain Orchard
    ArizonaApple Annie's Orchard
    ArkansasCollins Round Mountain Orchard
    CaliforniaFair Hills Farm
    ColoradoWag's World Orchard
    ConnecticutRoger's Orchard
    DelawareT.S. Smith & Sons
    GeorgiaJaemor Farms
    IdahoCabelo's Orchard
    IllinoisNichols Farm & Orchard
    IndianaAnderson Orchard
    IowaDeal's Orchard
    KansasSunflower Orchards
    KentuckyReed Valley Orchard
    MaineKelly Orchard
    MarylandCatoctin Mountain Orchard
    MassachusettsTougas Family Farm
    MichiganFruit Acres Farm
    MinnesotaAamodt's Apple Farm
    MissouriSchweizer Orchard
    MontanaSwanson's Mountain View Orchards
    NebraskaKimmel Orchard
    Nevada The Apple Basket
    New HampshireDeMeritt Hill Farm
    New JerseyAlstede Farms
    New MexicoNichols Ranch and Orchards
    New York LynOaken Farms
    North CarolinaMountain Fresh Orchards
    OhioJohnston Fruit Farm
    OregonDetering Orchards
    PennsylvaniaWeaver's Orchard
    Rhode IslandBarden Family Orchard
    South CarolinaBrysons Apple Orchrd
    South DakotaHoversten Orchard
    TennesseeRoan Highlands Farm
    TexasLove Creek Orchards
    UtahPyne Farms
    VermontChamplain Orchards
    VirginiaCarter Mountain Orchard
    WashingtonGebbers Farm
    West VirginiaTurkey Knob Growers
    WisconsinDoor Creek Orchard

    I was able to locate an apple orchard that grows Gala apples in 42 states. The exceptions were either too far north like Alaska or too hot like Florida and Hawaii.

    ? When in Season?

    Gala apples are available basically year round nowadays. With advanced refrigeration systems and imports in the summer, you can pretty much go to a the store anytime of year and find Galas. However the quality of those Galas will not be the same throughout the year. So there really is a season for them in which to enjoy them at their peak.

    ⛰️ Peak Season

    There was two seasons in which to watch out for - domestic and imported.

    The domestic season kicks off in late August/early September.

    California grown Galas are the first to hit the market to kick off the season. California while being tops in lots of types of tree fruit aren't nearly as big a player in the apple industry. You soon find the California Galas replaced by the Washington Galas. Washington in the number 1 apple producing state in the country.

    If you live in an apple producing state and most states do produce apple for commercial sales, you will should find your local Galas in stores and farmer's market during this time.

    Around the middle of September you will find the most flavorful, sweet, and crisp Galas for the entire year. This is when you want to buy big. Organic is available at this time as well. You should also find sales of Galas in September.

    A farmer's market table with Gala apples in front and Ginger Gold apples behind.

    ? Quality Decline

    From there things go down hill, but it's more of a gentle decline. You can still find good Galas in October, even November.

    As time goes on, the crispiness of the apple declines. They don't get as mealy as say a McIntosh apple does in time, but they lose that bite. Time doesn't really do the flavor any favors either. Even thought you will see them in the store still, during the cold winter months I would look for other apples to buy.

    Organic Gala apples on display at Whole Foods Market
    A display of Organic Gala apples at Whole Foods Market. Amazon lowered the price of them when they took over Whole Foods.

    ?? New Zealand

    As I talked about as the top of this post, Galas apple are from New Zealand. There is an ample supply of them that are imported to the United States.

    New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, hence their "September" would be our March. If you got a New Zealand grown Gala in March you might get something close to that September peak in quality.

    Here is where the problem lies. There are enough American grown Galas in cold storage to last us almost to the start of the new season. It's not until the heart of summer until you find Galas from New Zealand in stores, maybe a little earlier for organic. Those have been in cold storage for months, so again the quality is not at peak. These ones will seem to be better than the older domestic Galas they just replaced.

    Read about the Lady Alice apple, an apple that actually improves in flavor in cold storage

    ? Last Words

    Remember, September is the month for the Gala apple. Best flavor, best crunch all year. In the summer, buy New Zealand over US grown, but now they still won't be as good as a September Gala.

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    Nice to Meet You,

    Hi! I'm Eric : Father of 4, living just south of Ann Arbor, MI. I'm a reformed picky eater finding a new way to not conform. Eating what's in season is my jam (I also make it!)

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