Developed at the University of Minnesota F.B. Farm at Excelsior. The parentage is unknown, and was raised from seed planted in 1914, selected in 1923 and released in 1940. It was formerly known as Minn 1007. Commercially planted in the midwest, figures for Minnesota in 1988 showing over 6000 trees. It is unrelated to the Northern Spy, genetically. The fruit is medium to large (W61-75 x L52-62mm). Skin has a yellow/green ground withe dull orange/red blush and striping and whitish gray dots. No bloom to skin. Shape is flat, rectangular convex and unribbed. Very slightly conic. Somewhat resembles N. Spy. Here in Walden (zone 3) it becomes about 50% red when ready to pick. Skin texture is slightly tough and a tad sticky, but not unpleasant. Flesh is crispy, juicy and wonderfully flavored. Sweeter and milder than the Northern Spy, but somewhat reminiscent in taste quality. It is a very good fresh eating apple, and excellent for pies and baking. Only slightly oxidizing (cut flesh browns fairly slowly). A long storage apple, but can scald below 36 degrees F. Flavor improves in storage. Ripens here in early to mid October. The tree is long lived, fairly vigorous, and anually productive. Good crops. Late blooming. Bears early in life by some accounts, but for us was average- 7 years from bench graft on antonovka. Touted as cold hardy to -50 F. Has shown no cold damage for us at near -40 F. Susceptible (quite) to fireblight with some (a little) resistance to scab and cedar apple rust. The redder version called Red Prairie Spy is a red sport, with a tendency to hold better on the tree during harvest. A good alternative to Northern Spy for the colder regions of North America.

Picture of Prairie Spy from Claude's orchard, September 23, 2007, max size 67 mm across.

GROWER COMMENTS:

Todd Parlo, Vermont, Zone 3

This cultivar has recently begun to crop for us and I like it quite a bit. Northern Spy is close to being out of its range here in Walden, and the Prairie Spy is a cousin in qualities while being certainly hardier. In terms of care, we've only sporadically sprayed it and it has come out pretty clean. It had no scab with a few hit or miss sprays of micronized sulfur in a seriously wet early growing season last year. Fruits were juicy and crisp, large, and full flavored. About half dull red when we picked them in October. I hear they are great in pies, but we eat 'em all. Most welcomed is having another true storage apple that will ripen reliably here in the Northeast Kingdom. It apparently was widely planted commercially in the midwest, but I hear not much anymore, I wonder why. Maybe Honeycrisp (oh sorry, Honeycrunch TM) "ate" this one up too.

 

Claude Jolicoeur, Quebec, Zone 4

I have one tree of Prairie Spy, on seedling standard root, planted in 1991. I had first fruits in 2006 after 15 years! The tree is however one of my nicest, very healthy and vigorous. I have often thought that if this variety had one thing in common with Northern Spy, it must be its lack of precocity! I still didn't get more than a handful of them - hopefully this tree will start to give some real production soon.
I haven't had enough apples yet to really have an opinion on the quality. They seem to be good keepers and the flavor is good. I made a juice test in 2007 and was very pleased with the S.G. at 1.066 (Brix 16), indicating a high sugar concentration and a good potential for cider. Acidity was high also, and it would require blending with some low acidity varieties for a balanced cider blend.

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