Freedom

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The Freedom apple is a scab resistant sister apple to the Liberty from the Geneva program, released in 1983. Its pedigree is NY 18492 (Macoun x Antonovka) x NY 49821-46 (Golden Delicious x "Scab resistant selection" F2 26829-2-2). It is considered as having a multigenic resistance to scab as it includes the Vf gene plus some resistance from Antonovka. It takes its name from being "free" from scab. Hardiness is rated to zone 4. Picture of Freedom from Claude's orchard, apples picked September 16 2006, max size is 74 mm across.        <IMG alt="" src="http://grou.ps/wysiwyg_files/editor/groworganicapples-20100408221153-zalmxtdyaceazwwbu.jpg"> 
GROWER COMMENTS:
 
<A href="http://grou.ps/people/yevbsjhmvehnqunkz">Steve Gougeon</A>, Western Massachusetts, Zone 4
We have a lot of freedoms and they are one of our customers favorites. Quality and flavor seems to vary depending on where they are grown, thus reviews of this cultivar are all over the place. They are a nice match to our Liberties being nearly indistinguishable as far as looks go, but they are ready about 2 weeks later so it stretches out the general purpose red apple category for us into the third week of Oct. It is excellent in sweet cider adding some tang to it, and works better in hard cider when its blended, high acid. It will keep till mid winter.
In Western Massachusetts they bloom May 10 and  are ready October 1st. They are 90% bright to dark red over yellow, with a slight oblate shape. They are firm, crisp, and on a good year with have a sweet fruity, strawberry flavor and can be slightly acidic. They are very scab resistant sharing genetics from both the Antonovka and Rome parentage, as well as flavor from Golden Delicious and Macoun. Good hardiness, requires agressive thinning to get fruit to size up. 
 
 
<A href="http://grou.ps/people/zalmxtdyaceazwwbu">Claude Jolicoeur</A>, Quebec, Zone 4Here in Quebec, I would not be as enthousiastic about Fredom as Steve is. I think the taste and flavour is a large step below Liberty. But the apple is beautiful and looks nicer than Liberty does... Pressing tests I have done gave a very low sugar content (avereage S.G. 1.046 - Brix 11) with medium acidity. In my opinion, this is too low in sugar to make it really useful for cider. It is quite good for fresh juice however. One last note, Freedom was grafted in 1995 in an adult Cortland tree. The first 10 years, it grew very well, had a lot of vigor and was quite productive. However, for the last couple of years, it seems to have caught some canker - there is quite a bit of dead wood every year and the productivity has come down. See the picture above - these are really beautiful apples.

GROWER COMMENTS:

Steve Gougeon, Western Massachusetts, Zone 4

We have a lot of freedoms and they are one of our customers favorites. Quality and flavor seems to vary depending on where they are grown, thus reviews of this cultivar are all over the place. They are a nice match to our Liberties being nearly indistinguishable as far as looks go, but they are ready about 2 weeks later so it stretches out the general purpose red apple category for us into the third week of Oct. It is excellent in sweet cider adding some tang to it, and works better in hard cider when its blended, high acid. It will keep till mid winter.

In Western Massachusetts they bloom May 10 and are ready October 1st. They are 90% bright to dark red over yellow, with a slight oblate shape. They are firm, crisp, and on a good year with have a sweet fruity, strawberry flavor and can be slightly acidic. They are very scab resistant sharing genetics from both the Antonovka and Rome parentage, as well as flavor from Golden Delicious and Macoun. Good hardiness, requires agressive thinning to get fruit to size up.

Claude Jolicoeur, Quebec, Zone 4

Here in Quebec, I would not be as enthousiastic about Fredom as Steve is. I think the taste and flavour is a large step below Liberty. But the apple is beautiful and looks nicer than Liberty does... Pressing tests I have done gave a very low sugar content (avereage S.G. 1.046 - Brix 11) with medium acidity. In my opinion, this is too low in sugar to make it really useful for cider. It is quite good for fresh juice however.
One last note, Freedom was grafted in 1995 in an adult Cortland tree. The first 10 years, it grew very well, had a lot of vigor and was quite productive. However, for the last couple of years, it seems to have caught some canker - there is quite a bit of dead wood every year and the productivity has come down.
See the picture above - these are really beautiful apples.