Moran speaks with Sun Journal about Honeycrisp apples in Maine
Renae Moran, a tree fruit specialist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, was interviewed by the Sun Journal for an article about the rising popularity of Honeycrisp apples in Maine. Today, Honeycrisps make up between 10 to 20 percent of apples produced in Maine, compared to 16 years ago, when virtually no Maine orchards were selling the variety, according to Moran. The apple’s popularity is good news for Maine, because the state has an ideal climate of cooler summers for the variety, Moran said. “Maine grows a better Honeycrisp than Pennsylvania or Washington state,” Moran said, adding that she predicts the Honeycrisp eventually will replace the McIntosh as the No. 1 variety.