REDFREE

About the Variety: Redfree is a disease-resistant early apple developed by the University of Illinois and released in 1981. It was bred specifically to provide scab-resistant fruit in mid to late summer. Redfree has become popular in organic orchards and home gardens for its reliable disease resistance, attractive red fruit, and pleasant eating quality during the summer apple season.

​

Fruit Description: Medium-sized bright red apples with occasional yellow speckling. Flesh is white, fine-textured, crisp, and very juicy. Flavor is mildly sweet with refreshing tartness - not complex but very pleasant and thirst-quenching. The texture is particularly crisp for an early apple, staying firm longer than most summer varieties.

​

Harvest Window for Cincinnati/Southern Ohio: Mid to Late August (typically August 15-30)

​

Ripeness Indicators:

• Full red color develops across fruit

• Background (if visible) shifts from green to yellow

• Fruit detaches easily with gentle twist

• Slight softening when pressed gently

• Seeds turn brown

• Harvest over 7-10 days as fruit ripens unevenly

​

Disease Resistance:

• Immune to apple scab

• Highly resistant to fire blight

• Resistant to cedar apple rust

• Some resistance to powdery mildew

​

Exceptional disease resistance for an early-season apple.

​

Best Uses:

• Fresh eating: Excellent for immediate consumption - crisp and refreshing

• Fresh applications: Great for salads, slicing, snacking

• Sauce: Makes nice pink-tinged applesauce

• Storage: Poor keeper - use within 2-3 weeks of harvest
   

How to Share This Fruit: Redfree is ideal for late summer harvest parties in mid to late August when people want fresh local food before fall activities resume. Perfect for back-to-school events where families gather before the school year begins. Organize fresh apple tasting stations at farmers markets or community events - the attractive red color and crisp texture make it appealing to newcomers. Because it doesn't store well, encourage frequent small harvests rather than bulk picking. Consider "lunch in the orchard" events where people pick and eat Redfree with fresh bread and cheese. The good disease resistance means fruit will be clean and attractive, making it excellent for photo opportunities and social media promotion of the orchard during summer when most orchards are quiet.