How do you like them (organic) apples?

The so-called “training” of fruit trees is still relatively new, but Travis is a convert to the practice of directing the shape and growth of trees. He not only plants his trees closer together than growers did in previous eras — this reduces the amount of space he must control for weeds and pests — but he also directs their growth virtually straight up with a trellis system, reaching heights up to 13 feet. This creates almost a “solid hedge of trunk and leaves,” which are exposed to maximum sunlight and greater air circulation, both of which help reduce fungus.

Other diseases, of course, may arise during the growing season, and Travis may be forced to use a National Organic Program-approved spray to eliminate them. (Organic sprays are a whole other story, because people such as Waterpenny Farm’s Plaksin say the sprays can contain chemicals such as sulfur or copper that can be bad for the environment.) Weeds are also a major issue for orchards because growers can’t use herbicides such as Roundup. Instead, they’ll rely on hoeing machines or natural products, such as the one derived from lemon grass that Travis uses, to burn the tops of weeds.

Gallery

Apple recipes for a seasonal feast: Here are a few of our all-time favorite apple recipes for those freshly picked and farmer’s market fruits from the Recipe Finder database.

The most innovative practices, however, may concern pest management. Travis likes to rely on nature — or a ma­nipu­la­tion of nature — to keep harmful insects away from his trees. He employs “integrated pest management” techniques in which he provides habitat for “beneficial” insects that prey on the destructive ones. He also fills his orchard with sex pheromones from, say, a female oriental fruit moth, which confuses the males and prevent them from mating and increasing their populations.

These are just a few of the reasons why you might pay $1 more per pound for Travis’s apples than for conventional ones. (You can find his Crimson Crisps locally at some Yes Organic Markets.) “People will ask, ‘Why should I pay the difference for your apples?’ ” Travis says. The answer to this pioneering East Coast grower is obvious: “Because it’s so much more work to grow organic apples.”

RELATED:

9 apple varieties to try

Try these Virginia ciders

Virginia cider, flavored by early America