Vintage Virginia Apples

VIRGINIA BEAUTY originated on the property of Zach Safewright in the Piper Gap area of Carroll County, Virginia. Originally, Carroll County was a part of Grayson County. The apple variety was disseminated throughout Southwest Virginia originally with the name Zach or Zach Red, and in the 1850s, it was given the name Virginia Beauty. Large in size and oblate to truncate in shape, the smooth and glossy, greenish-yellow skin is half to nearly totally covered a shaded brick-red with indistinct red stripes in the greener areas. There are indistinct russet dots over the entire surface and the basin is usually covered to the shoulder with a brownish green russet. The yellow flesh is fine-grained, tender, and a light sweetness in flavor. Vigorous growing with wide crotch angle branches, the tree is hardy, and on some soils, is a shy bearer when young. In the early part of the 20th century, the Virginia Beauty was popular for not only dessert, but also for processing, especially for apple preserves. Virginia Beauty and Shockley were always reserved for that purpose in Central Virginia. It stores very well and ripens the first weeks of October.