327: Variety Tips from the  Quince Queen

327: Variety Tips from the Quince Queen

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist July 13, 2022 Duration: 57:39

Orchards can be as small as 2, 5 or 10 trees. Get tips on how to manage a small scale orchard at CiderDays 2.0 with John Bunker on November 5th at 9am. Get updates and ticket information by following Cider Chat and signing up for the eCiderNews.

CiderDays 2.0 300x200 blk background

Edith Walden is the Quince Queen

On Guemes Island in Washington state, Edith Walden started her quince journey in 1995 and soon became known as the Quince Queen. The island is short ferry ride from Anacortes and the land itself where Edith has her orchard of quince, apples, pears and more fruit was once the homestead of the Mathew Brothers and dates back to 1858. As such there is a 160 year old Gravenstein apple tree that sits in the center of the orchard. Edith calls it the Mother Tree.

The Quince Queen founded Willowrose Bay, Inc selling her magnificient quince to Whole Foods and regional cider makers

327 Edith by trailer of quince 300x200 Edith to the left with friend harvesting quince

In this Chat

  • How Edith became the Quince Queen
  • Growing Quince
  • She spaced her trees  9' and 12' apart
  • Quince pests
  • Varieties of Quince and their viability for retail and cider
    • Aromatnaya
    • Cooke's Jumbo -Golden and breed by California grower
    • Havran, Havran II, Havran III (unknown true variety)
    • Kuanching - Chinese
    • Kuganskaya - Russian
    • Meech's Prolific -bred by Mr Meech, tasty - has a black spot on it - good for cider
    • Queen's - sweet by not prolific, maybe better grown in other areas
    • Smyrna -  too small for retail - though sweet
    • Tashkent - Turkish
    • Van Deman - bred by Luther Burbank in California
    • Zvezdnaia - Russian , Jerry Lehman out of Ohio, said great for cider - huge & apple shape
  • The future of WillowRose Bay Inc.

327 quince orchard 300x200 feature The quince orchard of Willowrose Bay Inc

Quince Books

Contact for Willowrose Bay Inc

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There’s a whole world in a glass of cider, and Cider Chat is your invitation to explore it. Hosted by award-winning cidermaker and writer Ria Windcaller, this podcast travels far beyond the bottle to meet the people who make the global cider culture so vibrant. Each conversation is a journey-you might find yourself in a heritage orchard learning the history of forgotten apple varieties, in a bustling taproom with an importer explaining regional traditions, or in a kitchen with a chef pairing cider with unexpected foods. The discussions get into the delightful nuances, too, whether that’s the semantics of what we even call this drink or how the concept of terroir translates from soil to sip. It’s not just about production; it’s about the community, the travel, and the stories that fermentation unlocks. This is for anyone curious about the craft, history, and sheer enjoyment of fermented apple juice in all its forms. So, pour a glass and settle in for a series that feels like a wide-ranging, informative, and genuinely good-humored chat with friends who happen to be obsessed with cider. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for every effervescent, tart, or sweet sip, hearing directly from the growers, makers, and enthusiasts who are shaping this drink’s exciting present and future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 501

Cider Chat
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