Fall has long been apple-picking time in Delaware

But not in this photograph from July 22, 1925, showing wagons loaded with freshly picked apples from the perennial orchards surrounding Wyoming, Delaware, south of Dover. Fifer Orchards dates back to 1919 in the Wyoming area.

Though it’s uncertain what variety of apples matured in the Wyoming area in July of 1925, apples grown by Fifer in the 21st century that mature in July include Red Haven, John Boy, Starfire, Red Star, and Flamin’ Fury-9A.

Delaware’s oldest apple orchard is T.S. Smith in the Bridgeville area.  Delaware’s peak apple production came in the mid-1940s when total annual harvest hit 550 million pounds. In recent years, apple production has hovered around 15 million pounds with a value of just under $3 million.