You may get lucky and get a kiss from your sweetheart, but if you want to plant the new University of Minnesota apple you may have to wait until the year 2034. This is when the patent on the tree expires. Like the SweeTango apple, First Kiss is a contract apple which means you have to be a commercial grower and fill out a contract through the University of Minnesota office of technology commercialization. The good news is you can buy the apples in the near future at your local market. You may see the new apple marketed as “Rave”, which is the same apple grown out of state. If it’s grown in Minnesota it will be called First Kiss.
Brand Farms in Farmington is a commercial grower and planted 300 First Kiss apple trees in 2016 and 300 more in 2017. They supply us with the delicious apples we currently offer here at Pahl’s. When I asked Aaron Brand about the new tree he said weather permitting he will have the apples available for Pahl’s to sell next year. More good news, if you want to plant a SweeTango apple tree that contract expires in 2026, so only 8 more years!
Until then, Pahl’s Market carries other University of Minnesota apples trees including: Chestnut, Firside, Frostbite, Haralson, Honeycrisp, Honeygold, Regent, Snowsweet, and Zestar. And they are all 25% OFF right now at Pahl’s Market, while supplies last.
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