GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — First Kiss apples were genetically created to ripen at the perfect time, mid-August, just in time for the Great Minnesota Get Together. They’re a crossbreed, developed by the University of Minnesota. First Kiss is the first variety of apple to ripen in Minnesota, and they also have an excellent shelf storage life.
These apples are hard to get because they are a “managed variety." According to the U of M website, only growers located in Minnesota may be licensed by the University of Minnesota to grow this variety, and market the fruit as First Kiss. So, many people come to the State Fair just to try them.
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