This would be Norland for me, [good eating cooking] .about the same time
the Parkland. Both are tough!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c97/fruitnut_/Deer/DSC08804.jpg

Thank you, Konrad. I had Norland in mind ( and also whitney crab for the warmest parts of zone 3.) I have apples and crabs for home use, but am looking at some wildlife plantings to extend the season as early and as late as possible. I really want to find a food source for the deer through the winter and currently still have two crabs holding 1 inch plus sized apples.

Nice!..What cultivars are these?

I collected some seed and got a variety of crab apple sizes, with the biggest being about one inch.

I collected a few pieces of small scion and hop I can work with it.

I also have a rootstock crab that produces a 2 inch apple and is practically done dropping crabs at this time. I wish I knew what it was. Got some scion from it, also. I suspect it might be a larger sized columbia.

And also seedling that holds yellow crabs until this time of year.

I might graft a Norland or two next spring. a producer that lives about 15 miles away said he would supply some scion. I have two Whitney that I grafted this spring, and that has been another early crab apple.

Does anyone have experience with Lodi in the northland? My buddy is looking for a July dropping apple. How about cedar apple rust problems with Lodi or Norland?

A Lodi may very well ripen in July where spring comes in March instead of May. If you're talking Zone 2, a Lodi dies fairly quickly, trust me. I suspect it will struggle in Zone 3.

My buddy is in more of a zone 4 than me. I tend towards zone 3. Thanks, granolabar. How much cold did it in?

Yellow Transparent apple is one of the earliest to ripen also.

I bought it for cheap in BC and gave it a try. I am zone 2 so the annual 40 below took care of it. It died back severely the first winter and and the second finished it off. It seems to be rated as zone 4 so zone 3 might have better luck. I suspect my biggest problem is the short growing season that doesn't allow higher zone trees to harden off as opposed to the minimum temperature.