Duluth’s Apple Palooza welcomes new apple to the area

In 1944, Dixon’s Apple Orchard was created by Fred and Daye Dixon in New Mexico. One day, Fred discovered an apple tree – and after years of cultivating the fruit, the champaign apple was formed.

“So, the champagne apple was actually an apple that was a wild tree in the canyon in New Mexico. My great grandfather found when he moved to the canyon. And he actually developed it down there. And we owned the patents on it and started selling it down there. It just exploded. People loved it,” said Luke Mullane, great-grandson of Fred and Daye Dixon.

Eighty years later, the orchard has since moved to Wisconsin under the ownership of Fred and Daye’s grandchildren Becky Dixon Mullane and her husband Jim Mullane. Now, Dixon’s Apple Orchard is bringing the champaign apple to the Midwest.

“Since we moved up to Wisconsin, we wanted to introduce our fruit into this area just because there’s not a lot of orchards in this area. So especially just getting the champagne known here and getting that taste of that up here. And it seems like people are really starting to enjoy it,” said Mullane.

And the 2024 Apple Palooza in Duluth brought the community right to the source and gave them a fun experience to remember Dixon’s apples by.

“Just to see people come out and carry out bags of apples that are going to go home and bake and eat them and enjoy them. And the cider’s been a big hit. People love the cider. And that’s what we raise them for, is to see people enjoy them for sure,” said Mullane

To learn more about Dixon’s Apple Orchard, go to Dixon’s Apple Orchard and Wedding Venue – Serving Western Wisconsin (dixonsapples.com)