Bill Spencer, right, and Barbara Spencer grow apples at Windrose Farm, in the hills just east of Paso Robles. Its a region thats normally too hot to farm apples, but because an old stream bed encircles Windrose, the orchard gets cold enough in the winter. (Stephen Osman / LAT)
At Windrose Farm, Bill and Barbara Spencer grow Esopus SpitzenbergÖ, Calville BlancÖ, Sierra BeautyÖ, Smokehouse and BlacktwigÖ apples, among other varieties. (Stephen Osman / LAT)
Windrose apples are sold at the Wednesday Santa Monica farmers market. (Stephen Osman / LAT)
Farmer Mike Cirone, right, and farm worker Meliton Robles inspect Honeycrisp apples at Cirones See Canyon farm near San Luis Obispo. (Stephen Osman / LAT)
Golden Russet apples at one of Cirone Farms See Canyon orchards. (Stephen Osman / LAT)
Honeycrisp apples at one of Cirone Farms See Canyon orchards. (Stephen Osman / LAT)
Cirone Farms apples are known to farmers market shoppers as the product of See Canyon. (Stephen Osman / LAT)
Mike Cirone grows about 80 different varieties of apples on roughly 30 acres, on assorted plots he leases in See Canyon, near San Luis Obispo. (Stephen Osman / LAT)
Apples from Windrose Farm at the farms stand at the Wednesday Santa Monica farmers market. (Christina House / For The Times)
Windrose Farm owner Barbara Spencer, left, stocks apples at her stand at the Wednesday Santa Monica farmers market. (Christina House / For The Times)
