The farmer, Steve Tilse, isn't making any profit.

The sale of his fruit is set to continue in The Levee at the twice monthly market so Maitland food identity Amorelle Dempster is shaking the apple tree to ask the community if they are prepared to pay a little more.

With the ongoing drought crisis in the Upper Hunter, and a 100-year-old apple orchard to protect, Ms Dempster said it was more important than ever for a farmer to make a living. 

"How else can we keep them on the land?" she asked.

Mr Tilse initially sold the apples to Slow Food Hunter Valley for $2.50 a kilogram because the group's volunteers went to the farm at Omadale to pick them.

It will cost him $3 a kilogram to pick and transport the apples to the earth market. 

Ms Dempster, the earth market chairwoman, has suggested selling the Delicious apples for $4 a kilogram, with 50 cents going to Slow Food Hunter Valley which the group will re-invest into the earth market. 

That would leave the farmer with 50 cents profit from every kilogram sold. In the major supermarkets across Maitland new season apples are selling for $4.90 to $6.99 a kilogram. 

"What is the price people are prepared to pay in their local community to be able to access real, local, food and support the farmer so that he is able to make a decent living?," Ms Dempster said.

Ms Dempster said the Tilse family apples were extremely fresh and would last for ages.  

"It's such a privilege for our region to have local apples that we can buy in season," she said.

"Steve wants to keep the orchard going because it has been there for 100 years, he is almost a caretaker of it.

Have your say: maitland@fairfaxmedia.com.au