Orchard Closed.

The orchard will be closing at 12pm today, for the season.

Thank you so much for all your business this year!  

We so enjoyed seeing and visiting with you all.  

I hope you have eaten apples to your hearts content.

Now to wait patiently for next season!

Ice Apples

 You've heard about them, you've seen them advertised in the newspaper, well.... they are here!!!

Ice Apples!

If you've never heard of them, the blog, my northwestexperience.blogspot.com has this to say about them: 

"Technically they are your basic Fuji apple, very sweet with good crunch. What makes these different is they are picked during the last days of October - the last of the season - and leaving them on the tree a little longer, allowing the center of the apples to crystallize a bit, leaving a pocket of juiciness in the center. This makes the entire apple just a bit sweeter.

Check out this You Tube video and article about ice apples if you' ve never heard about them!

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3WfzCHY9us

 http://mynorthwestexperience.blogspot.com/2009/11/ice-apples-finally.html

Come try them and see what you think!

To find them in the orchard, look for the 3 rows labeled Fuji, and walk 3/4 of the way down to the far end.  The trees are loaded down at the end!

We also have:

Pink Lady

Braeburn

Gold Rush

Granny Smith

Still all nice and crisp!

There are also some Golden Delicious and Red Delicious out there but getting on the softer side.  

Golden Delicious would still be fine for cooking though.

Remember this is our last weekend officially open!  After this weekend, it will be self-serve until I post otherwise.  Just pay at the office when you leave.

Thanks!

Still time to pick so you can make that Thanksgiving apple pie!

Today's post could be the same as the last one!  We still have lots of apples available.

Pink Lady
Granny Smith
Braeburn
Gold Rush
Fuji
Golden Delicious
Red Delicious

All above are still nice and crisp and fresh.  

You could still find some Jonagold out there if you look.

To find where the most apples are left to pick, walk down to the orange cone and start picking there.  The farther down the row you go, the better the picking!  The far ends of the rows are usually still loaded and fast picking!

We do have some apples pre-picked up by the office if you'd rather go that route.  $12/bucket for those.

Last day the orchard will be open for the season is 

Wednesday, Nov 27th.

We will still have apples after that date if you really still want some but the orchard will be self-service.  Just stop and pay at the office when you are done picking.  We will post again when the orchard is totally closed to the public so check back here if you are uncertain.

To be a kid again.

 

What fun there is to have in the orchard!

We still have many varieties of apples available out in the orchard!

Lots of these left in prime condition:

Pink Lady

Granny Smith

Gold Rush

Braeburn

Fuji

Golden Delicious

Red Delicious

Most ripe and really good for sweet applesauce right now:

 

Jonagold (Four rows left.  Walk down to orange cone and start picking apples there.)

We will still be open for several more weeks.  Last year we were open up to Thanksgiving.  Looking about the same this year too.

Pink Lady are now ready! Yum.

 The wait is over!  

Pink Lady apples are finally ripe.  

Always the last one to ripen, but SO worth the wait.

Pink Lady apples are a great all-around apple.  Great for eating, they are part sweet but also have more of a tangy-tart kick.  They are great for baking and applesauce too.  Plus even better they have always been the best storage apple of the all the winter apples we grow.  At least that is what I have found in my experience.  Come check them out!  

Other apple availability:

Braeburn, Fuji, Granny Smith, Melrose,  Jonagold, Gold Rush, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious - LOTS LEFT OF THESE!

Gala- Tiny bit left but you will only find them if you ask us.  A few trees in the older section of the orchard have them left.

Rome, Ruby Jon - All picked.



Thank you to all that came out to our first ever Apple Festival!  We are planning on having it again next year!  We all had so much fun and so did you guys it seemed!  Just nice to have a chance to talk with all of you more.

One thing I learned from our applesauce tasting is that Ruby Jon apples making AMAZING applesauce.  I thought I loved Jonagold applesauce but Ruby Jon is even better!  Unfortunately Ruby Jon apples have all been picked this year but I am already looking forward to next year!!

Here are some pictures to give you an idea what the festival was all about for those of you who couldn't make it.

Getting all set up in the morning.

Apple tasting.  

Fun to be able to taste everything right there and compare.

 Apple crafts for the kids.

Kids checking out the inside of a combine!

Granny Smith and Gold Rush are ready to pick!

Granny Smith

Granny Smith are a well known apple!  They are a tart apple that are great for pies.  They are also great for caramel apples because the sweetness of the caramel and tartness of the apple balance each other out.  These are also considered a winter apple, so they are great for storing.

And a select few of you love them for eating :)

My grandpa always like to throw one of these in the mix when making apple cider to give it a little bit of zing.

Gold Rush

 

Gold Rush are a winter apple too, so also great for storing.  Also great for eating fresh, salads, cider and cooking.  Gold Rush apples also resist browning so another reason why they are great for salads.  They won't brown as much as other apples.

Gold Rush have a tart taste but also with some sweetness.  

Other apples availability:

Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Fuji, Braeburn - Lots of these varieties left.

Red Delicious, Melrose-  They are all gone off the main row but lots of both of these left in older section of orchard behind the shop.  Ask if you can't find them.  

Gala-All gone off the main two rows, but still some nice crispy ones left in the older section of the orchard.  Look right behind the shop in the first 2 rows, or please ask and we will take you to them!

Rome- If you walk all the way to the far end, you will find some left.  They will likely be gone by this weekend though.

Ruby Jon, Honeycrisp - All have been picked. 

Don't forget about our 1st Apple Festival which is this next weekend!

Saturday, October 19th.  10am-2pm

We will have apple tasting of all varieties that are ripe.

Applesauce samples,

Apple crafts for kids,

Apple orchard tours at 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm and 1:30pm. 

All free!

And it even looks to be sunny!!!

 

Many new varieties open for picking! Plus more good news!

We've gotta share the news!  

Baby Kallan is here!  She arrived October 1st, happy and healthy!  

In other happenings....!  

We are having our first Farm Apple Festival on 

Saturday, October 19th from 10am-2pm!!

Events:

   Apple slice samples so you can compare all the varieties ready.
   
  Fresh homemade applesauce tastings.
  
  Craft activities for the kids.
  
  Apple tours, where you can learn about the growing process and ask questions!  Great for both kids and adults.

   And maybe a few more surprises up our sleeve!

   Come join us Rain or Shine.



Ok onto apples news, I know that is why you are here :)

We've got some new apples ready for the pickin!

Rome: 

Best known as a great baking apple.  Beautiful, firm apple that keeps it shape and tangy flavor in baking.  It is also good for cider, salads and eating.

 

Braeburn:

One of the first winter apples to be ready.  And when I call them winter apples, that means they are one of the better ones for storing!  

These are a great eating apple, firm and crispy.  Known as a wonderful dessert apple, used for baking.  Also good for applesause and salads.

Cameo:

Best for eating but also excellent for salads, pies, sauce and baking.  Larger size apple.  Greenish/Red stripes that has the points on the bottom like a Red Delicious.

Fujis:

These are between almost ripe and ripe, depends on who you ask :)  Wait a week and they will be a bit sweeter, but they are very close if you must have them now!

Best loved for eating out of hand, but also great for applesauce and salads.

   Red Delicious:

Best for eating.  These are way better than the grocery store.  There is actually a crunch to them, not just mush!

Still lots of Golden Delcious, Jonagold, Melrose.

Dwindling amount of Gala but still some available.  We have some random Gala trees too so ask about those when you get here.

Honeycrisp- Might find a few if you hunt and peck.

Ruby Jon's are getting picked.  Get them soon if you want some.



Coming Soon: Granny Smith, Gold Rush and Pink Lady.