Main Sections

2007 Apple Crop Ready For Harvest And Ready For You

photo provided One of millions of apples ready for consumers at Addison County Orchards. This one at Happy Valley Orchard near Middlebury reminds us that the season has arrived. So visit your favorite orchard and enjoy some perfect picks yourself.

Tuesday September 25, 2007

By Mike Cameron

    Everyone loves the smell of hot apple pie. What is your favorite? Macs, Cortlands, Honey Crisp, Empires, Gala’s to name a few. Most growers in our area are reporting a good crop this fall.

    Champlain Orchards reports an excellent crop this year.  Judy Larrabee Pomainville who sold the orchard to Bill Shur in 1998 is the orchard’s office manager.  The Larrabee family began the Orchard in 1860.  She is well aware of the historical significance of the business.  “We have a beautiful crop this year and right now Macs, Galas, Empires, Cortlands and Honey Crisps are ready.  Judy also has an apple tip for pie bakers.  “Try a mix of Macs and Empires in your next pie,” she explains.  

    Empires are a favorite with folks who like an apple that doesn't bite back at you quite so much when you munch on it.

    Champlain Orchards has a variety of fruit currently ready for picking including a nice selection of red and gold rasberries that have just begun to ripen.

    Bill Suhr also has plenty of organic vegetables available and is committed to an enviromentally conscious way of doing business.  The folks at Champlain Orchards invite one and all to their Harvest Festival on October 7th from 11am to 4 pm.  We asked Judy to sum up her feelings about this special time of the year.  “There’s no better way to enjoy fall than by being in an apple orchard surrounded by magnificant foliage and trees filled with my favorite fruit,” she said.

    At Stevens Orchard in Orwell  they too can trace their roots back to operating an orchard since 1894, that’s  when the late John Stevens opened for business.  Current owners Karen Blair and Bob Fields are proud of that tradition.

    Karen reports that “we have a wonderful crop.  The August dry weather made the fruit sugars concentrated.  We are also fortunate that we have had no hail damage this year. The fruit is sweet and ready to pic”

    Stevens Orchard will see many local residents and visitors stopping by to sample their sweet and tangy varieties as the season progresses.

    At Douglas Orchards in Shoreham the Douglas family is ready for another fall season with their appleorchards, rasberries and farm stand always loaded with plenty of savory goodies..

    Douglas Orchards has been a favorite pick-your-own spot for 109 -years and is also a favorite early summer spot for strawberries and rasberries.    

    Founded in 1898 by Francis Douglas, the business is now operated by the  4th generation  in the person of Bob Douglas Jr.

    The Douglas Orchard family and staff report a crop that they would term as average when compared with last year’s “bumper” crop.  Bob  Jr. explained further that “ the size is average but not huge and we will have 14-varieties available and we also have fall rasberries, cider, squash and maple syrup and are open 7 days a week,” he explained   

    The view from the top of the Douglas Orchards strawberry fields looking south-west towards Lake Chamlplain is one of the best vistas in the county.

    Right now they are ready with pick your own and pre-picked Macs, Galas  and Ginger Gold varities.  You will find helpful people to serve you and one of the area’s most lovable dogs.

    So take a trip to one of our Addison County orchards this fall.  You won’t be disappointed.

Printer Friendly

Top

Advertisements

Search our Archives