Yesterday, for date day, the HH and I went apple picking at Bailey’s Orchard in Whitefield, Maine. We went there last year because they had the hard to find Rhode Island greening apples {which are similar to Granny Smith}. And they made THE BEST apple pie filling!
We went back this year because well, we love the drive out to Whitefield and because Bailey’s Orchard has such a nice and homey feel to it. The orchard isn’t crowded or overdone like some of the other orchards around.
Clearly all that rain we had this summer didn’t bother the apples! They were plentiful and huge!
The HH did all the picking while I inspected the apples and put them in our sack. And every apple he picked was perfect!
25 pounds of apples! That’s what we ended up going home with. Which at the time seemed like a lot of apples. But now I am second guessing myself. Maybe we should have picked more.
One of these days… One of these days I am going to go home with a car full of apples. Just as soon as I figure out what I’d do with all of them.
After all, one can only eat so much applesauce, apple pie and apple chips.
Do you have plans to go apple picking this year? If so, what apple variety do you like to pick?
~Mavis
Linda says
Northern Spy is my absolute favorite. It’s an antique variety that was well known in NY for pies, desserts and baking. Another late ripening variety that stores well.
There was a spy tree in my grandfather’s orchard that dated to the 1930’s. When the farm was sold, my mother kept the piece of land housing the last northern spy. My husband started pruning it and the last year of it’s life, we harvested 13 bushels of apples from it.
The very first thing the new owners did, after my mother’s death, was cut it down
Mel says
We typically pick 90 lbs a year, and it’s honestly not that much. I freeze pies, apple butter, and apple sauce, but we typically eat the rest fresh. They stay good in the crisper until at least February. Last year it was April, I think
We usually do Crimson crisp, but we missed them this year because we have had an insane couple of months, so our backup is Stayman.
A T says
Anything special you do in your crisper to get that kind of longevity, Mel?
Bonnie says
Hi AT, I was just looking at the Panorama Orchards website from Ellijay, GA. It said to put apples loosely in vegetable drawer. The optimal temperature is between 34 & 35°. And do not store at 32°. Also can be stored in cool basement or area.
Judy says
Bonnie I literally live in Ellijay, ga. Just a couple of miles from Panorama some house!!
I love where I live! Gilmer county, the apple capital of Georgia!!
Mel says
I just make sure they’re fresh-picked and blemish free and put them in a clean mini trash bag in the crisper. It’s important to choose sturdy varieties though. Stayman and Crimson crisp last that long, but something like McIntosh would not.
Christy says
“One of these days I am going to go home with a car full of apples.”…when I was a kid did exactly that. My grandfather was friends with a caretaker of an estate which had an old orchard on it (big trees that required a ladder to pick the top). There were 2 apple trees which were a green, cooking variety (no idea of the name) and estate owner didn’t like green apples. The caretaker allowed my grandfather to pick those trees. We would literally come home with a car load of apples and give some to everyone we knew. Sadly the owner died, the estate was sold and the orchard was ripped out 🙁 Those were the days!
Wendy C. says
I’m hoping to do some apple picking this weekend. We’re heading to West Virginia to see some fall colors (fingers crossed) and I’m hoping there’s somewhere we can get apples. I’m hoping to can some applesauce and apple pie filling.
Lana says
It’s really early for fall colors.
Tammy says
I don’t miss the snow, but I miss all the apple varieties from Michigan!
This year I got a half bushel of apple culls and made applesauce. I’d like to do more things with apples but I don’t have much storage space/jars left.
AD says
Hello! Curious if the cost of apple picking comes out of your food budget or date budget? It’s buying unprepared food that isn’t being formally served, but it was an activity with HH. Certainly picking the apples, like going out to a restaurant, would reduce “grocery budget” food expenses. Apple picking near us is expensive per pound!
Curious, too, if instead of going out for ice cream, perhaps one swings by the grocery store for a cheaper treat… hot date or groceries? What if one buys that same treat ahead of time (along with general groceries) to save on gas and driving? Hard to know how to classify, lol!
Mavis Butterfield says
Grocery budget! 🙂
Julie says
I’m curious how much per pound they were? The orchard near me charges 50 cents per pound.
Mavis Butterfield says
$1.25 a pound. 🙂
suzanne says
My BIL and sis used to get about 2 pallets full of apples and pears. They would have a huge juicing parties. Friends, family and neighbours would bring their own containers and take turns cranking the juicer for about 6 hours. It was always a great fall party/bonfire and potluck. My BIL would make gallons of cider and perry from the left over juice. The perry was particularly delicious.
Linda Sand says
Baked apples are good, too. And sliced on top of a pork roast then sprinkled with cinnamon before baking. And dried for snacking–people used to slice them into rings then string a bunch and hang them from the rafters to dry.
Dawn S says
I love to pick apples! Have you ever tried making individual apple pies in baked apples? They are really cute!
Patti says
My FIL had an apple orchard and used to bring us tons of apples which, as newlyweds, we did not appreciate like I would now! I do remember making apple cakes and eating a lot of apples that we kept spread out on newspaper. Now I love to buy Granny Smith’s for cooking and Fuji, Gala, Pink Lady, Candy Crisp and Mutsu for eating.
Allison Kitfield says
So very happy to see a message from you, Mel. Hoping things are getting better!
Allison
SueD says
I’ll be picking applesFriday, hopefully some Wolf River and Cox’s Orange Pippin. Already picked Red Delicious and Granny Smith at my friend’s mini-orchard. Mid October, we get a pallet and have a pumpkin weighing apple cider pressing party.
Kathy says
I like Cortland and Jonagold because they make the absolute BEST apple butter I’ve ever had or made. No sugar needed, Cortland are sweet enough for me. The orchard we used to pick at has since closed, because of pandemic and disease to the trees, so I am in search of a new one.
Laura Brown says
I love to go apple picking! There are several orchards about an hour or so from us that are terrific. I usually get a couple of bushels of apples. I make the apple pie filling, applesauce, apple butter, apple jelly, and my husband loves dried apples. I wish I knew more things to make with apples!
Paula says
We live in an apple rich area. So, the other day we headed to “apple alley”. It’s lined with apple farms. We ended up with two large bags for us and one bag of deer apples (not first quality). I do spoil our deer. My husband bought several jugs of apple cider. We freeze enough to last the year. We also purchased: pumpkins, cabbage, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. I love September!
Jeanine says
I miss apple picking! We moved to NC 2 years ago and there are no U pick orchards within driving distance here. My favorite varieties are Golden Delicious and Braeburn. I planted one of each in the back yard here hoping for apples in a year or two. I have not seen Braeburn apples for sale here at all.
Jules says
We have apples on our farm, Golden Delicious, Gala (my favorite) and Granny Smith I think. So we make lots of applesauce. My daughter is working for a U-pick Apple orchard again this fall, and we’ve been introduced to a lot more varieties. Jonagold is probably another favorite. Last year we dried some and then put them in the freezer. The rest we put in the refrigerator drawer.ut they don’t last long … they get eaten quickly!
Emily says
Johnagolds are my favorite, but I love picking just about any of the eating apples. We had a couple small trees at our old house and I’m trying to decide if I want to put in new at this house or not. I mostly harvested the pruned branches for our spoiled rabbit to chew on, but I did get a few apples too.
Heather says
The rain/snow definitely helped our apple tree and pear tree. We picked 300 lbs of green cooking apples and 70 lbs of pears. I am canning apples and pears plain so I can make pie, etc this winter. We are dehydrating apple and pear chips. We hope to make apple juice too.
sandyf says
Everybody’s comments are so interesting! I love them.
My Father was a produce broker-specializing in apples. He supplied “lugs” -the large boxes of beautiful perfect, individually wrapped apples. I brought them to teachers, neighbors, Mail carrier-everyone got one. Oh-do I miss the years worth of apple pies that my Grandmother made with the apples, stored all year in the freezer.
Apples hold a special place in my heart. My Dad was a gem…
Stacey says
We look forward to apple picking every year. Our favorite orchard of all time is Hacketts Orchard in South Hero. VT. They even have ladders which not many orchards do anymore. We usually go three times.