An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples are a great source of fiber and vitamin C. Wash an apple and eat the skin as the fiber in apple skins is beneficial in keeping the digestive system healthy. Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free and this sweet snack has only 90 calories. A staple for so many delicious recipes including apple pie, apple sauce, apple dumplings, apple crisp, candied apple, apple chips, and apple cake to name a few.
Picking your own apples at a local apple orchard is a great family outside activity. Walking around the orchard to find the perfect apples for your pie and stretching to pick the apples is great exercise for children of all ages. Visiting your local u-pick orchard supports local businesses and a way to shop small. Children are more likely to eat apples that they have picked themselves. To find an orchard or u-pick farm near you, check out pickyourown.org and search by your state and region.
September is usually the best time of the year to pick apples. From the beginning of September until October 15th apple orchards are extremely busy. Apples ripen at various times throughout the year, depending on the type of apple tree, the weather and where the apples are located on the tree. You know when an apple is ready to pick when you cup it in your hand and give it a simple upward twist, and it easily comes off in your hand. If you need to give the fruit a yank, or it leaves its stalk behind it is not ready to be picked. Kids tend to want to just pull the apple down until it comes off. Unfortunately, this method can damage or break branches on the apple tree. To pick effectively without damaging the tree remind kids to “twist, then pull upward”. This helps to loosen the stem and preserve the tree branches. Don’t forget before twisting and pulling check the apple to make sure there are no openings in the skin.
The most obvious sign to identify if an apple is ready to pick is the color of the apple. Golden delicious apples will change from green to yellow when they are ready to be harvested and red delicious will turn entirely red. If the tree produces apples with stripes or red blush, the green part of the apple will turn yellow when it is ready to pick. The color of the indentation near the stem is another way to tell on certain varieties. The shade of this area generally lightens as the apples ripen. Apples that are fully matured are also slightly softer in texture than unripe apples. A good way to test a fruit’s ripeness is by giving it a light squeeze between your fingers and thumb. If the apple indents a little, then it is finished growing. Thankfully your local orchard the farmer will be able to tell you what apples are ready to pick.
Currently there are 7,500 varieties of apples in existence throughout the world—2,500 of which are grown in the United States. They vary greatly in their season availability and their taste. Below are some of the most popular varieties, what they are best used for, and when they are in season.
- Ambrosia – Mid picking season. Sweet and Crisp. Good for baking and snacking.
- Fuji – Midseason picking. Very sweet. Good for snacking and salads.
- Gala – Early picking season. sweet flavor. Good for salads, snacking, and freezing.
- Golden Delicious – Mid picking season. Mellow and sweet. Good for snacking, salads and baking.
- Granny Smith – Mid to late picking season. Tart flavor. Good for baking and snacking.
- Honeycrisp – Early picking season. Juicy and sweet flavor. Good dessert apple.
- Jonagold – Late picking season. Sweet and tart. Good for snacking salads and sauces.
- Macintosh -Mid picking season. Sweet and tart. Good for baking and snacking.
- Pink lady – Late season picking. Sweet with some tart. Good for baking and applesauce.
- Red Delicious – Mid to late season picking season. Mild flavor. Good for snacking.
Most orchards have more to do than just picking apples, which is great because kids have short attention spans and could quickly tire of picking. Local apple orchards can offer a wide variety of games and activities, such as corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayrides, tractor rides, pumpkin cannons, pony rides, live music and a petting zoo. Don’t forget the delicious hot apple cider and cider donuts! So much more than apple picking. One last tip – two pounds of apples make one 9-inch pie. Kitchen Ink’s Apple Pie recipe is easy and delicious and a wonderful way to enjoy all the apples you have picked. Have a great day at the apple orchard.