Thursday, September 29, 2016

Pick-Your-Own Apples Have Started

'Enterprise' apples have started ripening, and more will ripen over the next 6 weeks.
   Our pick-your-own apple season has just started.  Some 'Enterprise' apples are ripe now, and more will ripen over the next 6 weeks.  'GoldRush' apples will ripen from mid-Oct. to mid-Nov.  We also have harvested 'Enterprise' apples, 'Sundance' apples, and apple selections from my breeding program for sale now.
   All our apple varieties are immune to apple scab disease, so we don't have to spray for that disease, so we can put on 1/3 fewer fungicide sprays than if we grew scab-susceptible apple varieties such as 'Jonathan' or 'Golden Delicious'.  I give taste samples of all our apple varieties.
   Small amounts of harvested apples cost $1.20 per pound + tax.  A 20-lb. box of apples costs $23.15 + tax, which saves $1.00 off the per-pound price.  I harvest apples into two plastic bags per box, so you can get a mixed box of one bag of each of two different varieties of apples, and still get the 20-lb. discount.
   We also have some harvested 2nds apples, great for baking or for making apple butter.  Usually about 90% of the fruit is still usable, but they're 60% the cost at $0.83 per pound + tax.  A 20-lb. box of harvested 2nds apples costs just  $15.74 + tax ($0.79 per pound + tax), which saves $8.00 off a 20-lb. box of #1 apples.  If you get 40 lbs. of 2nds apples, the price goes down to just $0.74 per pound + tax ($14.82 + tax per 20-lb. box).
The Coate and Skaggs families from Joplin had fun picking their own 'Enterprise' apples this morning.
    Smaller amounts of pick-your-own apples are $0.93 per pound + tax for #1's and $0.69 per pound + tax for #2's.  For 40 lbs. or more total of #1 and #2 pick-your-own apples, the price goes down to $0.88 per pound + tax for #1's and $0.65 per pound + tax for #2's.  Weekdays are good uncrowded times to pick apples, for those who are able to come then.
   From Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, as the sidebar at left says, we're open our fall hours: Mon. to Sat. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. only.  I'm usually harvesting apples in the orchard, so I put a sign on the sales building to ring the bell.  Ring it loudly, once or twice, and I'll hear it.