Pick Your Own Apples All October

   Many 'Enterprise' apples are now ripe for pick-your-own customers, and more will ripen the whole month of October.  'Enterprise' apples are great for fresh eating, pies, applesauce, apple butter, etc., and they keep well in the fridge for 7 to 8 months.  During the last week of Oct. and the first week of Nov., pick-your-own customers can also harvest 'GoldRush' apples, our latest-ripening apple variety.

Many 'Enterprise' apples are now ripe for picking, and customers may pick them all during Oct.

   We have a few harvested apples for sale now, mainly selections from my apple breeding program, but this early in our apple season, harvested apples often sell as fast as I pick them.  We also still have many harvested pears and Asian pears for sale for the next 2 to 4 weeks, until we sell out.  We'll have lots of harvested apples for sale from about Oct. 14 until we sell out next May or June.  I give taste samples of apple varieties available at the time, pears and Asian pears, to those interested in buying some.

   All the apples we grow are immune to apple scab disease, so we don't have to spray for that disease, so we can apply 1/3 fewer fungicide sprays than if we grew any apple variety you ever heard of.

  Pick-your-own apples cost $1.00 per pound + sales tax, and 2nds pick-your-own apples (with hail damage, cracks, or other surface damage) cost $0.79 per pound + sales tax.  If you pick 40 pounds or more of #1 and #2 apples, the price goes down to $0.93 per pound + sales tax for #1 apples and $0.74 per pound + sales tax for #2 apples.  "Pick-your-own" means that you harvest apples from the trees, and you buy everything you harvest.

The DeBusk family had fun picking 'Enterprise' apples on Sun. afternoon Sept. 27.

   Harvested Asian pears, European pears and apples all cost $1.30 per pound + sales tax.  A 20-pound box costs $25.00 + sales tax, so you save $1.00 by buying 20 pounds.  I harvest pears and apples directly into 2 plastic bags lining the boxes, so you can get a 10-pound bag of Asian pears and a 10-pound bag of European pears or apples, and still get the 20-pound discount.

   We often have some harvested 2nds Asian pears, European pears and apples, which all cost $0.93 per pound + sales tax.  These have hail damage, cracks, or other surface damage, and are great for cooking or preserving. 

   For payment, we accept cash and checks (from any state), but NO credit cards or debit cards.  We have no phone line to the sales building, and no card reader.  Please bring your checkbook or enough cash to cover the amount of fruit you want to buy.  Thanks. 

   Just come during our fall open hours, but if you want more than 20 pounds of fruit, call 620-597-2450 a day ahead and leave a message on our answering machine saying your name, day and time you'll come, and what you want to buy.  Thanks. 

   While harvesting pears and apples, I put a sign by the bell on our sales building that says, "I'm working in the orchard. Ring bell for service."  Ring it loudly, just once or twice, and I'll hear it and come to the sales building.