Pick-Your-Own Apples Delayed & Reduced

   We praise God that our farm got 2.58 inches of rain on Sept. 10 to 13.  However, after 10 weeks of record high heat and a total of only 0.1 inches of rain, the early-ripening 'Enterprise' apples started developing internal breakdown on the trees instead of ripening.  So our pick-your-own apple season will be delayed this year, and the amount of apples for pick-your-own apple customers will be greatly reduced.

   We will NOT have pick-your-own apples until at least Oct. 2.  Hopefully, our pick-your-own apple season will start in early Oct., as shown under the revised Crop Sales Seasons in the left sidebar, when some later-ripening 'Enterprise' apples get ready to pick.  But if we do not get a good amount of more rain in the next few weeks, we may not have a pick-your-own apple season this year.

   I update this blog once a week during fall, so please check the latest blog post before coming to pick your own apples.  Also remember that we take cash or checks for payment, but NO credit cards or debit cards, so please bring your checkbook or enough cash to cover the amount of fruit you want to buy.

   I've just started harvesting a few early apple varieties from my apple breeding program, and we'll have small amounts of these for sale over the next few weeks.

   We also still have many harvested #2 'Gold Rush' and 'Enterprise' apples for sale, that were harvested last Dec. and kept in cold storage.  However, many people have bought these apples lately, and it takes time for me to sort and pack more, so call 620-597-2450 a day or more ahead to order them if you'll want more than a few pounds.

   Asian pear harvest has now finished.  We still have about 360 pounds of Asian pears in our cooler, ready to sell, but come in the next few weeks to get some before they sell out for the season. 

We still have 18 20-pound boxes of Asian pears like this one for sale, before they sell out for the season.

   We grow 'Shinko' Asian pears, a russet-skinned variety that has the most resistance to fire blight (a disease that kills pear trees) of any Asian pear variety.  'Shinko' Asian pears are deliciously sweet, very crunchy and very juicy, and keep 6 months in the fridge.  They're great for fresh eating (very refreshing on hot days), salads and stir-fry dishes.

'Harrow Sweet' pears are very sweet, and most customers love them.

   I'm harvesting 'Harrow Sweet' and 'Shenandoah' pears, now until early Oct.  We have these European pears for sale now until mid-Oct.  European pears are great for baking, canning, drying and fresh eating once allowed to get soft.

   I harvest all pears and Asian pears.  We do NOT allow customers to pick pears or Asian pears.   

   Harvested pears, Asian pears and apples all sell for $1.48 per pound + sales tax for #1 fruit with no damage.  I sort and pack apples, pears and Asian pears into bags in boxes that I weigh to 20 pounds, so if you get a 20-pound box of #1 apples, pears or Asian pears you save $1.00.  We also have some nice #2 apples and pears, with some surface scarring but no internal damage, that sell for just $1.18 per pound + sales tax.

   From now until Dec. 15, we're open the hours shown in the left sidebar.  These open hours give me time to harvest tree fruits before customers start coming each day.   If I'm still harvesting fruit when you arrive in the morning, ring the bell on the sales building VERY LOUDLY.

   As always, we take cash or checks for payment, but NO credit cards or debit cards, and no phone "apps".  We don't use a smart phone, and have no phone line to the sales building.  So please bring your checkbook or enough cash to cover the amount of fruit you want to buy.  Thanks.