How you like them apples? From a Maine orchard, of course

Julie Russell and her son, Billy Rollins, of Kennebunkport search for apples at Doles Orchard in Limington in September 2020. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Employees Photographer

Whereas an apple a day seemingly received’t maintain the pandemic away, a go to to a Maine apple orchard will surely be a welcome escape proper now.

Apple orchards all through the state are open now, or opening quickly for the season. Many are planning extra actions – wagon rides and stay music, as an example – than final yr, earlier than vaccinations had been obtainable. However with COVID-19 instances nonetheless climbing, many are persevering with to take security measures.

These embody retaining all the pieces outside, as well being consultants say the virus is far much less more likely to unfold exterior. Some orchards are promoting pre-selected baggage of apples, so the fruit doesn’t need to be weighed and dealt with if it’s picked.

Many orchards are planning extra-special happenings on Sept. 12, which is Maine Apple Sunday. It’s the apple growers’ model of Maine Maple Sunday, when orchards and farms promote their wares and attempt to deliver extra folks out. This yr, particularly, is an effective time to understand all that the state’s apple orchards supply, together with contemporary air, contemporary fruit and a glimpse at farm life.

Some Maine Apple Sunday occasions being deliberate embody free doughnuts, wagon rides and a corn maze at Lemieux’s Orchard in Vassalboro, and free apple squares and prize drawings at Bailey’s Orchard in Whitefield. At Apple Acres Farm in Hiram, the plan is to have laborious cider tastings and the farm’s well-known Apple Blaster slingshot for goal observe.

A department laden with apples bends at Orchard Ridge Farm & Specialty Meals Market in Gorham. Ben McCanna/Employees Photographer

It’s simple to seek out what orchards across the state are doing any weekend this fall – together with on Maine Apple Sunday – by going to the web site of the Maine Pomological Society at maineapples.org. You’ll be able to search orchards by county or by utilizing a map of the state. The location has common data and historical past on every orchard, lists of the apple varieties they develop, and speak to data. You’ll be able to test on COVID security measures, too, equivalent to whether or not masks are beneficial or if reservations are required.

By utilizing the hyperlinks to an orchard’s particular web site, you possibly can typically discover out what fruits are prepared for selecting on a particular day. A number of orchards produce other fruits for selecting in addition to apples, together with peaches in late summer season, in addition to pears, raspberries or blueberries. Many orchards say some apple varieties are coming in a number of days to per week early this yr due to the warmer-than-usual summer season, so don’t wait too lengthy to make plans.

Right here’s what a number of orchards are providing this fall for folks seeking to come out and get selecting.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO … TREE?

At McDougal Orchards in Springvale, plans are within the works for a 9oth birthday celebration on Maine Apple Sunday for a number of the orchard’s timber. About 30 of the 1,600 timber planted by Alva McDougal in 1931 are nonetheless bearing fruit. So to have a good time, the orchard is inviting the general public to a picnic from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 12 and can give out cups of cider and doughnuts. They’re additionally on the lookout for some musicians to supply music and would possibly get a meals truck to cease by. The orchard additionally has a wooded spot the place folks can construct fairy homes and trails by way of the property. There may be additionally an space to observe selecting apples, the place folks can good the movement of selecting the fruit with out bruising it, by lifting a purple ball off of a hook.

“You don’t wish to squeeze it. You wish to cup it and it deliver it slowly to the solar,” mentioned Jack McAdam, whose spouse, Ellen, is a seventh-generation McDougal.

McDougal Orchards in Springvale is planning a ninetieth birthday celebration in September for this group of timber, planted in 1931 and nonetheless producing apples. Photograph courtesy of McDougal Orchards

A COLORFUL SCENE

From the air, Libby & Son U-Picks in Limerick appears to be like like a colourful quilt, with numerous shades of purple, blue and purple. That’s as a result of Libby’s has apples, raspberries and blueberries all through the autumn, in addition to some peaches. The orchard additionally has home made donuts, contemporary fruit smoothies and picnic areas, plus stay music by native teams on many days. There can even be folks making balloon characters for youths on some days.

APPLES AND WINE

At Boothby’s Orchard & Farm Winery in Livermore, you possibly can combine your apple-picking journey with an outside wine tasting. The orchard opens for the season for selecting on Sept. 9, and the wine tastings will occur at any time when they’re open. The orchard vineyard makes apple wines, together with a candy, a dry and a “blush” with rhubarb and apple. Additionally they develop grapes there and make wine from them as effectively. Sooner or later within the fall, they’ll even have pumpkin selecting.

HORSE AROUND

Spiller Farm in Wells could have horse-drawn wagon rides on Maine Apple Sunday, and that day would be the official opening of the farm’s u-pick pumpkin patch. There’s a picnic and play space. You’ll be able to deliver your personal lunch or purchase pizza or sandwiches on the farm retailer. There are additionally geese, goats and roosters to see. Convey money, as debit/credit score shouldn’t be accepted for any of the fruit selecting.

GOBBLE GOBBLE

Orchard Ridge Farm & Specialty Food Market in Gorham is slated to open for apple selecting the second week of September and could have pears prepared in September as effectively, in accordance with the farm’s web site. On the market, there are domestically raised turkeys and turkey meat on the market. Pre-ordering for vacation turkeys started in late summer season, so that you would possibly take into consideration ordering one whereas out on the farm for a day of apple selecting. The farm market additionally has different native meats, dairy merchandise, eggs, honey and specialty meals.

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