Apple Picking in Michigan

Seasons

• Apple picking season starts around the end of August and runs through October. The beginning of the Michigan apple picking season is when one would go and pick Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Jonathan and Empire apples. In October, Rome Beauty and Winesap apples are available.

Research

• Before going and picking your apples at one of the many orchards in Michigan, research the history and practices of these places first. Make sure that you are getting the best product possible, especially if you are traveling a long distance to get to these orchards. Check reviews and information regarding the crop from the previous year. Go to the farm's website and read up on policies. For example, the Erwin Orchard website says that the farm practices integrated pest management--instead of using chemicals, Erwin Orchards uses biological pest control.

The Most Popular Apples

• Red Delicious apples and Golden Delicious apples are the most popular crops of apples in America. Discovered over 100 years ago, the Red Delicious apple is easily identifiable by the five bumps it has on the bottom. Golden Delicious apples are a good choice for apple sauce, cider and baking pies, as well as for cooking other types of apple-based desserts. Slice them for salads or eat them out of hand..

Places to Pick Your Own Apples

• There are hundreds of places to pick your own apples in Michigan. Most apple-picking farms have many other seasons to visit, such as pumpkin picking and raspberry picking. Just because apple season is over does not mean these places close; double check to see what else is going on there.

Michigan Fact

• Unlike the faltering auto industry in Michigan, the apple industry showed record numbers in December 2009. According to the USDA, by way of the website Michigan Apples, "Michigan had the best third week of October since 1980. So far, three separate weeks of October have exceeded 320,000 cases of fresh apples sold--a phenomenal start to the season." It was also projected that Michigan would move 27 million bushels of apples in 2009, 40 percent above the five-year average.