Orchard adjusts to deal with drought, pests as area U-picks open

A double whammy threatened to take the “apple” out of the Country Apple Orchard as its fall festival season opened this month.

A spring drought combined with apple thrip — small winged insects that cause crop damage — led the Harrisburg business’s U-pick apples to fail. The harvest was far beyond what was hoped.

“The past few years, we’ve had issues with the drought, but our trees produced fairly well,” general manager Amber Halvorson said. “Being the second drought year, when the thrip passed through our apples … it finally got to the trees.”

Country Apple Orchard decided to combat the challenge by partnering with other local apple orchards to offer varieties of apples, plus going all-in on activities and goodies despite the complications.

Halvorson said that despite the challenge, the fall festival, which runs through October, is going strong and features additional attractions.

The orchard store is selling many varieties of bagged apples from orchards near Worthing and Renner.

Fall festival attractions are offered from 4 to 8 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Activities include:

• Two 90-by-33-foot jumping pillows
• Sand castle tire mountain
• Giant hay bale maze
• Funny farm petting zoo
• 12-foot long corn pit
• Rubber duck races
• Corn maze
• Hay ride through the orchard
• Apple cannon range ($5 per bucket)
• Pony rides ($5)
• Wild tree tube tunnel
• Live music (check Facebook for schedule)
• Party bubble station

Halvorson said to be sure to grab a doughnut. “Last year, we realized we made 11,000 doughnuts during the festival!”

Other orchards to check out

Dave Hoversten, owner of Hoversten Orchards near Brandon, said his orchard had success with apples this year despite recent drought.

“Bring out the family … bring your dog, your kid, your cat, and wander out here,” Hoversten said.

Hoversten Orchards offers Honeycrisp and other apples, a variety of pumpkins, squash, honey, apple cider, pies, turnovers and other baked goods.

Homestead Orchard near Parker is open Fridays and on the weekends with apples and other produce for sale. New this year in the store are fresh apple doughnuts.

Homestead Orchard has pumpkins, nine types of squash and over 10 types of gourds.

It also has a free chrysanthemum show with over 100 plots of chrysanthemums. In addition to doughnuts and other baked goods, the store sells jams, honey, cider, syrups, caramel and dried plants for flower arrangements.

Pumpkin U-picks

Cherry Rock Farms south of Brandon farms using only non-GMO seeds. Seasonal produce includes butternut squash, acorn squash, buttercup squash, heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, muskmelon and pumpkins, according to the farm’s website.

The pumpkin patch and corn maze are open from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. On the weekend, Cherry Rock Farms offers hayrides, goats to pet and a s’mores fire pit.

For more picking options:

• Pumpkins at That Pickin Patch near Humboldt.
• Pumpkins at Riverview Christmas Tree Farm on weekends through Oct. 15.