Courtesy / Libby & Son, Facebook
Libby & Son U-Picks, in the western York County town of Limerick, has been ranked the favorite of USA Today readers..
October 13, 2023
Friday Food Insider: Maine apple season is in full swing, but the crop is limited this year
Photo / Jim Neuger
Apples at Rocky Ridge Orchard at 28 Rocky Ridge Lane in Bowdoin.
A period of extreme cold in February and late-season frosts in May have not been kind to Maine's peaches and apples.
Renae Moran, a fruit tree specialist for the University of Maine's Cooperative Extension, estimates that the frosts in May left many orchards with a light apple crop. Moran told Mainebiz that the frost has had a major impact on some of the state’s orchards, especially in southern Maine.
Orchards throughout Maine told Mainbiz that the frost and heavy summer rain caused major issues, including wiping out different varieties of apples, killing plants and leaving blemishes on the apples.
“It was a challenging year from start to finish,” said Aaron Libby, owner of Libby and Son U-Picks in Limerick. “The cold events in February wiped out our entire peach crop. As we moved into the spring, on May19, the late frost impacted us and our different varieties of apples. But, overall, we have had a great crop of apples.”
“We’ve had a very good season and was not impacted by the frost,” said Jodi Hollingsworth, owner of Morrison Hill Orchard in Farmington. “We were able to manage through all the rain we had. The apples have ‘city blotch,’ which washes off and only affects the apple's appearance.”
Photo / Allison Spies
Sweetsers Orchard, at 19 Blanchard Road in Cumberland.
“Another year of no typical weather,” said Greg Sweetser, fifth-generation owner of Sweetser's Apple Barrel and Orchards in Cumberland. “When we had the heavy freeze, our heirloom apples got hit the hardest; we haven’t had quite the variety we usually have. A third of the crop froze out on May.19, but it hasn't hurt much. We are still picking right now for peak season. Business has been great; people love coming to the farm and seeing everything we offer.”
Find an orchard near you
When I think of fall, one thing comes to mind — apple picking. Trust me when I say there is nothing better than getting a pumpkin spice latte, your favorite sweater and picking a bunch of fresh apples to make a crisp or a pie. I mean, come on, how great does that sound?
This week, your friend the Friday Food Insider is taking you on a Maine apple orchard tour. Take a look at the list below to find some new orchards to explore.
- Apple Acres Farm, 363 Durgintown Road, Hiram
- Bailey's Orchard, 55 North Hunts Meadow Road, Whitefield
- Berry Fruit Farm, 361 Crash Road, Livermore
- Boothby's Orchard, 366 Boothby Road, Livermore
- Brackett's Orchard, 224 Sokokis Ave., Limington
- Cayford Orchard, 99 Hilton Hill Road, Skowhegan
- Chick's Apple & Berry Farm, 571 Main St., Monmouth
- Cooper Farms, 27 Bethel Road, West Paris
- County Fair Farm, 423 August Road, Jefferson
- Elwell Farms, 50 Elwell Road, Monroe
- Five Fields Farm, 720 South Bridgton Road, Bridgton
- Gathering Winds Farm, Poland Corner Road, Poland
- Giles Family Farm, 149 Shaker Hill Road, Alfred
- Greenwood Orchards, 174 Auburn Road, Turner
- Hansel's Orchard, 44 Sweetser Road, North Yarmouth
- Hardy Farms, 106 Church St., Hope
- Harris Orchard, Wiswell Road, Brewer
- Hazel Hill Orchard, 59 South Livermore Road, Turner
- Hillcrest Orchards, 560 Main Road South, Winterport
- Hope Orchards, 434 Camden Road, Hope
- Kelly Orchards, 82 Sanborn Road, Acton
- Kents Hill Orchard, 1625 Main St., Kents Hill
- Lane Road Orchard, 258 Lane Road, New Sharon
- Lemieux's Orchard, 210 Priest Hill Road, Vassalboro
- Libby and Son U-Picks, 86 Sawyer Mountain Road, Limerick
- Maine-ly Apples, 372 Moosehead Trail, Dixmont
- McDougal Orchards, 201 Hanson Ridge Road, Springvale
- McElwain's Strawberry Farm, 711 Sweden St., Caribou
- Morrison Hill Orchard, 272 Morrison Hill Road, Farmington
- MSAD1, 340 State St., Presque Isle
- Mullis Orchards, 270 Dexter Road, Corinna
- North Chester Orchard, 460 North Chester Road, Chester
- North Star Orchards, 97 Orchard Road, Madison
- O'Connor's Orchard, 709 Holley Road, Farmington
- Orchard Ridge Farm, 236 Sebago Lake Road, Gorham
- Peaked Hill, U.S. Route 2-80 Gilead Road, Gilead
- Pietree Orchard, 803 Waterford Road, Sweden
- Pleasant Pond Orchard, 430 Brunswick Road, Richmond
- Randall Orchards, 1 Randall Road, Standish
- Ricker Hill Orchards, 295 Buckfield Road, Turner
- Robinson's Orchard, 521 Lincoln Road, Enfield
- Rocky Ridge Orchard, 38 Rocky Ridge Lane, Bowdoin
- Rollins Orchard, 262 Dexter Road, Garland
- Romac Orchards, 1149 H Road, Acton
- Rowe Orchards, U.S. Route 7, Moosehead Trail, Newport
- Sandy River Apple Orchard, 240 West Sandy River Road, Mercer
- School House Farm, 1171 Atlantic Hwy, Warren
- Snell Family Farm, 1000 River Road, Buxton
- Sparrowhawk Orchard, 684 Grover Hill Road, Bethel
- Spiller Farm, 85 Spiller Farm Lane, Wells
- Stukas Orchard, 144 Ferry Road, Lewiston
- Sullivan Orchard, 356 Puddledock Pond, Charleston
- Sweetser's Orchard, 19 Blanchard Road, Cumberland
- The Apple Farm, 104 Back Road, Fairfield
- The Orchard at Chase Farms, 1396 North Berwick Road, Wells
- Thompson's Orchard, 276 Gloucester Hill Road, New Gloucester
- Treworgy Orchards, 3876 Union Street, Levant
- Vista of Maine Vineyard and Cidery, 146 N. Hills Ridge, Greene
- Wallingford's Orchard, 1240 Perkins Ridge Road, Auburn
- Willow Pond Farm, 395 Middle Road, Sabattus.
What is your favorite apple recipe? The Mainebiz Food Insider wants to know! Contact Alexis Wells at awells@mainebiz.biz
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