“We tell everyone it truly takes a year to grow an apple,” said Joe Fahey, the owner and orchardist at Peck & Bushel Organic Fruit Company in Colgate, Wisconsin, just north of Milwaukee. While apple picking typically runs from August through October, Fahey says it takes the entire winter to prune his 30,000 apple trees, and when spring comes, the trees need tending.
But fall is for harvesting — and Peck & Bushel is one of the largest certified organic apple orchards in the Midwest. Fahey, who has a background in nuclear medical technology, had long dabbled in backyard orcharding before founding the farm in 2010.
The organic apples he grew tasted better from any other apples he’d tried, and that success propelled him to think bigger. Part of his desire to grow apples organically was the challenge: Everyone told him you couldn’t grow organically in the region. “I also just believed in trying to do things a little healthier,” he said.
Though Fahey admits organic orcharding is a lot more difficult than conventional agriculture, and this year has been as challenging as any. “Mother Nature can be brutal sometimes,” he said. “We’ve had extreme heat and heavy storms, but we’ve been blessed with a pretty big crop this year, so we’ll take that.” (Scroll down for a list of 10 best places to go apple picking, including Peck & Bushel.)
Drought conditions have also impacted Apple Holler in Sturtevant, Wisconsin. Dave Flannery, who owns the orchard with his wife, Vicki, says southeast Wisconsin has been the driest area of the state this year. The National Integrated Drought Information System shows that Racine county, where Apple Holler is located, is abnormally dry, meaning stress for pastures and crops alike.
Luckily, Flannery says, the soil on his farm has a high concentration of clay, which allows the ground to retain moisture better. “So we’ve done well this year,” he says. “Although we didn’t get a lot of rain, we got it just at the right time and we got a beautiful crop. We’ve got probably the largest crop that we’ve ever had.”
Apple Holler, which is strictly U-Pick, offers more than 65 acres of fruit trees and grows more than 40 varieties of apples. Like most orchards, visitors can check the orchard’s website or social media to see what varieties will be available each week. “And we always encourage everybody to taste whatever they want,” Flannery said. “That’s part of the experience.”
Beyond getting to pick apples, visitors to Apple Holler can feed the farm’s baby goats. But Flannery said the main draw for people he meets is getting out in the fresh air and reconnecting with nature. “Probably more important than anything else is just being able to roam through the orchards,” he said. “That’s probably the biggest thing about the whole experience — it’s just the pleasure and experience of being outdoors.”
10 great apple picking destinations near Chicago
In Illinois:
Curtis Orchard
Founded in 1977, this orchard grows nearly 30 varieties of apples; their website keeps you up to date with which types are ready for picking and also offers pointers on each apple’s best uses. The farm also organizes family-friendly activities like horse-drawn carriage rides, pony rides and pumpkin picking on select days in the fall. (3902 S. Duncan Road, Champaign, Ill.; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sun. through Oct. 31)
Edwards Orchard: Edwards Orchard sits about two hours northwest of Chicago and grows two dozen apple varieties for picking, ensuring there’s always something in season. The Edwards family prides itself on sustainable farming methods, such as restoring prairie and wetland on the orchard to preserve bee habitat. (7061 Centerville Road, Poplar Grove, Ill.; 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, weather permitting)
Honey Hill Orchard: Dozens of apple varieties, as well as pumpkins, are available for picking at this orchard located less than two hours west of the city; U-Pick produce is cash only. Visitors can also purchase farm-harvested raw honey and caramel apples on-site. (11783 Waterman Road, Waterman, Ill.; 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily)
All Seasons Orchard: This orchard and pumpkin farm has one of the largest Honeycrisp apple orchards in northern Illinois, but note the variety starts to ripen in early September. Asian pears are also available for picking. (14510 IL Route 176, Woodstock, Ill.; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat.-Sun., through Oct. 30.)
Beyond Illinois:
County Line Orchard: Not too far from the Indiana border you’ll find County Line, which offers U-Pick apples, pumpkins and sunflowers, while in season, throughout the fall. An all-access pass includes a corn maze, tractor rides and, for the smallest kids, a soybean maze in the shape of a gummy bear, courtesy of a partnership with nearby manufacturer Albanese Candy. (200 S. County Line Road, Hobart, Ind.; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily)
Peck & Bushel Organic Fruit Company: About two hours northwest of Chicago, Peck & Bushel offers U-Pick on weekends until mid-October or whenever they sell out of fruit. While you’re there, be sure to try the new variety Riverbelle, a Honeycrisp hybrid, or stop by their barn for organic home-pressed cider, homemade apple cider donuts and more. (5454 County Road Q, Colgate, Wis.; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fri.-Sun.)
Apple Holler: Apple Holler grows more than 40 varieties of apple, from the tart McIntosh to the aromatic Macoun; pears are also available starting in mid-September. September and October are their busiest months, so they recommend coming early, and trying some of their new hard apple cider — only available on the farm. (5006 South Sylvania Ave., Sturtevant, Wis.; orchard and farm park 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; weekends 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends)
Overhiser Orchards: Now in its second century of operation — by the same family — Overhiser Orchards grows more than 40,000 fruit trees, including more than 20 varieties of apples, as well as cherries, peaches, plums and pears. (6405 109th Ave., South Haven, Mich.; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 31)
Spicer Orchards: Ride a wagon out to the orchard featuring about a dozen varieties of apples for picking. The family also presses its own hard cider and makes its own wine; flight boards are available year-round. (10411 Clyde Road, Fenton, Mich.; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily)
Oneida Nation Apple Orchard: The Oneida tribe started this orchard in 1994; today, they offer more than 30 varieties of apples. Free-range eggs from local Indigenous farmers, and apple butter and jams processed at the Oneida Cannery, are available at their store. (3976 West Mason St., Oneida, Wis.; noon to 5:30 p.m. Thursdays; 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fri.-Sun.)
