Picking Your Own Apples
The next variety that will be available for pick your own is Paulared on September 3
Pick your own for McIntosh & Cortland will start on September 11
Picking your own apples is a great family experience and a Maine tradition. At Maine-ly Apples we offer pick your own on many varieties as they ripen during the season. Our trees are all semi-dwarf (approximately 10 feet tall) and require no ladders for picking. These size trees make it very convenient for children and families to pick apples easily.
We supply half bushel, rope handle buckets for picking. These buckets have a convenient plastic liner that you can use to take your apples home. We also provide four-wheeled garden carts to make transporting your apples easier.
Whether you've been coming to Maine-ly Apples for years, or this is your first time, we promise that you will enjoy picking your own at our orchard.
Pick Your Own Tips
Many of our customers have been visiting us for years and are pros at picking their own apples; however, if you're new to this activity, here are some things to do and look for when picking your own apples:
- Look for the reddest or ripest apples; these are the ones that are exposed to the most sun light.
- Take your time. Even the most experienced picker has to do some searching to find the ripest apples.
- A ripe apple will roll off in your hands by lifting it up or with a slight twist.
- Don't pick with your finger tips but rather use your palm or whole hand.
- Pulling hard on the apples will leave fingerprints and will cause the apples to bruise and become soft in those places.
- Be gentle. Dropping apples in your bucket or box will cause bruising and shorten the storage life of an apple.
2010 Prices
Buckets (½ Bushel) - $9 (approx. 45¢ per pound)
Smaller amounts - 60¢ per pound
Photograph courtesy of Herb Crosby