Apple sightings

Honey Crisp, Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, McIntosh, Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Jonagold, Macoun, Ozark Gold, Summer Rambos, Red McIntosh, Ginger Gold, Sanza, Daybreak Fuji, Ruby Jon, Crimson Crisp, Cameo, Stayman Winesap. These are all the apple varieties available in Bucks County. So far.

I’m still in mourning over the end of peaches (whimper). And I’m just not a pumpkin/corn stalk/Halloween kind-of-gal, although people seem to be jumping into it with both feet already. But I do like apples. And with all the varieties available around here, I’m finding new ones I like all the time.

Manoff Market Gardens in Solebury not only has a wide variety, but they also have chunks cut up for you to taste, so you can experience ones you’ve probably never heard of. That’s one great place to buy apples in Bucks County. But there are many more. If you like picking your own, you can do that too in many places.

I’ve done a bit of calling around (“research”) and compiled a list of farms/markets selling their own apples, and which varieties they have currently. I say currently because that can change day-by-day. So if you are devoted to a particular variety, call first to see what is on hand. The apple season has barely begun – albeit 10-14 days early this year – but it will continue until November, with many more types coming in.

As for organically grown, that’s a tough one. Because of the humidity we experience on the East Coast, it is difficult to grow fruit without some fungicide and still make a living. But more and more farms are doing “low spray,” trying to minimize the use of fungicide. Ask politely and the farmer will gladly tell you of their practices. Or you can just wash the fruit very well. Personally, I prefer buying local and doing the washing.

Apples store well too. Wrap them in newspaper, put them in a box and keep in a cool place. They’ll last most of the winter. Many of the places listed also make their own apple cider, applesauce and apple butter. And, by the way, if you want to make hard cider, you need unpasteurized apple cider (available at Del Val Market and Manoff Market Gardens). If you are intent on making your own applesauce or butter, here are some approximate yields, courtesy of the Penn State Cooperative Extension:

1 bushel = 15-18 quarts canned applesauce, or 10 – 12 quarts juice
1 peck (32 medium apples) = 4 quarts canned
1.5 lbs. fresh = 1 pint frozen
2.5 to 3 lbs. fresh = 1 quart
1 cup peeled, sliced = 0.25 lb.

To see descriptions of the different varieties, check out this website, All About Apples. The listing below is in order of geographical location, from Upper Bucks to Lower Bucks.

Bechdolts Orchard
2209 Leithsville Road, Route 412
Hellertown 18055
610-838-8522
Hours:  Sunday-Thursday, 9 am – 6 pm, Friday & Saturday, 9 – 7 pm
Varieties:  Honeycrisp, Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, McIntosh, Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Jonagold, Macoun, with more varieties coming; Tanner Bros. (Ivyland) also carries their fruit. They’ve also got Bartlett, Bosc and Asian pears.
Grown on the property? Yes, 40 acres of apples
Pick Your Own: No

Penn Vermont Fruit Farm
Rt. 113 & Rolling Hills Rd.
Bedminster 18910
215-795-2475
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 8 am – 6 pm, Sunday, 9 am – 6 pm
Varieties:  McIntosh, Cortland, Gala, will have Jonagold, Empire and more varieties as the season goes
Grown on the property? Yes
Pick Your Own: No

Tabora Farm & Orchard
1104 Upper Stump Road
Chalfont 18914
215-249-3016
Hours: Daily, 7 am – 7 pm
Varieties: McIntosh, Red and Golden Delicious: will be getting Crispin soon
Grown on your property? Yes, and we will bring some from our upstate NY property in a couple of weeks
Pick Your Own: Yes, same hours as store, 70 cents/lb (50 cents/lb if you are a Facebook friend!), $15 a bushel, $7.95 half-bushel, $5 peck, $3 half-peck
Anything else? Free Bluegrass music on Saturday September 25 from 1 – 5 pm featuring “Hilltown.” Starting in October will have activities for the little ones every Saturday and Sunday. Free wagon rides around the farm.

Wildemore Farm
977 Upper Stump Rd. At Upper Church & Lower Stump Roads
Chalfont 18914
215-249-3683
Hours: Wednesday and Saturday, 9 am – 1 pm
Varieties: Jonamac, McIntosh, McCowan, Yellow Delicious, Winesap, Ida Red, Empire
Grown on the property? Yes
Pick Your Own: Yes

Manoff Market Gardens 
3157 Comfort Rd., between Laurel & Paxson off Rt. 263 near Centre Bridge
Solebury 18963
215-297-8220
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 9 am – 5:30 pm
Varieties: 23 over the season; now, Ginger Gold, Sanza, Cortland, Daybreak Fuji, Honey Crisp, Gala, Ruby Jon, Crimson Crisp; also do their own unpasteurized apple cider and applesauce
Grown on the property? Yes
Pick Your Own: No, but can do mix & match with all varieties (except Honey Crisp) for $1.75/lb.

Solebury Orchards
3325 Creamery Rd.
New Hope 18938
215-297-8079
Hours: Thursday – Sunday, 9 am – 6 pm (Closed Monday – Wednesday)
Varieties: Gala, Honey Crisp; Aurora and Seckel pears, own cider and applesauce
Grown on the property? Yes
Pick Your Own: Yes

The Market at Delaware Valley College 
2100 Lower State Road
Doylestown 18901
215-230-7170
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 7 am – 7:00 pm, Sunday 9 am – 5 pm
Varieties: (from Del Val College) McIntosh, Ozark Gold, Empire, Summer Rambos, Cortland, (from Shady Brook  Farm) Gala, with plenty more coming in. They also sell their own unpasteurized apple cider.
Grown on the property? Yes, mostly at Del Val and some from Shady Brook
Pick Your Own: Yes . Same hours as market, but they request you go out at least an hour before the market closes.
Anything else? This Sunday, September 19th is the Apple Festival. Lots of fun, family-friendly things to do like a hayride out to the apple orchards where you get to keep whatever apples you pick for free. Also, don’t miss their Monster Pumpkin Madness on October 9th and 10th. HUGE pumpkins, pig roast and more.

Solly’s Farm Market
707 Almshouse Road
Ivyland 18974
215-357-2850
Hours: Daily, 9 am – 6 pm; Pick Your Own is weekends only, 11 – 4 pm
Varieties: Jonathan, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Stayman Winesap
Grown on the property? Yes
Pick Your Own: Yes

Shady Brook Farm
931 Stony Hill Road off Rt. 332 at I-95
Yardley 19067
215-968-1670
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 7 am – 7 pm, Sunday, 9 am – 6 pm
Varieties: Gala, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Cameo, Honey Crisp, Jonagold, Fuji 
Grown on the property? Yes
Pick Your Own: Same hours as market; 99 cents/lb.

Snipes Farm & Education Center
890 W. Bridge St.
Morrisville 19067
215-295-1139
Hours: 9 am – 4 pm daily,  Saturday 9 am to 6 pm, Sunday 10 am to 5 pm
Varieties: Galas, Red McIntosh, more as the season progresses
Grown on the property? Yes
Pick Your Own: 9 am – 4 pm daily $1.25 lb.

Styer Orchard
97 Styers Lane
Langhorne 19047
215-702-9633
Please note, Styer Orchard is NOT affiliated with Styer Market
Hours: 9 am – 6 pm daily
Varieties: Empires, Early Delicious, Cortlands, Macouns, Jonathans, and many other varieties; change frequently
Grown on the property? Yes
Pick Your Own: Yes

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