Michiana apple orchards report best crop in years

MICHIANA. (WNDU) - According to apple orchards in Michiana, due to very few apples growing, last year’s season was cut short, but this year they’ve said, it’s the opposite.

“Some of the trees kind of took last year off, so there was some pent up energy there,” said Steve Lecklider, the manager at Lehman’s Orchard, but what really made this year’s apple crops different from last year’s was a fantastic Spring.

“Well this year we didn’t really have any major frost events, so the entire crop came through,” Lecklider said.

As well as great weather, this year’s crops also owed their growth to pollination.

“You don’t have to work so hard to fill your basket. So that’s a good thing, I can’t stop saying it’s a good thing,” said Sue Dittmar, the owner of the Apple Patch, in North Liberty, Indiana.

Dittmar and her husband have owned the Apple Patch since 2006, and told 16 News Now that this year was already the best apple season they’d seen in the last four years.

“There are I don’t know probably ten times more apples out here this year than there were last year,” said Dittmar.

Apple season began in September, and different varieties become available as the season progresses.

“I think that one thing people need to keep in mind is apples have a growing season, they don’t all ripen at the same time,” Dittmar said.

At both the Apple Patch, and Lehman’s Orchard, in Niles, Michigan, regardless of which kind of apples you look for or when you decide to stop in, there are going to be a bunch more apples to choose from this year.

“Well last year we actually ended early, I was surprised. We picked all of the apples, and by I think the end of September, or early October, and so there weren’t enough apples to go around, so we’re looking forward to a little bit longer harvest,” Lecklider said.

Apple season goes until November depending on which orchard you visit.

For information on Lehman’s Orchard, click here.

For information on The Apple Patch, click here.

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