The Macintosh apple cluster is easy to pick.
At most farms today, entertaining guests is part of the business, so your family can look forward to picking fruit, going on a hayride or other attraction, and purchasing fresh baked goods and fruit-filled treats. This year, keep in mind that to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, many U-pick farms are requiring face coverings and advance reservations. In order to limit crowds and maintain social distancing, their schedules may change as well.
Foragers should remember that certain varieties are better suited for different purposes. For example, bakers and apple sauce makers should look for the juicier Golden Delicious, Cortland, Russet, or Mutsu. Popular india email list apple varieties for eating include Macintosh, Empire, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, and Idared. For pumpkins soft enough to carve, but not so ripe that they won't last until Halloween, consult a farmer.
For a complete guide to apple picking farms and orchards across the country, visit the FTF Guide to the Best U-Pick Farms in the U.S.
Apple picking in the Portland Metro Area
Portland is a hotbed of fresh fruit, local produce, organic vegetables, and overall healthy farm-to-table cuisine. Many local families, known as locavores for bringing in food from local farms, consider picking their own fruit a necessity in the fall.
Locals agree that for apple picking in Portland, Oregon, the best area to visit is Hood River County, home of the Fruit Loop. Located just an hour from Portland in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the scenic 35-mile-long Fruit Loop is a collection of fruit and vegetable orchards that together promote sustainable agricultural diversity in the county. Eleven are open and operating as of fall 2019. While you’re in the area, stop by one of the county’s alpaca farms so the kids can admire these fuzzy creatures.
