I had my sixth chat with Chris on July 24…

Harvest began at Blue Roof Orchard last week and they moved quickly in their first variety, Pristine, which was harvested on July 24. Similar to 2021, this year’s harvest is early, which aligns with the earlier bloom we experienced.

The other earlier varieties are also coming along well. However, Chris has noticed many remnants of hail damage, and the fruit size is not quite what they expected, though the cause is unclear.

About 50% of the harvested apples go to Blue Roof Orchard’s CSA program, while the remaining half is distributed elsewhere. They send some of their #2 grade fruits to kitchens for processing, where they are turned into products like apple sauce and then sold by Blue Roof Orchard. Their #2 grade fruits are often stored in a walk-in cooler for extended periods, either waiting for processing capacity (such as for apple sauce) or to find a suitable market. Almost every variety they harvest is run through a brush washer after harvesting.

Typically, harvest season extends through the third week of October. They will continue applying pesticides to manage insects and diseases until the second week of September. As the season progresses, disease pressure naturally decreases, and it also becomes more challenging to keep up with applications.

Chris is applying sprays for Japanese beetle, codling moth, and apple maggot until early September. Weed control under the trees is important in the late summer and fall, as it reduces annual weeds going to seed and also keeps dandelions, perennials, and winter annuals in check and thus reduces problems in the spring. However, it’s challenging to keep up with weeds during the busy harvest season.

They are still conducting some summer pruning at Blue Roof Orchard. Chris does not use growth regulators to extend the harvest period because there are none approved for use in organic apple production. Chris shares that his harvest dates are determined through taste testing and experience, with the relative order of variety ripening remaining relatively consistent across seasons. Most of their early varieties require multiple pickings, while late-season varieties can often be harvested in a single picking.

In their diversely planted apple orchard, the short Pre-Harvest Interval (PHI) flexibility of OMRI listed pesticides is particularly beneficial. This flexibility allows them to manage the diverse range of apple varieties more effectively.

That’s all for now! Check out the notes from my next chat with Chris in late August to see how harvest operations are going. If you missed my previous chat with Chris, check it out here.

This article series is NOT intended to be prescriptive for other orchards. It is simply an opportunity for our readership to hear from other growers about their experiences growing fruit crops in Wisconsin. 

Growing the same crop does not always justify the same practices. Management decisions at your farm should be tailored to your operation and consider location, regional climate, disease and pest history of your vineyard, and your varieties. 

The mention of a product is NOT an endorsement. Always follow the instructions on product labels and consult weather stations (ex. NEWA) in your area for current weather forecast and disease and pest prediction models. 

This article was posted in Notes from the Field and tagged Apples, Chris McGuire, Leslie Holland, Notes from the Field.