Apple Harvesting in Washington
Eating a freshly picked apple from a Washington orchard is a real possibility, since the state remains one of the top five apple producing states in the United States. You'll find orchards dotting the region, with some offering you-pick opportunities. Does this Spark an idea?
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Location
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Most of Washington's apple orchards are east of the Cascade Mountains, in eastern Washington. Spokane County alone offers dozens of you-pick apple orchards. Chelan and Yakima counties also produce lots of apples, with many of the orchards setting aside trees where you can pick your own.
Ripe Apples
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Apples ripen from late July through October, depending on the cultivar. Apple varieties at the orchards include Red & Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, McIntosh and Gala, among others. Check with the orchard before you go to find out what's ripe. Apples are picked at the height of maturity to ensure the sugar content is the sweetest. Ripe apples come away from the branch with a twist of the wrist and the stem still intact.
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Festivals
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You'll find plenty of festivals around the state to celebrate apple harvest season. Two of the better-known festivals include the Green Bluff Apple Festival near Spokane and Wenatchee's Washington Apple Harvest Festival.
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References
Resources
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