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Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski /
Carrie Phillips (right) of Indian Lake (Somerset County) purchases Pink Lady and Honey Crisp apples from Jackie Sleek, owner of Sleek’s Orchard in New Paris.
NEW PARIS — Bedford County apple growers are knee deep into the picking season, which means there are dozens of apple varieties ripe for snacking and baking.
Jackie Sleek, owner of Sleek’s Orchard, said the orchard will harvest about 30,000 apples this year.
The picking season started near the end of August and will wrap up in November, she said, though sales will run through the new year as the apples will be kept in cold storage.
The orchards in Bedford County boast anywhere from 20 to 30 varieties of apples — literally from A to Z, with ambrosia, a sweet, firm apple, to Zestar, a sweet, tart/firm fruit.
Despite a few challenges with water for irrigation, the apples taste “very good,” Sleek said.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski /
Chanda Deputy boxes Golden Delicious apples after sorting at Sleek’s Orchard in New Paris.
When visitors ask for recommendations, she notes Honeycrisp, Fuji, SnowSweet and Golden Delicious are great for snacking.
However, the best varieties for pies depend on a preference for the sweetness levels.
“A lot of people like Cortland and Jonagold to bake with,” Sleek said. “Those two varieties are at the top of the list.”
Sleek, who has been operating the orchard for 43 years, said she gets to meet a lot of people.
Customers “come back year after year, year after year,” she said. “It’s a fun job.”
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski /
Tina Lundhold of Denmark smells a Jonathan apple at Boyer Orchards in New Paris.
The region’s apple orchards often have more than apples to entice customers, with Sleek’s offering natural fall decor, such as pumpkins and mums.
At Boyer Orchards, also in New Paris, Paul Gustkey of Johnstown was shopping with his three grandchildren and daughter, who came to visit from Denmark. Gustkey brought Indian corn for decoration and apples for pies.
Ellen Boyer, whose family owns the orchard, said dry conditions in May didn’t hurt the apples, as the orchard has a “big, nice” crop with about 20 varieties this year.
Boyer said Honeycrisp is one of the most popular apples for eating, but she also recommends Gala and Fuji for snacking, and Cortland, McIntosh and Granny Smith for baking.
In addition to the sales in the market,
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski /
Ridgetop Orchards in Fishertown offer samples of its many apple varieties.
44 workers are picking and shipping apples, she said, noting that business is busier on the weekends when a “couple hundred” customers will turn out to purchase fresh-off-the-tree fruit, apple cider and honey. The orchard also has pumpkins, winter squash and photo props.
“We have a lot of local people as customers here,” Boyer said, adding the orchards are important to the community.
To combat an early frost, Lois Boyer, whose family owns Ridgetop Orchards over the ridge in Fishertown, said they installed four wind machines to recirculate the warm air to prevent spring frost damage.
The orchard, one of the largest in the area, has its own packing and shipping operation, so protecting the crop is important.
“We pack them for grocery stores like Giant Eagle and Giant foods,” she said. “That’s what makes us unique.”
The orchard has about 30 varieties of apples, many available on the “front porch,” where customers can sample the apples then select their own from large crates. The most popular across the board seems to be the Honeycrisp, an apple described as sweet, tart/firm. Gala and Fuji are also top picks, both billed as “very sweet” varieties, according to a wall board explaining the choices.
For those who want to pick their own from the trees, the orchard launched a U-Pick program this year. Held on Saturdays through October, the variety of apples depend on what’s ripe, Boyer said.
It’s a unique experience that attracts families sharing the adventure with their children.
The front porch area also features other products — such as salsa, cider and butter, as well as honey.
The orchard will have apples through the new year, depending on demand, as the facility has cold storage units, she said.
The Bedford County Visitors Bureau offers a brochure for those who want to take the orchard tour. A drive along Chestnut Ridge Road from Fishertown to New Paris, and Cortland Road past Sleek’s Orchard offers a scenic view of the trees.
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