Business

POSTED: Wednesday, Sep. 03, 2008

Apple season delayed two weeks

Helen Hauck had planned to sell her farm's Honeycrisp apples Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Bellingham Farmers Market, but cool temperatures and wet weather have delayed the apple season by about two weeks.

"It has not been a good year for apples," said Hauck, co-owner of Hauck's Orchard and Produce.

Hauck and her husband, William, own a small farm that, in a normal year, produces about 3,000 pounds of apples. This year, they will have less than 2,000 pounds of apples, Helen Hauck said.

The apples aren't developing properly because of the cool weather, so the Honeycrisps will be smaller, Hauck said. But the good news is, the taste shouldn't be affected because Honeycrisp's are naturally sweet apples, she said.

The situation is about the same throughout Washington state, according to a harvest estimate by the U.S. Apple Association, as reported in Capital Press, an independent farm and ranch newspaper. The 2008 state crop is estimated to be down 1 percent from the 2007 estimate and is 6 percent lower than the five-year average.

The report went on to say the quality of apples is expected to be good. Across the state, a long frost season combined with a cooler-than-normal growing season has led to a delay in the harvest.

Hauk's pears and plums also are one to two weeks behind.

The harvest has been delayed for every farmer, said Debi Gavette, owner of Stoney Ridge Farm.

Stoney Ridge's season begins Saturday, Oct. 4, and although the farm will be opening on time, the apples and pumpkins will be about two weeks late.

Gavette, whose farm specializes in Jonagold apples, said the apples will be the right size and same taste as normal, but the color likely will be affected - they may not be as bright red as usual.

When Stoney Ridge opens, customers will be able to pick their own apples as well as buy cider and caramel apple pie made from the farm's Jonagolds.

The Honeycrisp apples from Hauck's Orchard and Produce are expected to be ready by the third week of September. Hauck said she'll be at the Bellingham Farmers Market the first chance she gets.