pick your own apples question

[Martha27]

If you go to a PYO orchard is it always organic? I'm having trouble finding any in my area that say on their website whether or not they use no spray or at least min spray. But im wondering if a PYO place is just generally safer than a conventional store bought apple? maybe there is still some pesticides but not as many making it at least a little better than conventional store bought? what's the general thought on pyo orchards?

[ctdoula]

We live close to several PYO places. Some are more conventional than others, however they all spray with something. I go mostly to support local business, get super fresh apples and for the fun of it, rather than organic-ness. I've read that it's nearly impossible (esp. in the area we live) to grow apples organically.

[Martha27]

yeah that's what i figured. looks like you live in the same area as me too, new england. we are in nh i did find a place that is in nh about an hour from me that practices ICM with very little spray but im wondering if it is worth the drive when i have about 5 other places 10 min down the road instead to choose from!

[mamadelbosque]

Well its certainly not 'nearly impossible' to *grow* apples organicly... but its probably nearly impossible to grow blemish-less store-quality apples organicly. If thats what your looking for, good luck... if your OK w/ wierd looking apples w/ a few worm holes its 100% possible and quite easy - there are tons of wild apple trees growing around here that have apples... they just aren't big, blemishlesh apples, though they still taste fine

[Martha27]

nope certainly dont mind worms and blemishes just dont want the poison! but we dont have wild apples around were we live that are any good or that are not on someone else property so i my only option is a pyo orchard

[aprons_and_acorns]

Originally Posted by mamadelbosque

Well its certainly not 'nearly impossible' to *grow* apples organicly... but its probably nearly impossible to grow blemish-less store-quality apples organicly. If thats what your looking for, good luck... if your OK w/ wierd looking apples w/ a few worm holes its 100% possible and quite easy - there are tons of wild apple trees growing around here that have apples... they just aren't big, blemishlesh apples, though they still taste fine

We used to live in an area with abundant wild apples trees and it was so wonderful! A quick stop would result in bags full of fresh, organic, goofy-looking but yummy apples. And FREE too!

[mamadelbosque]

Well, most of the trees we pick from are on other peoples' property too... but, most people don't do anything with them and don't care if you use them. This time of year I just stop by and knock on doors and get permission to pick/use them. I try and drop off a half gallon of cider or a pint or two of apple butter in payment which everyone thus far has been *thrilled* with

[laohaire]

In my state (MA) there is only one (POSSIBLY two) organic apple orchard.

If a website doesn't scream ORGANIC in every place possible, it's not. Any organic farm is not going to miss a chance to communicate such a value.

However, some farms are low-spray, and they don't usually advertise this. That's because it puts the spray in the mind of the customer that might not otherwise be thinking about it, or who might assume that a farm that doesn't talk about it at all is no-spray. So it's kind of like advertising that you only beat your children occasionally OK, bad analogy, just a joke.

As PPs have alluded, it's not difficult to grow organic apples, but it is difficult to grow organic and provide a similar percentage of "supermarket perfect" apples with no holes or other blemishes. When you have the organic mindset, you will happily pick and purchase apples with small blemishes and simply cut any imperfect parts off when you are ready to eat them. Most people don't understand this, though, and expect to pick a bag of completely unblemished apples and throw minorly imperfect ones on the ground. So the profit margin can be difficult with all the waste.

It's easier to have an organic apple orchard that is NOT PYO because you can sell the perfect apples on the market whole, and make value-added products from the less perfect ones (juice, cider, pies, etc.). With PYO, people will just pick an apple, examine it, and toss it. Too bad.

We pick our apples at our local, non-organic orchard. We do it to support a local business, because it's fun, because we save a bit of money (well, we can buy cheaper apples at the grocery stores but the really cheap bags SUCK), and because I can't morally justify buying organic Fuji apples (my favorite) from New Zealand.

[Martha27]

thanks for all the input we just got back from going to a nice family run looking place just 10 mins down the road from us and got a 1/2 bushel at 0.85$ a pound. I asked the guy if these would be ok for the kids to eat in the car on the ride home without a good wash off and he said "oh sure, you just have to wipe them off a bit, they havent been sprayed in over a month and a half." guess that's good enough for me, it does feel nice to support some local folks and not have to drive too far either