What's in Season?

All based on our best guess, Mother Nature has the final say!

Apples

Available July thru May - Harvested July thru November

Our first apples to ripen are the heirloom Transparent in mid-July, with our most popular, Honeycrisp in early September. We end the apple harvest with our Pink Ladies in November.

We are able to continue to sell apples for several more months because some varieties are excellent keepers! Our personal favorite is the Fuji.

Apples we sell in April and May have been in a controlled atmosphere (CA) storage. The apples are picked in the fall at their peak and immediately sent to the CA storage facility. There they are placed in airtight storage rooms, with the temperature kept at or slightly below freezing, and natural gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide closely monitored to specific levels. This maximizes the holding capacity of our apples keeping them flavorful and crisp.

Home storage of apples:

The best place to keep your apples is in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. This keeps your refrigerator from dehydrating your fruit. An apple ripens six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were refrigerated.

Making a pie, you will need approximately 2 pounds or 6 to 8 medium apples for a 9-inch pie, double for a deep-dish pie.

Learn more about the amazing Apple at: All About Apples ( http://www.allaboutapples.com )

Berries and Cherries

Available beginning May until frost.

Strawberries begin ripening in May and usually last until June.

Sweet cherries come next in mid-June and tart cherries soon after.

Red raspberries begin in late June and continue to September, sometimes October.

We also have several Black Raspberries but they only last a short time, usually ripening toward the end of June.

Blueberries usually begin in late June also, lasting into July.

Blackberries, big and juicy ripen in July and end in early September. We are planting new everbearing blackberries this year, with the hope of extending our season.

Storage: Berries and cherries store best in the refrigerator. Do not rinse or clean them until you are ready to eat them.

Freezing berries and cherries is also very easy.

For strawberries and cherries, wash the fruit remove strawberry tops and cherry pits then place on a single layer on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen remove and place in freezer bags.

For blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, do not rinse first. Freeze on a cookie sheet then place in bag once frozen. You may rinse when you are ready to use the fruit.

Apricots

Late June and July

Plums

July and August

Grapes

Available August, September and October.

We have super sweet seedless Red Canadice and White Himrod and our traditional Concord in White and Purple.

Pears

We grow several varieties of Asian pears, red and green Bartlett, and Bosc.

Harvested in August and September

Available August thru December

Veggies

Asparagus available mid-April into May.

Sweet Corn available July, August and September.

Sweet Potatoes available September thru December.

Winter Squash available September thru December.

Peaches and Nectarines

Available July, August and September. We have several varieties of peaches and nectarines on our farm.

Yellow peaches begin ripening in early July and we continue to harvest into September.

White peaches and nectarines follow closely behind and continue thru August. The white-flesh tend to be less acidic and taste sweeter.

Donut peaches arrive in late July and August. They are an heirloom variety originating from China. These are one of our most popular varieties. They have white flesh, tend to be less acidic like our white peaches and are juicy. Donuts also have less fuzz and when fully ripe the seed can be pushed out of the middle for a donut-like snack.

How do you tell when a peach is ripe? Look for a yellow ground color with medium-soft flesh and that it smells like a peach. Let your peach soften on the counter or you can place in a brown paper bag to hasten the process. Don't refrigerate until they are fully ripe and don't keep them in the refrigerator for more than a day or two. Peaches and nectarines lose juice and flavor if they're refrigerated too long.

Freezing peaches and nectarines is very easy and taste great in cobblers and smoothies over the winter months. Place ripe fruit in a pan of boiling water for about 30 seconds then remove and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water. The skins will slip off. Place in freezer bag and freeze.

Honey

Our Honey is available throughout the season and is from the several hives located on our farm. The bees aid in the pollination of all our fruits, vegetables and flowers.

Canned Madison Peaches

Many years ago, Winn's father, Jim had his Madison peaches canned at the local cannery because they were so popular with his Amish customers for canning. And so began a tradition of canned peaches at Quaker Valley. Our peaches are canned in September and sold throughout the winter.

Applesauce

Our applesauce is homemade with our fresh apples peeled and cooked with our own cider and a touch of cinnamon, no sugar is ever added or needed! Our apple blends have our small fruit added that was frozen in season.

Tomato Sauce

All our tomato sauce sold at market is made on the farm in our kitchen with our own tomatoes. I make it in small batches and preserve it using a pressure canner. We enjoy it all winter long.

Fruit Jams

All our fruit jam is also made in small batches with our own fruit in a variety of flavors.

Cider

Our cider is processed and pasteurized at our local cider mill. We use a blend of about 7 kinds of apples to get that delicious flavor.

Available September thru April.

Apple Butter

Choose from traditional Sugar and Spice, Sweetened with Honey or Plain. All are a delicious, guilt free treat on toast or bread, on yogurt, cottage cheese, or Ice Cream.

Popcorn

Harvested in the fall and sold in the winter months. It pops best when very dry.

Our popcorn is a very popular snack with young and old alike! People are always amazed at simply popping it in a paper bag!