It’s Apple Season!

Oct. 7, 2016

A tisket, a tasket, it’s time to grab a basket — of northern Michigan apples. Here’s all the way to get your apple on for the fall 2016 season:

APPLE MONTH

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has declared October 2016 as Michigan Apple Month. More than 11.3 million apple trees on over 800 family-run Michigan farms fuel the state’s commercial production of apples, and this year’s crop is expected to hit a record-breaking 31 million bushels. Look for that Michigan Apples sticker to ensure you’re getting the nation’s best and visit the dedicated Michigan apples website at michiganapples.com for apple flavor profiles, farm market locations, recipes and more.

DANCE THE SWEETANGO

Consider this SweeTango’s sweetest season yet. Since coming on the scene in 2009, the extra-crunchy and sweet apple — with notes of lime, honey and spice — has been gaining popularity, and is said to finally have knocked the popular Honeycrisp off the top of the proverbial apple pile. Despite its big reputation, only a handful of orchards grow the popular variety. You can find SweeTangos on the trees at Bakker’s Acres in Suttons Bay and Interwater Farms in Williamsburg, and on the shelves at Marvin’s Garden Spot in Interlochen and any Meijer store.

ANTIQUE APPLES

SweeTango might be what’s new in apples, but don’t miss what’s old, too. Antique apples — those our ancestors enjoyed, with varieties dating back as far as the 1600s — offer very different flavor profiles and aromas than most varieties commonly available today.

Kilcherman’s Christmas Cove Farm (christmascovefarm. com) in Northport is one of the biggest purveyors of antique apples in Michigan, producing varieties from all over the world and centuries past. Owner John Kilcherman started collecting apple cuttings more than 30 years ago; at his farm today, you can find such unusual apples as the French Rambo; U.K. varieties like the Sheepnose and Pippin; the Missouri-originated Ozark Gold; the German Holstein; and Thomas Jefferson’s rumored favorite, the Esopus Spitzenburg.

GET FESTIVE

True apple fans can’t miss the festival devoted to their favorite fruit: The 38th Annual Apple Fest, which takes place in downtown Charlevoix, October 14–16. Area orchards will set up booths in Charlevoix’s East Park, offering over 30 varieties of apples, plus related foodstuffs like Irish apple cake, apple cider, and apple flappens (Dutch apple turnovers). A little savory to complement the sweet will come courtesy of dishes like kielbasa and chili. An arts and crafts show, interactive trains provided by Castle Farms, the Kiwanis Apple Fest Fun Run, commemorative Apple Fest 2016 T-shirts, and swing music by the Pine River Jazz Band round out the offerings; for a complete schedule of apple-y events, visit charlevoix.org or call 231-547-2101.