Updated 9/30/2026
One of my favorite things about fall in Minnesota is the ALL THE APPLES! So many different flavors and crunch levels. So many ways to enjoy your “apple a day.”
Pine Tree Apple Orchard, the orchard nearest us, has some of my favorite varieties available right now! Apples in season include Sweet Tango, Honeycrisp, Haralson, Cortland, Red Delicious, Fireside and Regent. See my List of Best Organic Apple Orchards in my area.
Pick a Peck
I’ve gotten lucky in year’s past! I’ve had friends who had big beautiful trees that they weren’t going to be able to thoroughly use, and let me come and pick my fill. I’m humbled by their generosity.😊
In farming and food rescue terms this is called “gleaning”. Regardless of what you call it, this was a win-win. I bet if you wanted, you too could end up with more apples than you know what to do with… but you’ll never know if you don’t ask! So, ask! Seriously!
These apples are organic perfection; a little apple scab here, some worm holes there, even a bird nest up in the branches. When other wild animals want my food, I see that as a really good sign that the food is good for me. No bugs around means they’ve all been killed, or would die from eating the food growing there (some food for thought).
Since then, we’ve had decent luck growing our own trees as well, with Liberty and Kindercrisp gracing our back bee yard.
So what does one do with all those apples??
I thought you’d never ask …
Naked Apple
I’m a big fan of eating apples old school- wash and eat. I even know a few (slightly crazy) people who eat the core, seeds and all. That’s not my cup of cider… but since nature provides us with a BOUNTY of apples all at once, our homesteading ancestors figured out so many amazing ways to make good use of all the parts of all those apples!
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