Get 'em fresh!

Summer may be over but that doesn't mean there's a shortage of fresh produce in Lake Country. Autumn gardens and orchards serve up some of our favorites—like apples and raspberries—and some fun fall activities to go along with them.

According to Minnesota Grown, the Minnesota Agricultural Statistics Division of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture reported a 2008 harvest of roughly 20 million pounds of apples in Minnesota. While that does not make us a statistical contender nationally for apple production, Minnesota is home to many unique apple orchards and unique apple varieties that are getting well-deserved attention. The University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station is to thank for many of our wonderful apple varieties.

Minnesota growers offer great apples, and many also focus on creating a fun family outing. Hayrides, pumpkin patches, straw mountains, petting zoos, berry picking, great food, and entertainment can all be had at various Minnesota orchards. You can gather fall ornamentals to decorate your landscape, send a basket of apples to a student who's been shipped-off to school, or fling an apple at a target with a giant apple slingshot or air cannon—just to name a few of the fun things to discover.

Where to go:
Use the Minnesota Grown Directory shortcut list of Minnesota apple orchards, or simply use the "Buy Local Bullseye."

Apple Varieties:
Late September is the "sweet-spot" of the Minnesota apple season. Most growers—especially those with some cold storage—have many varieties to try and buy right now. Everyone has their favorite apple, but the truth is that almost all of the popular varieties put a Red Delicious to shame. You really can't go wrong at a Minnesota orchard right now!

SweeTango is the new U of M-developed apple getting all the attention. They're ripe and being picked and sold right now at many local orchards, although there will be limited production this year. Minnesota-grown SweeTango will not likely be available in grocery stores until next year.

Honeycrisp should be widely available by now. Going direct to the grower is the only sure path to Honeycrisp heaven. If you can't make it out to an orchard, make sure you ask your local grocer for Minnesota-grown Honeycrisp, as some imposters do enter the state.

Sweet Sixteen and Cortland should be widely available very soon.

Haralson and Honeygold may be a couple weeks out yet. (Save room in the fridge for these late-season keepers).

With all of the fun fall activities starting, it is easy to forget that we have fall raspberries available to us in Minnesota! Fall-bearing raspberries usually start in early August and will be picked through mid-October. If we don't have a hard freeze early in the season, picking could go longer than expected. So call your local berry patch in advance—then get outside and enjoy the fall harvest season!