Pick Your Own: Apples, Quince, Kiwi, Persimmon,Medlar, Tomato

9 am to 6 pm Tuesday-Saturday, Sunday 11-6. Weekends come after 2 – avoid crowds!           ALL ORGANICALLY GROWN $5 donation per adult: orientation, grazing (come hungry) & support for our not-for-profit educational “Farm Incubator”. Bring bags! to take produce/cider home in. Mixed fruit $3/#; >10# $2.50: sweet cider-$10/½gal.

We accept Cash, venmo, zelle, cashapp, barter, silver, paypal, strike (bitcoin). Scroll down a few years to visit the posted history of picking dates-from year to year dates are similar. We are Pet friendly – for friendly pets and after 3PM on weekends. 

Available 2023

As the season winds down expect diminishing and higher proportion of blemished with benefits fruit. As of October 28 we have about 300 pounds in the field… flavor comes in smaller packages! We always have fruit at the checkout stand-‘Goldrush’!

• Nov 1-31: u-pick: Quince, Persimmon and Medlar. Fresh Raw Cider; Apples at the checkout stand: Goldrush, Enterprise,  Braeburn, Bramley’s
• Oct 18-31: Kiwi; Fresh Raw Cider; Apple(row)-Jonagold(7&8), Melrose(9) Liberty(1),Macoun&Jonamac(12), Spartan,Empire&Enterprise(13), Fuji(4), Belle de Boskoop(11) Rubinette(10), Fortune(15), Hudson’s Golden Gem(17), Topaz, Bramley’s Seedling, Quince Persimmon and Medlar.h

• Oct 9-15: Kiwi; Fresh Raw Cider; Apples & (row#) Liberty(1),Macoun&Jonamac(12), Spartan(13), Fuji(4), Mother(3), Kidd’s Orange-Red(18), PixieCrunch, Crimson Crisp, Karmijn de Sonneville(14), Topaz, Belle de Boskoop(11) Rubinette(10) Empire(14), wine/juice grapes: Siegerrebe, Madeleine Angevine, Regent, Zweigelt and Isle Belle aka Campbell’s Early.

• Sept. 26-Oct 8th: just added-Kiwi!Cider; Apples & (row#) Sansa(15) Macoun&Jonamac(12), Spartan(13), Fuji(4), Mother(3), Kidd’s Orange-Red(18), PixieCrunch, Crimson Crisp, Karmijn de Sonneville(14) and a dozen more yellow ‘ground color’ apples that are fragrant (only after they come off the tree). Bosc and Perry pears are ripening. Wine grapes Siegerrebe, Madeleine Angevine, Regent, Zweigelt and juice/jam grape Isle Belle are good sugar content. Shake your local apple tree and come up to press cider! Pear cider today
• Sept. 7-24: Cider; Apples &(row#) Dark-red sweet Sansa(15), cheesey Ellison’s Orange(19), full-flavored Karmijn de Sonneville (14&8), Fuji(4), solid red crisp Priscilla(11), Pixie Crunch & Crimson Crisp (14), ‘Honeycrisp-look out for apple worm this year(5) and baking ‘Bramleys Seedling’ (3)-better than Granny Smith!; Plums: “green marble”, Geneva Mirabelle and few purple Italian; Grapes($6/#): seedless golden Interlaken(4&5), purple Jupiter(6&7), still tart chewy Glenora(8); 100 year variety Bartlett pear(bottom of grapes), dried Aronia (far SW corner). Vegetables($3/#): cucumber, squash, beans, potatoes, green onions, herbs, tomato maze (Sungold cherry), sunflowers($3ea, u-cut)

• August 31-Sept. 4, open Labor Day! Cider; Apples &(row#)-end of sweet Zestar!(2)& tart Akane(7), dark-red sweet Sansa(15), cheesey Ellison’s Orange(19), cox-type-‘Alkmene'(20), heritage ‘Wealthy'(11), young ‘Honeycrisp'(5) and baking ‘Bramleys Seedling’ & ‘Elstar'(3)(better than Granny Smith); Plums: “green marble” & purple Italian beginning; seedless golden Interlaken(rows 4&5)& purple Jupiter(rows6&7) grapes just starting, 100 year variety Bartlett pear(bottom of grapes), Blackberries and start of Aronia(far SW corner). Vegetables($3/#): cucumber, squash, beans, potatoes, green onions, herbs, tomato maze (Sungold cherry), sunflowers($3ea,ucut)

• August 24-27: Cider pressing! Apples-end of Williams Pride, sweet Zestar!, Gravenstein, Akane, Ellison’s Orange, ‘Summerred’,PEACHES, green round plums, sour grapes. Few blueberries, Mulberry, Blackberries and start of Aronia  
• August 3-17: Apples>Gravenstein, Pristine, Redfree, William’s Pride, Baking Lodi, picked and you-pick. Also Blueberry, Mulberry, Blackberry. Next week- Zestar!
• July  27-30: Blueberries, Blackberries, Lodi & Gravenstein sauce/pie Apples, Shiro yellow Plum; Picked: Black currants, apples, plums
• July  20-23: Blueberries, Lodi sauce/pie Apple, begin-Shiro yellow Plum, Blackberries. Picked: Black currants, apples, plums
• July  13-16  Blueberries, Cherries ending(only high ladder) Jostaberry, Black Currant, Red Currant. Apricots.
• July  6-9 Cherries! Jostaberry, begin blueberries, black currant
• July 1st opening day for fruit picking! Jostaberry, Slitsa black currant

2022

October 20-30th Limited picking. Beautiful organic apples at the checkout stand: Goldrush, Liberty, King, Enterprise. We have Cider: Bring your own containers-15 cents/oz. Grapes to pick! Large and tasty Jupiter are full flavored. True CONCORD (picked) from our neighbor. 300 pounds of Isle Belle(NW Concord) to pick. Other fruit to “pick”: Quince, Medlar (Mespilus germanica), Autumn Olive, Aronia.

I made organic caramel with just sugar, cream, butter, water, honey, salt and vanilla (no Corn syrup). Then I rolled 10 different apples into the hot stuff, and then rolled some of those into toasted pecans and  hazelnuts. I have 20 at the checkout stand today. There are Medlar and Grapes to pick yet.

October 4th to 16th ‘Fobes Hill King’ apples are in! Our tree has 200 pounds to pick yet. The rest of 20 varietals is a “scavenger hunt” in the field.Grapes are beginning peak flavor, Jupiter Glenora, Reliance & Mars-with more to ripen next three weeks. Because we are the Skipley Farm fruit guys our neighbors encourage gleaning so we do! from a fine apple growing region where 90% of fruit are King – the highest flavored, most productive BIG apple on the farm. Of course there still are Autumn Olive, Aronia, few pear and Kiwi.

September 27th to October 2nd Our best fruit will be available at the stand from apples down the road)  Apples: We had a heavy pick on the 24th/25th…few left of main-field apples, 20+ varieties of grounders) Fuji is our best pick loaded as usual though scabby this year Liberty-at the stand, +5 other varieties; Autumn Olive -Amber and Garnet. Upcoming apples Topaz, Palouse. Grapes: Jupiter, Glenora, Reliance, Siegerrebe; coming up Canadice, Einset, Delight and Isle Belle. Tomatoes and Kiwi. Mostly a nice walkabout these fall days

September 15-25 15 apple varieties: Fuji, Elstar, Sansa, Ellisons Orange, Karmijn, Alkmene, Fiesta, Pixiecrunch, Gala, Kidd’s Orange-Red, Mother, few Honeycrisp, Bramley’s Seedling, Pricilla. Aronia melanocarpa berries are in there prime.

September 1-11 Open Labor Day! 9 to 6 First Grapes! ‘Interlaken’-“white” seedless 14% sugar right now, Apples-End of Gravenstein, Start of Honeycrisp(9th), Sansa, Ellison’s Orange, Alkmene, Akane, Daliest, Heirloom Bartlett Pears. Aronia, the ‘chokeberry” or “anti-covid-pill” is still easy picking, $8/#. Apples coming up Elstar, Pricilla, Fiesta. Peaches-1 small tree.

August 1-31 Apples! Lodi and Pristine, Gravenstein, William’sPride. Our huge Triple Crown Blackberries, a few blueberries, mulberries. Plums did not get pollination due to very wet spring.

July 21-31 Early blueberries 90% loss to mummyberry(inedible), $3/#, scattered mixed berries. Nursery-fruiting now!

July 14th Cherries, early Blackberries, Jostaberries, Red Currants, last of black currants.

July 7th Black currant, gooseberry and Jostaberries, Cherries beginning.

July 1st 2022. Cool spring has delayed ripening a few weeks. Now picking Black currant, Jostaberry, Salmonberry.

Summary: Scroll down for picking history through 7 years.    Orientation Required as it is a most unconventional farm-used for science and education.  80 out of 500 (apple) varieties to seasonally pick. Strictly Organic, absolutely no pesticides. Kaolin clay on the apples is white, tasteless, edible and kills nothing (not a ‘cide’) deterring 95% of pests with dust (organic spinosad is not used as it kills honeybees and some have allergic reactions). No rodenticides or herbicides. Minimal water and fertilizer. Fruit is smaller and robustly nutrient-dense consistently storing 4-6 months with lasting flavor (you’re not paying for water). Trees are 4-8 feet (no ladders). Ripe fruit drops into clean rodent-free grass/buttercup. Pick by yellow ‘ground color’. Eat only fragrant apples- Reggie the pig is selective -refusing unripe fruit. The skin is what “keeps the doctor away”. Underripe apples ripen best outside, in rodent-free tall grass-Skipley farm depends on preying wildlife.

Contact: gil@skipleyfarm.com; Text 206-679-6576

“An Apple-a-Day keeps the doctor away” COVID doctors recommend 2 apples /day….Our apples and grapes store longer because of xeriphytic growing and 85 years as a cattle farm (nutrient-dense) > storing 6+ months-that’s 180 days or 360 apples. Our apples are especially smaller this year (but equal in nutrition to conventional ‘pumped-up’ large fruit) due to drought – about 4-5 apples makes a pound – that’s 80 pounds per person or about 2 bushels (a ‘bushel’ is 38 to 44 pounds). That is historical ‘health insurance’. Here is current Kilos/person by country. The U.S. consumes 17#/person-mostly in the form of juice-questionably healthy. The health benefit is in the skin. Smaller apples are considerably more potent per calorie in phenolics, and ursolic acid-which is linked to many health benefits and suggests eating the skin only (as small children often do). Another historical fun fact is that over 150 gallons of cider were consumed per person 200 years ago (instead of often contaminated water). Cider is not apple ‘juice’- our cider is unfiltered and raw which preserves much of the apple benefits. Find an apple tree, inquire, shake it down, share some fruit or cider.  Use our cider press.

Reggie the pig  still appreciate visitors. He only likes RIPE apples.

The nursery is open year-round every day. Always call 206-679-6576 for availability. Fruiting plants like apple trees, grapes, kiwi, raspberry, currants, gooseberry, figs and this year we’ve added 20 pear and plum varieties. In addition there are 100+ select (easy care) ornamentals. ETSY has been our sales platform serving the nation.      September and October are ideal planting months with November-April close second, May & June have tender roots-careful! July & August need close water attention.

2020-2016 (History)

2020

October 18th Sunday: All Picked Yesterday! just Drops too be found, easter-egg-hunt style. Pressing cider through the day. Liberty and Enterprise apple available at the stand. Apple tasting 60 varieties top of the hour 2 to 6, $10 (come hungry).

October 1st-11th We have a bumper crop of ‘Fungal Fuji’,  where Venturia inaequalis spots the fruit via spring rain with a net benefit to our health with Salvestrol production just under the ‘scab’. A surface roughness affecting 80% of all apple varieties. It just so happens some of our favorite varieties (Fugi, Gala, Red Delicious) are very susceptible and commercially require up to 8 chemical sprays. We don’t. “Egg hunt” the tall grass for 20 more late varieties. You will find perfectly storable fruit as I find in the tall grass in April. Easier parking WEEKDAYS 9AM to 6PM. Also come Saturday 9-6 and 11-6 Sunday, plan your visit after 3 for easier parking.

Grazing/entry fee $5 adult, $3 kids. Field sampling is encouraged. Bring your own container, though we do have picking baskets for field use that we wash regularly. Priced per pound: Grapes $5; Apples, pears $4/# with price break @20# $3; 40#+ $2.75; 100#+ $2.50/#; raw cider $10/half gal.

COVID doctors recommend 2 apples/day….Our apples and grapes store longer because of xeriphytic growing and 85 years as a cattle farm> 6 months!…that’s 180 days/360 apples/80 pounds/2 bushels per person…This week bushels are $100 (40#) Did you know over 150 gallons of cider were consumed per person 200 years ago? Use our cider press.

Sept. 24th-30th Honeycrisp in it’s prime! FUJI (scabby, but darn sweet) The beautiful & tasty Liberty (McIntosh type), Fiesta (sweet party apple), Elstar (our most flavorful baker), Mother (mild and sweet). Grapes-Jupiter and 10 more seedless to sample. Autumn Olive, Aronia.

Sept. 17th-23rd Honeycrisp! Doctor recommended: 2-3 apples per day during COVID season, Honeycrisp stores easily 4 months. @2 apples/day that’s 240 or about 2 bushels (80#). Mom put up applesauce every year from 4 bushels of Staymen Winesap. Other tastier apples right now are sweet Sansa, Alkmene, Ellison’s Orange, Akane, Elstar(the most flavorful apple), and Interlaken grapes are passing with big muscaty Jupiter seedless coming on nicely. Autumn Olive and Aronia berries too.

Sept. 10-13th Laborday week! OPEN Everyday: Honeycrisp are beautiful right now. Alkmene and Sansa are my favorite as far as perfect ripeness. Few Gravenstein left, grounders all half price…groundfall are contaminated only when you touch them with your hands! Interlaken Grape is golden- green, 17% sugar. Aronia, Orcas Pears too.

Sept. 3-6: Italian plums ($3/#), First Grapes! ‘Interlaken’-“white” seedless 17% sugar right now, Apples-End of Gravenstein, Start of Honeycrisp, Sansa, Ellison’s Orange, Alkmene, Akane, Daliest, Heirloom Bartlett Pears. Aronia, the ‘chokeberry” or “anti-covid-pill” is still easy picking, $8/#. Apples coming up Elstar, Pricilla, Fiesta.

Aug. 23-27: 1st Italian prune-plums, Bartlett pear; Apples-End of Lodi, William’s Pride, Pristine; Prime picking-Gravenstein, Summerred, Zestar!, Redfree; Early picking by color-Akane, Honeycrisp, Sansa, Ellison’s Orange, Mother, Tsugaru, Alkmene. Blackberries, Aronia, last of Blueberries.

Aug. 20-23:New this week Bartlett pear, Italian plum, Apples-Zestar!-v. sweet, William’sPride-most aromatic, Gravenstein, Summerred, Redfree, last of Lodi, upcoming Akane and Sansa and Honeycrisp. Blackberries & Aronia.

Aug 13-16: same as below but early pears are done for a few weeks. Added apples- Summerred, any apple with yellowing ‘ground color’, end of Ersinger plum, zucchini, beans, tomatoes and tomatillos

Aug 6-9: Apples, Blackberries, ‘Ubileen’ pear, ‘Lodi’, ‘Gravenstein’, ‘William’s Pride’, Pristine’ few Blueberries, Mulberries.

July 30-Aug 2: Ersinger Plums! Lodi Apples, early Gravenstein Apples Blueberries, Blackberries, Mulberries

July 22-26: Ersinger plums!

Light crop on Blueberries, Blackberries, Mulberries. Lodi apples are perfect this week.

July 9th: Jostaberries are in!-tropical tart berry-a cross of black currant and gooseberry. Pick today! $6/#, we pick $18/#.

Blueberries are beginnig to ripen. $3/# Lapins Cherry are prime for picking this week.

Open July 2nd-Gooseberry, Black Currant, Red Currant

2019 History

October 17th 2019

Mostly done for the season. Vegetables-kale, chard, collards through November; Autumn Olive, Aronia, few kiwiberry; Its the “Ugly apples taste better” season and you can still find gems in the field-grounders, easily 30 varieties but slim on “perfect”.

Plant sale this Sunday 11 to 6.

October 3rd

Apples and grapes. There are a lot of fruit picked but good picks can be found on Liberty, Fuji, Jonagold, Hudson’s Goldon Gem, Gala, really ugly but delicious-Rubinette, Melrose. Grapes available (if the birds dont take them) are Jupiter and Reliance, Canadice-all seedless, and our Concord will be picked for your purchase. There are a few pears, kiwiberry, autumn olive and aronia.

September 20

Apples-mid season apples coming on-Liberty, Macoun, Mother, Fuji, Bramley’s, Empire, Honeycrisp- and still good quantities of earlier apples like Elstar, Pricilla, Alkmene, Fiesta, Akane. Grapes-golden Interlaken, big Jupiter and Strawberry Einset. Aronia berries, Perry pears,-Brandy and Barnett Perry, Autumn Olive. Open: Thursday through Saturday 9 to 6, Sunday 11 to 6. Bring your own bag! baskets for sale and use.

September 12th

Apples-prime this week Elstar-a Dutch favorite, nice complexity! Interlaken grape-pick it golden-excellent for raisins, Honeycrisp, shy this year, Akane-white-fleshed sweet tart bright red early favorite, Ellison’s Orange-a most unusual apple, & several more; Aronia berries-highest antioxidant fruit, still blackberries. Open: Thursday through Saturday 9 to 6, Sunday 11 to 6. Bring your own bag! baskets for sale and use.

August 29th

Apples Ripe: Zestar! , the tart white-fleshed Akane, sweeter Sansa, Mother, Tsugaru and Alkmene, Elstar is looking good, Honeycrisp coming up, Ellison’s Orange, the cheesey apple is perfect right now- makes great vinegar! We are cidering with Gravenstein, Redfree, Summerred and Ellison’s Orange- these are the processors and lower cost fruit right now. Also Blackberries, Aronia and Bartlett Pears. Open: Thursday through Saturday 9 to 6, Sunday 11 to 6. Bring your own bag! baskets for sale and use.

August 15th

Ok! Here we go with apple season: Wynoochee Early, a yummy mcintosh type, Ellison’s Orange, Summerred, Gravenstein, Zestar!, and Blackberries

August 10th

Rain, 1/2″, Yea for bigger fruit. Lots of sunshine this week. Same as last week, just bigger. Wynoochee Early- scrumptious

August 1st

Apples are on! Gravenstein, Lodi, William’s Pride, Triple Crown Blackberries(the big one on thornless canes), blueberries and gooseberries

Open July 5th

Currants, Gooseberry- June 27-July 14; Cherry-July 1-10; Blueberry-July 5 to Aug. 4; Blackberry-July 11-Aug. 11; Apples-July 20(Lodi)-Nov. 3; Grapes-August 22-October 27

Nursery is open anytime with a phone call 206-679-6576. Fruiting plants like apple trees,grapes, kiwi, raspberry, currants, gooseberry and more. Absolutely zero chemicals-we use clay spray on our apples which is white and edible and kills nothing but deters the pests.

Apples priced by pound, 80 flavors beginning July: <1# $5 minimum; 2-10#=$4.50/#;10-20# $4.00/#; 20-40#=$3.75/#;40-100#=$3.50/#; 100#+=$3.00/#; 2nds @ reduced prices.

2018

Late October 2018

Upick: Autumn Olive-red & gold; Discover grounders/drops upickupapples!

and at the farmstand-self serve any day: Many Apples, Quince, Pear, our famous 15 variety raw cider (half gallon=6# of apples, $10(This can be fermented into 4-16 oz. bottles of “hard cider”, compare at $25-$45). Brewers, bring your apples!

> self serve cider press. Bring your apples, containers. Press uses 10 to 12# apples /gallon, pay $2/gallon, or rent @$40/hour. Our virgin half gallon containers are extra $0.75 each. Daily rental(schedule ahead) $170, U-clean! Daily off-site, inquire. This $4500 electric machine can grind and press 300 pounds per hour.

Mid-late October

Apples-Fugi, Liberty, cider and Quince at the stand to purchase; upick> kiwi berry, tasty Jongolds, Fugi-September Wonder, Liberty, Kidd’s Orange Red, Macoun, Rubinette, Jonagold, Melrose, Jonamac, Gala, Empire, Cameo.

Washed “drops” fall 5 feet into soft grass and picked up daily are $3.00/#.

It’s the perfect planting time again! Grape plants, blueberry bushes, apple trees, black currants, jostaberry, raspberry, kiwi berry and more.

Fugis and Liberty, You can u-pick Autumn Olives- sw part of the farm any day $5/#

October 1st-2nd week

We have🍏s: Liberty scattered in orchard, Empire & Spartan-row 13, Macoun& Jonamac-row 12, Melrose on 8, Rubinette row 9, more by color row 11 and up. Also grapes-Jupiter on rows 6&7 Mars-row 3&4, Glenora-row 8, Alden and seeded wine 🍇 Siegerrebe & Madeleine Angevine between gooseberry/currant, Pinot noir-on outhouse, Regent & Agria-row 1; Autumn Olive, early Quince and few blackberries, cider & jams; Kiwi berries, late 🍎s Hudson’s Golden Gem, Jonagold in 2 weeks.

September- 2nd half

Apples and Seedless Grapes($4-$6/#)

in order of ripeness:Honeycrisp, Elstar, Alkmene, Mother, Crimson Crisp, Pixie Crunch, Tsugaru, Fugi, Empire, Bramley’s, October there will be another dozen varieties; several seedless grapes on now. open 9-6 thurs-sat, 11 to 6 Sunday through October.

September- 1st half

Apples and Seedless Grapes($4-$6/#)

Elstar-the Dutch #1, Mother-a plain high-volume eater both on row 3, Tsugaru-row 16 and Sansa – sweet sweet sweet, row 15, Ellison’s Orange-cheesy-row 19, Alkmene-a pleasant complex sibling of Cox Orange Pippin-row 20, Honeycrisp! rows 5 & 6; seedless grapes>>> Interlaken-Yellow-row 4&5 and the large purple Jupiter-row 6&7

August- 2nd half

Apples: Zestar! Our nicest Apple right now- very sweet and crisp also sweet Sansa and Tsugaru-a red delicious improvement; Bartlett Pears; Interlaken grapes(golden) are ready, Blackberries, Aronia, Elderberry

Coming up!- Alkmene, Ellison’s Orange, Elstar, Mother, Honeycrisp, Pixie Crunch, Fiesta.

August- 1st half

Blueberries, First Apples!: ‘Lodi’-best early pie/sauce apple, crispy golden ‘Pristine’, rosey ‘William’s Pride’, and our early local McIntosh ‘Wynoochee Early’, Blackberries, Mulberries. Blueberry plants in the nursery are loaded with fruit-$35 each, 3 for $90; Apple trees $15, war Raspberry plants $7

July-2nd half

Blueberries, Lodi Apples, Early Blackberries, Mulberries. Blueberry plants in the nursery are loaded-$32 each, 3 for $85; Apple trees $15, Raspberry plants $7

July-1st half

Lapins Cherries, Gooseberries, Black Currants, and the cross between these-Jostaberry, there are the beginnings of Blueberries, Red and Gold raspberries; a few Serviceberries. Nursery- blueberry, raspberry, all the black and red currant varieties, 100 different apple trees-dwarf to standard, mixed perennials-its still early enough to plant.

June

Late: Red Currants added to>

Early: Black Currant ‘Slitsa’, 1st pick> Raspberries, Serviceberry/Juneberry ‘Coles Select’

JANUARY 2018

CIDER, QUINCE, NURSERY STOCK, CLASSES, TOURS

LOG 2017:

We had about 20000 pounds 2017, Thank you for picking!

October 27th

Upick: Autumn Olive-red & gold; no upick apples!and at the farmstand-self serve any day-Apples, Quince, Asian pear, our 15 variety raw cider (half gallon=6# of apples, $10)

> self serve cider press! Bring your apples, press, $2/gallon. Our virgin half gallon containers are extra $0.75 each

October 19th

Apples-Fugi, Liberty & mixed, cider and Quince at the stand to purchase; upick> kiwi berry and a few small and scabby -though tasty-Jongolds, odds&ends this weekend. Open 9 to 6 through Sunday

It’s the perfect planting time again! Grape plants, blueberry bushes, apple trees, black currants, jostaberry, raspberry, kiwi berry and more. Great prices!

October 12th ’17

Upper field Upick is open this weekend only for apples, quince-$4/# 5# limit. Stand has picked apples-Fugi and Liberty (macintosh-type) and plums from eastern Washington as well as our fresh cider. You can u-pick Autumn Olives- sw part of the farm any day $4/#.

For Kiwi berries, Jonagold 18th-1st. Apples listed below (main field) are 95% picked out-only poor quality remains-$1.50/ pound

October 7th

We have🍏s: Liberty scattered in orchard, Empire & Spartan-row 13, Macoun& Jonamac-row 12, Melrose on 8, Rubinette row 9, more by color row 11 and up. Also grapes-Jupiter on rows 6&7 Mars-row 3&4, Glenora-row 8, Alden and seeded wine 🍇 Siegerrebe & Madeleine Angevine between gooseberry/currant, Pinot noir-on outhouse, Regent & Agria-row 1; Autumn Olive, early Quince and few blackberries, cider & jams; Kiwi berries, late 🍎s Hudson’s Golden Gem, Jonagold in 2 weeks.

October 5th

Open again! A few apple varieties are ready again. Namely- Empire, Spartan, Liberty. Grapes are decent with Jupiter, Glenora and Mars.

September 22nd ’17

This week, especially yesterday, we saw a lot of apples leave the orchard. Picking is slim until the Jonagold come on. October 12th is our expected reopening day.
Sarah, Steve, John or Becky will guide you as my Dad passed on the 21st. I am with family in Pennsylvania until the 5th.

September 14th

Mac-type apples are beginning to ripen this week and next>Liberty, Macoun, McIntosh, Spartan, Empire. Interlaken Grapes are up to 23 brix! Jupiter is on, 18 brix, Glenora is beginning at 14 brix as is the meaty Mars grape.

September 7th

Grapes! Interlaken is @15% sugar; apples- see Sept. 1st. Elstar, Mother, early Fugis, Kidd’s Orange-Red, And see below

August 31st ’17

Honeycrisp, Early Fugi (Sept. Wonder), Zabergau Reinette, Bramley’s Seedling, Ellison’s Orange, Pixie Crunch, Fiesta. Also Blackberries, Aronia, Elderberry

August 24th

Same as below

August 17th

Giant Blackberries, Blueberries- ‘Legacy’ variety, Apples-William’sPride-#1fresh eating &sauce, Gravenstein, Summerred, Sansa, Zestar! Mulberries, Aronia, Shiro and Hollywood plum, Ubileen pear, Elderberry, 2 weeks-Honeycrisp

Closed Monday’s and Tuesdays

Aug 4 2017

Blackberries, Blueberries- ‘Legacy’ variety, Apples-Lodi, Pristine, William’sPride, Summerred, coming up- Sansa, Zestar! Mulberries. In 2 weeks- sour grapes, Aronia, Ubileem pear, Elderberry, Honeycrisp

Closed Monday’s

July 31st 2017

Blueberries, Blackberries, few Raspberries, Mulberries, Pristine apples

Open 9 to 6 daily

Nursery is open

It’s Planting time… Edible landscaping is our skill: Right plant-right place; consulting, workparties.

 

At the farm stand, Feb. 2017: Apples, Chilled Cider, Quince and Black Currant fruit leathers and jams, truly raw almonds from a small farm in California, pastured pork jerky (Roam Sticks), Orange Blossom Honey from our beekeeper Jacob, Fruit trees, Blueberry bushes, Grape vines, Raspberry and many more tasties for your garden.

LOG 2016:

We had 12,000 pounds of apples in 2016. Thank you for help picking!

2016 Log follows:

October 19th: what is left to pick in the field are rough Braeburns, Quince, 30# Hudson’s Golden Gem, Rubinette. There are a few hundred pounds of drops/gleaners. $5/person, includes 2 1/2 # basket each that you can fill with picking or fruit from our stand or just come to visit the animals! They are a delight to visit and appreciate the company-especially the 2 month old goats!

October 14th ’16

2 fields-upper has picking yet,$4/# and the main has gleaning, $1.70/#

Crimson Topaz is one crunchy, zingy, late apple that is still hanging. We have about 30# yet in the upper field

Crimson Topaz

Hudson’s Golden Gem

10/16-We have 80# of the nutty Hudson’s Golden Gem

Also, our cider press is set up for your use-$2 per gallon-bring your apples, containers or use our 1/2 gallon containers. Presses up to 50gal./hr.!
October 10th: 400 pounds more to pick

Open this week 10AM to 6PM- Monday, Wednesday, Saturday; Sunday 11 to 6PM

Upper Field is open- 5 pound maximum of these varieties: CRIMSON TOPAZ, Crimson Crisp, Keepsake, PIXIE CRUNCH, Kidd’s Orange Red, Bramleys, Stayman Winesap, Goldrush, Braeburn, Hudson’s Golden Gem–all $4.00/#.

October 8th: Last week for apples- we are 3 weeks early due to 3 hot days in April causing early bloom. Still have 40 pounds of grapes and pumpkins-about 20 only. 5 pound limit in the Main Field: Fugis-Beni Shogun & September Wonder, Liberty, Kidd’s Orange Red, Macoun, Rubinette, Jonagold, Melrose, Jonamac, Gala, Empire, Cameo and drops that fall 5 feet into soft grass, all $2.00/#.

Limited amounts of ALL VARIETIES ABOVE plus others are available at the stand for $3.00/pound.

1/2 gallon jugs of variety blend Cider $7.50.

Through October: SHAKE YOUR NEIGHBORS TREES! Bring your own apples-see craigslist ad press your own

End of season specials on nursery stock: 4 year old Blueberries $100 for 5, $22 ea. Apple tree starts $100 for 10-build a fence! $13ea.

October 1st: pumpkins-yes a few from our display… Apples are winding down, with a 10 pound limit: Fugis-Beni Shogun & September Wonder, Liberty, Kidd’s Orange Red, Macoun, Hudson’s Golden Gem, Rubinette, Jonagold, Melrose, Jonamac, Gala, Empire, Spartan. We have limited quantities (5# maximum) of these picked varieties: Belle de Boskoop, Ashmead’s Kernal, Crimson Topaz, Crimson Crisp, Spitzenburg, Hudson’s Golden Gem and handfuls of some 20 other varieties–all $4.50/# Special this week only Kiwi berries; ending this week-golden Eleagnus umbellata the “Autumn Olive”… and excellence in Cider! Optional-press your own

September 24th: Peak Week! yes we’re 3 weeks early; yikes no pumpkins…but we have Apples: Fugis-Beni Shogun & September Wonder, Honeycrisp drops, Liberty, Pixie Crunch, Crimson Crisp, Crimson Topaz, Rubinette, Jonagold, Melrose, Jonamac, early Macouns, Belle de Boskoop, Eleagnus umbellata the “Autumn Olive”-red and gold, few Blackberry, few Golden Raspberry; just starting (the caterpillar drops ’em 2 weeks early!)-Kidd’s Orange Red; ending soon- Tsugaru, Mother, Blackberry
September 17th: Apples- Elstar, Honeycrisp, Liberty, Pixie Crunch, Fiesta, Rubinette, Tsugaru, Hatsuaki, Fugi types, many more getting the glow of flavor; Italian Plums, Eleagnus umbellata the “Autumn Olive”-red and gold, few Blackberry, few Golden Raspberry; just starting (the caterpillar drops ’em 2 weeks early!)-Kidd’s Orange Red; ending soon- Tsugaru, Mother, Blackberry
September 10th: Apples- Mother, Alkmene, Tsugaru, Elstar, Honeycrisp, Liberty, Pixie Crunch, Fiesta; Italian Plums, Eleagnus umbellata the “Autumn Olive”-red and gold, few Blackberry, few Golden Raspberry; just starting -Kidd’s Orange Red; ending soon-Alkmene, Gravenstein, Purple Gage Plum, Blackberry
September 3rd: Apples- Alkmene, Pricilla, Elstar, few Honeycrisp, Liberty, Pixie Crunch, Mother; Italian Plums, Eleagnus umbellata the “Autumn Olive”-red and gold, few Blackberry, few Golden Raspberry; just starting -Fiesta, Honeycrisp, Mother, Kidd’s Orange Red, Purple Gage Plum; ending soon-Alkmene, Gravenstein, Akane, Italian Plum, Blackberry

How to pick the perfect apple:

What is perfect? #1 Fragrance; #2 Yellow-red color; #3 drops-in-your-hand; #4 separates from the tree with little effort:

First look at the ground: The best tasting, finished apples drop when they’re perfect- initiated by the Codling Moth that eats a significant tunnel directly to the seeds and exits. The apple responds to this ‘wound’ with a blending of enzymes that cause early ripening-usually 1 to 2 weeks early and this is the best tasting apple de facto in the row-used as samplers at the farm market.

#1: The apple has a ‘Ground Color’ becoming more Yellow from Green (not the Red color). With a good eye you can detect yellow through the Red where the Red tints orange-especially the sunny side. #2: Lift the apple, it drops in your hand. #3: Lift and twist 1/4 turn, it drops in your hand #4: Aroma. If a bite on the sunnyside comes up starchy it may not ripen and should not come easily off the tree spur. The spur carries the flower bud for next year and STAYS when picking-be careful, use your thumb if necessary, but this usually means it’s NOT RIPE.

August 2016

August 27th: Apples-Akane, Alkmene, Pricilla, few Honeycrisp, Pixie Crunch,; Italian Plums, Autumn Olive-red and gold, Blackberry, Golden Raspberry; just starting-Fiesta, Elstar, Honeycrisp, Mother; ending soon-Akane, Alkmene, Ellison’s, Sansa, Gravenstein
August 20th: Apples-Gravenstein, Sansa, Ellison’s Orange, Wealthy; Italian Plums, Blackberry, Golden Raspberry; just starting-Honeycrisp, Akane apples, Autumn Olive-red and gold; ending soon- Blueberries, Aronia
August 13th: Apples-Zestar, Sansa, Gravenstein, Ellison’s Orange, Redfree; Blackberry, Golden Raspberry; ending soon- Blueberries, Aronia, Zestar; just starting- Sansa Apple, Autumn Olive-red and gold.
August 6th: Apples-William’s Pride, Zestar, Gravenstein, Redfree; Blackberry, Golden Raspberry; ending soon- Blueberries, William’s Pride Apple; just starting- Ellison’s Orange and Sansa Apple

 

July 2016

BERRY BLISS 2nd weekend:

Saturday & Sunday come out for berry breakfast, Smorgasbord-style. Graze the farm berries, complement wild things, the sacred stillness. Dye your hands, de-tox your belly-vitality, glowing eyes result.

$10 over 18; $5 children; under 6 free!

July 2nd: Blueberries! Peaking this week and next; Raspberry and Jostaberry; end>Gooseberries & Black Currants

July 9th: Berry Bliss Event Saturday Blueberries full-on; ending- Jostaberries, Gooseberries, Currants; Just starting: Blackberries and Aronia, Lodi Apples, Ersinger Plum

July 16: Lodi Apples, Aronia, Blackberry, Golden Raspberry; ending soon- Blueberries, Raspberry, Jostaberry, Ersinger Plum; just starting- Shiro plum

100+ varieties, Apples begin late July with Lodi, Summerred, Gravenstein, William’s Pride, Zestar

 

June 2016

June 4th: Black Currant ‘Slitsa’, 1st pick> Raspberries, Serviceberry/Juneberry ‘Coles Select’

June 11th: as above + Black Currant ‘Ben Lomond’, ‘Ben Sarek’, ‘Consort’ and ‘Blackdown’, Gooseberry ‘Invicta” Raspberries: -begin ‘Tulameen’, full-on ‘Caroline’ and golden ‘Anne’

June 18th: as above+ Raspberries, ‘Tulameen’-best for eating, ‘Caroline’-best for freezing& golden ‘Anne’ Blueberries begin-‘Patriot’, ‘Earliblue’, with ‘Duke’ and ‘Spartan’ Jostaberries-a black currant x gooseberry cross, very tasty, 60 nice bushes to pick from

June 25th: Blueberries full-on production, easy picking with mid-season ‘Blueray’ and ‘Bluecrop’, Spartan, Duke, Rubel, Bluegold, Northblue, Raspberries ‘Tulameen’, Jostaberries; Tasters only– Marionberries & Boysenberries

Open for you-pick- just call to get us out of the field! 206-679-6576

We will post hours in Facebook and here as fruit season approaches. Please like and link to our posts on Facebook. Facebook is our most active site. Picking Order of ripening summary below contact form.

August

• Early August
  • Lodi
  • Yellow Transparent
  • Pristine
  •  
• Mid August
  • Scarlet Surprise
  • Williams Pride  
  • Wynoochee Early
  • Sweet Bough
  • Summerred
• Late August
  • Red Gravenstein
  • Zestar!
  • Akane

APPLE SCHEDULE:

Be forewarned: There are 1500 small trees and some varieties there are less than 5 trees with yields of only 2 or 3 pounds/tree. Annually the 1 acre supports 30000 pounds

July 20-Aug 20 Lodi

Aug 15-Sept.5 William’s Pride

Sept 5-15 Zestar! and Gravenstein, Summerred, Sansa, Ellison’sOrange,  Alkmene, Wealthy.

Sept. 10 to 25 Honeycrisp, Bramley, Fuji, Mother, Elstar, Karmijn, Gala, Priscilla, Fameuse, Silken

Sept. 25 to Oct 5 Pixie Crunch, Crimson Crisp, Macoun, Spartan, Liberty, McIntosh,  Empire, King, Tsugaru, Hatsuaki,

Oct. 1 to Oct. 10 Melrose, Suncrisp, Belle de Boskoop, Spitzenburg, Fortune, Winter Banana, Winesap, 

Oct 10> Jonagold, Rubinette, Melrose, Decoster, Ashmead’s Kernel, Cameo,