Photo by Alora Griffiths on Unsplash
ORCHARDS IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY:
Apple picking is an excellent fall tradition to spend some quality time with your loved ones, and stock up on apples for all the autumnal apple treats and snacking you could want. Follow this link to find several apple orchards in Cumberland County and follow the links to their sites to find out if they do pick-your-own.
HARVESTING:
When you go to pick your apples, there are a few tips to keep in mind to bruise your fruit as little as possible. First you want to grasp the apple firmly with the palm of your hand, using your fingers as little as possible. It might not seem like a lot, but pressing in with your fingers too much can cause undue bruising. Next you’ll want to “roll” your apple upward when you snap it off the branch, so that it comes off more easily. It also comes off more easily when snapped in one direction than the other, though that takes some experience, but with a little practice you can get the hang of it. Lastly, always remember to place it in your bucket or basket, never drop it, so that your apples aren’t banging against each other and getting bruised up.
COLD STORAGE:
For the most part, simply refrigerating your apples will allow them to maintain their quality for longer than a week. At room temperature, they will quickly get soft and mealy! Under ideal conditions they can be kept in cold storage for up to four months, and 12 months if they have a controlled atmosphere. That said, there are a couple considerations you may want to make when storing your apples. Most varieties can be stored at temperatures near 32ºF, but you should regularly monitor room temperatures to prevent freezing in storage units that don’t maintain a consistent temperature. Other varieties, such as honeycrisp, are prone to chilling injuries if kept at temperatures at or below 36ºF, so make sure you chill them around 37ºF.
Happy picking!
If you’re looking for something to do with all those apples you just picked, you might consider trying this classic fall recipe. If you do, let us know how it came out!
RECIPE: Baked Apple Crisp
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 8 cups unpeeled, cored and thinly sliced apples (about 8 medium apples)
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon (use 1/2 at a time)
- 1 ½ cups applesauce, unsweetened
- 1 cup uncooked rolled oats
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup evaporated skim milk
Topping:
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt, nonfat
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare a two-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, toss apples with sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and lemon juice. Place apples into casserole dish and spread the applesauce over the apples.
- Combine rolled oats, brown sugar, flour, evaporated milk, dry milk powder, and the other 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until lightly brown and bubbly. Cool slightly, but serve while warm with the topping of vanilla yogurt.
Picking: https://extension.umaine.edu/fruit/harvest-and-storage-of-tree-fruits/harvesting-procedures/
Cold Storage: https://extension.umaine.edu/fruit/harvest-and-storage-of-tree-fruits/cold-storage-conditions/
Preservation: https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4035e/
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