What are your Hours?

Monday-Saturday 10-6

Sundays 12-6

Do you allow Pets?

No. Due to the new Food Safety Regulations (FSMA), we can no longer allow you to bring your pets to the orchard. Only service dogs are permitted. This is a huge change for us, as customers have been bringing their pets to our orchard since we started. Please know that this change is made under duress!

How do you know which apples are ready? How long will you have (my favorite variety/grade of apple)?

"Ask the farmer!"

Okay, so you're lost in the Pick-Your-Own block, here's what you do: Select firm, well colored, bruise-free apples. The color can be anything from green to yellow, pink, orange, bright red, dark red or even a striped combination. It all depends on the variety.

Really, the key will be to ask the farmer which are ripe. He/she will know because it is calculated from the number of days since the trees flowered. The farmer will also know which characteristics to look for in the particular varieties that he is growing.

Apples ripen from the outside of the tree towards the center, so the apples out the outside of the tree will ripen first. Another trick is to check the seeds; seeds should be brown to dark brown when the apple is ripe...then comes the taste test!

If you see the variety (Honeycrisp, River Belle, Zestar & etc.) you like or a specific grade ( #1, #2, or #3) at Maple Ridge Orchard....get it now. We have no way to guarantee we will still have YOUR FAVORITE(S) when you visit us again!

What is the correct way to pick an apple?

Picking apples directly from a tree is easy. Roll the apple upwards off the branch and give a little twist; don't pull straight away from the tree. If two apples are joined together at the top, get ready to catch, because both will come away at the same time. Do not shake the trees or branches, more fruit will fall unnecessarily. If the apple you are trying to pick drops, (or others on the tree) go ahead and pick it up; they're perfectly fine!

Are your apple trees sprayed?

All our apple trees are sprayed several times over the growing season. The need to spray is largely due to our midwestern climate. During the growing season we have warm, wet conditions with frequent rains. This is ideal weather for growing crops, but it is also ideal for insects, diseases, and weeds. The more you grow of any one crop the bigger the problem. While one tree in your backyard may escape some pests, many trees tend to attract and harbor lots of pests.

To lessen the amount of pesticides in the environment and to save money, we try to spray only when it is necessary. Chemicals are our greatest expense after labor in growing apples (close to $8,000.00 per year). We would love to not use any insecticides/fungicides, however this is just not practical. We do use a technique called Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to help lessen the amount of spraying and cost. An example would be controlling mites. European Red Spider Mites are extremely small spiders that attack apples by sucking the juices from the leaves. These mites can actually kill all the leaves on the tree. Luckily, they have several natural enemies like ladybugs, lacewings, and other mites. We try to use insecticides that do not kill these natural predators, but encourage them to kill the harmful mites.

Another reason why we need to spray is disease. Unlike insects, diseases generally must be prevented in the first place rather than eradicated later. A disease called scab is a very real problem, yet it can be managed with the application of a fungicide as early as "green-tip."

You can find organically grown apples in some stores along with other fruits and vegetables. You must realize most of these are grown in a desert-like environments where disease and insect pressure are greatly reduced and water is almost totally supplied by precious irrigation water. Here in Wisconsin we must continue to spray to grow a saleable, high quality crop of apples.

How long will your La Crosse area orchard be open this year?

Maple Ridge Orchard will be open through the first Saturday in November. We hope we leave you wanting more and look forward to seeing you (at least) one more time before we close! We love our customers, and every new year is a "family" reunion for us. Without you, our valued customer, we would not be here. Thank you!

Is it safe to eat apples off the tree?

Generally it is safe to eat apples right off the tree even though they have been sprayed. Time, sunlight, and rain all work to break down the spray compounds. We stop spraying all the trees early-mid August, so in September/October, any residue you see is totally benign! The dirt you may see on the apples is simply rain and dirt from the wind. They are perfectly safe to eat.   

Apple Fun Facts!