Apple Varieties Available
Appleland orchards were first planted back in 1946. We have grown our apple production since its early beginnings seventy plus years ago and expanded to other produce and products. The heart of our operation still lies in producing apples. Appleland remains a family-owned business. Click on the Appleland History link for more information.
We pride ourselves in offering you a wide variety of multi-purpose apples throughout the season. Appleland offers both Pre-Picked and U-Pick apples in-season. See U-Pick Apples section for more information.
We realize people have different tastes with different needs for using our apples. Appleland offers many different types of apples for your choosing, including Honeycrisp. See the chart below for apple varieties we produce in our orchard with a description of their flavor and texture, when each apple variety ripens and is ready to pick, along with their uses and even some special hints.
Available Now: We have Pre-Picked Cortland, Empire, EverCrisp, Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, McIntosh, Pink Lady, Snow Sweet and Zestar. We also have Imperfects (2nd-3rd Grade) Apples in the large, red mesh bags ready for purchase and Cases of Cortland and Honeycrisp 2nds. U-Pick Apple season ended Oct. 29th.
Arriving Soon in the market: Ida Red (11/2)
We offer some storing and keeping hints for your apples. Click storing your apples for more information.
U-PICK APPLES
2023 U-Pick Apple Season
U-PICK APPLES ENDED OCTOBER 29TH! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO JOINED US IN THE APPLE ORCHARD. The Market will remain open for the season through December 17th.
We had U-Pick Honeycrisp weekends during Sunflower Festival on Sept 2 & 3 and Appleland’s Fall Festival on Sept 23 & 24. Thank you to everyone who came out to pick Honeycrisp during our festivals. If you missed it, watch for our 2024 festival dates which will again include U-Pick Honeycrisp.
The Appleland U-Pick Apples Process –
Are you coming out to the orchard to pick your own apples? We look forward to your visit and hope you have a fun time picking apples in our orchard and creating great memories!
Here is a brief summary of what to expect upon your arrival at Appleland. First we require pre-purchase of the bag(s) inside the market. U-Pick apple bags are sold in three sizes (half bushel, peck or half peck quantities). A handwashing station is provided outside of the store. Everyone who will be picking apples is required to wash their hands with soap and water prior to heading out into the orchard. You can mix and match apple varieties. We list U-Pick varieties available for picking on-line and in the market. We have signs posted by each row denoting the variety for ease of picking.
No Pets Policy – No pets are allowed in our orchards or inside the market. Appleland follows food safety measures put out by the USDA. Many of us are pet owners and love our animals. But for food safety reasons, please leave your dogs at home or they will need to stay in the car while at the orchard. We do allow service animals. Thank you.
Appleland’s U-Pick Apple Season normally runs from late-August to late-October while quantities and varieties are available. The timing is always dependent on Mother Nature and the impact of the weather on the fruit ripening process and timing of the first freeze. U-Pick varieties include McIntosh, Cortland, Empire, Gala, Paula Red, Zestar, Red Delicious and Golden Delicious. Call us at (262) 692-2560 for the latest varieties of U-Pick Apples available. See the Appleland U-Pick Apples Process above for further information.
Come out to Appleland for an old fashioned, family-friendly experience. Appleland Farm Market is just 20 minutes north of Milwaukee, so you don’t need to drive far to find us. We are situated along rolling hills and the open countryside. Look for the iconic red apple on the side of the silo. Appleland Farm Market is located inside the red building with a green roof. We offer a full playground featuring an old fashioned tractor, a sand tire pyramid and horse swings for the kids to enjoy their time out in the country. Bring a picnic lunch and savor the experience while overlooking our orchards seated at one of the picnic tables.
Keeping and Storing Your Apples
One of the great advantages of apples over other orchard fruits is that many of them can be stored for use after harvest.
In general, the earlier apples are best for fresh eating and applesauce and do not store well, while the later varieties make better winter storage apples. And of course, the cooler late fall weather helps the late apples to keep better too.
Early-season apples
Early season apples like our Paula Red generally do not keep and should be eaten or used within a week. The exception is the Zestar which will keep for several weeks (see storage for mid-season apples).
Mid-season apples
Mid-season apples usually keep for 2-3 weeks. We recommend putting 5-10 apples in a polythene bag, make a few air-holes, and store in the coolest part of your refrigerator to keep them fresh. An apple’s shelf-life is decreased by half when kept out at room temperature.
Late-season apples
Late-season apples usually keep the longest. Most late-season apple varieties last until Christmas when stored in a cold place. Several varieties will keep well into January. There is no standard for which varieties will store best. A good rule of thumb is the later a variety ripens the longer it will keep – Fuji, Pinova and Ida Red being good examples. Varieties related to Golden Delicious such as Gala are also likely to keep well. Many traditional cooking apples also keep well, since in the days before refrigeration this was an important quality in a cooking apple.
How to store apples for the winter
Here are some suggestions to help you pick your apples and store them for the winter.
Picking:
- Are you picking apples with the intention of storing them? If so, it is best to pick them slightly under-ripe. If you pick your apples fully ripe, they are more likely to become over-ripe during storage.
- Pick apples first thing in the morning when they are still cool from overnight.
Once Home:
- Sort your apples to remove any that are damaged; especially bruised apples.
- Refrigerate apples if daytime temperatures are still warm until winter temperatures arrive. If storing apples in a refrigerator, put them in polythene bags; 5-10 to a bag, and make a few air-holes, which helps with air circulation and counteracts the dry air found in a refrigerator.
- Store the apples in a frost-free shed or garage once daytime temperatures fall to just above freezing . The storage location must be cold, but frost-free. If the apples freeze they will become unusable.
- Place apples on trays in traditional wooden boxes, seed trays, or cardboard boxes. Good air circulation and humidity are the most important things for successful storage. Try a mix of storage materials (including keeping some apples in polythene bags) as some methods may work better than others in your situation.
Usage and Checking:
- Use the larger apples first since the smaller ones tend to keep longer.
- Check your apples regularly and remove any rotting fruit.