Bushels and Bushels of Apples

Stuff We Love

Aug. 26, 2023

The Michigan Apple Committee (MAC) has consulted their crystal ball (their crystal apple, perhaps?) and shared their predictions for 2023: the official crop estimate is 32 million bushels—that’s 1.34 billion pounds—of apples. That’s a big apple crop, given that the average annual crop size falls around 24 million bushels, and MAC credits “high-density orchards” and “innovating growing practices” for the bump in fruit production. As a local example, King Orchards of Central Lake is looking forward to their second consecutive year of a large apple crop, which Juliette King McAvoy, VP of sales and marketing for the farm, says is definitely “unusual.” King Orchards grows 15 apple varieties, and it’s already time to grab your own bucket and start picking. “We have an early variety, Zestar, available for U-pick right now,” King McAvoy tells us, “and will have Ginger Golds available for U-pick before Labor Day.” Find King Orchards’ U-Pick Orchard & Market at 4620 N M-88 in Central Lake.