Having More Fun with Apple Picking Season

Get your apple picking outfit ready, because it's harvest season! We at Pottery Barn want to help you squeeze the most out of apple-picking season with some helpful tips and ideas for maximizing your outdoor and indoor enjoyment of autumn's favorite fruit.

Consider Your Timing

When does apple picking season begin? When does apple picking season end? There's no single answer to these questions, but it's still easy to make plans.  The first step towards a fun apple picking season is to find the right time of year for harvest season.  As with most things involving Mother Nature, apple season varies depending on where you live, what specific kind of apples you want to pick and what the weather has been like. If springtime has been sunny and not too cool, apples will ripen sooner. If spring has been cold, rainy or even snowy, apples will ripen later. Because different apple varieties ripen at different times, it's safe to say you'll be able to pick apples from mid-September through mid-October.

Maximize the Excursion

When you head out to pick apples, choose a sunny, crisp day. Select an apple picking location with plenty of grassy space available, so you can spread out a blanket or outdoor rug for a pleasant picnic. Pack a picnic basket with some sliced crusty bread, an assortment of cured meats and cheeses, honey or fig jam, Marcona almonds and sparkling water. You can supplement your al fresco feast with slices of fresh-picked apples. Firm, slightly tart apples like Jonagold, Honeycrisp and Braeburn will play well with your choice of charcuterie and cheese.

Enjoying the Fruits of Your Labor

Bringing home fresh-picked fruit is one of the best things about visiting an apple orchard, but you can also get some extra goodies as well.  After all, nothing says fall like fresh cup of apple cider! Before you start cooking or mixing up apple cider recipes, make sure your handpicked harvest is properly stored. Apples are best kept in slightly humid conditions that steadily stay between 30–35 degrees Fahrenheit. If your apples are stored somewhere too cold, hot or dry, they won't stay fresh for long!