Our Fruit Orchards
Pick-Your-Own Fruit
Pick your own peaches, apples, and pears from the summer months into the fall month of October. Summer hours include July and August 8:00-5:00 DAILY; In years that our cherry crop survives the frost we will open early June (Hours will be announced);Fall hours include September and October 9:00-5:00 DAILY. Reservations are not required; weekends are busier than the weekdays. Apple Annie’s Orchard isa fully operational working farm. It can be dusty or even muddy and our summers are hot.
Pull-wagons are available to use while you are in the orchards picking fruit; they must be returned when you are done with your picking.
Anticipated Fruit Availability
At Apple Annie’s Orchard
Crop availability varies throughout the year for you pick and already picked. Please call or check “Weekly Crop Harvest” for current availability.
Pick-Your-Own Fruit
Cherries: Early June to mid-June
Peaches: Mid-July to Early/mid-September
Bartlett Pears: Late August
Asian Pears: August
Apples: August to October
Pick-Your-Own Fruit
Cherries: Early June to mid-June
Peaches: Late July to Late August
Bartlett Pears: Late August
Asian Pears: August
Apples: August to October
Picking Policies
Confirm availability prior to visiting by checking the websites “Weekly Crop Harvest” or calling ahead: 520-384-2084option 1 for Crop Harvest.
Before beginning to pick, you must check in with orchard staff. We will provide you with picking maps, instructions, and let you know where and what to pick and update you on everything going on that day! You will be able to purchase a box for picking and everything that is picked must be paid for at the registers. You are also welcome to bring your own containers to pick into; all containers must be weighed before entering the orchards.
We reserve the right to close the fields for picking at any time due to weather conditions, lack of ripe fruit or any other unforeseen reasons.
Apple Quick Tips:
Pick firm fruit; large apples are fine. Over-ripe, soft apples will not store or peel well, but can be used immediately for applesauce. Fresh-picked, solid apples can be stored in the refrigerator at 33 degrees for 3-12 weeks or longer, depending on the variety. Early season apples have a shorter life than late season apples.
Our apples are multi-purpose varieties, except for Red Delicious, which are better suited for fresh eating or fruit salads.
Three medium-sized apples weigh approximately one pound.
One pound of apples, cored and sliced, measures about 4 1/2 cups.
Purchase 2-3 pounds of whole apples for a 9-inch pie.
Two pounds of apples yield one quart of applesauce
Apple Varieties at Apple Annie’s
- Ambrosia
- Braeburn
- Fuji
- Gala
- Golden Delicious
- Granny Smith
- Jonathon
- Pink Lady
- Red Cameo
- Red Delicious
- Rome Beauty
| Harvest Start Date | Taste Profile | Fresh | Sauce | Pie | Salads | Baking | Freezing | Notes and Storage Tips | |
| Ambrosia | Early Sept | Sweet, low acid, crisp |  | | | | | ||
| Braeburn | Mid Aug | Sweet, tart | | | | | Ideal for tarts | ||
| Red Cameo | Early Sept | Sweet, crunchy | | | | | | Does not brown when sliced | |
| Fuji | Early Sept | Super-sweet and crisp | | | | Great Keepers; Stores well in garage or basement | |||
| Gala | Mid Aug | Sweet, fragrant and crisp | | | | | | | Must refrigerate; only keeps for a few weeks. Does not brown when sliced |
| Golden Delicious | Late Aug | Sweet mellow and crisp | | | | | | Should refrigerate | |
| Granny Smith | Mid Sept | Tart | | | | | | Firm and Tart; tend to have thick skin | |
| Jonathon | Mid Aug | Tart and keeps flavor when baked | | | | | | ||
| Pink Lady | Mid Oct | Crisp, tangy, tart and sweet | | | | | | Also good in salads | |
| Red Delicious | Late Aug | Sweet and crisp | | | soft apple; NOT good for baking | ||||
| Rome Beauty | Mid Sept | Sweet | | | | good for baking but don’t work well in pies |
Pear Quick Tips:
Asian pears are ripe and ready to eat when picked. They have a crunchy texture and are incredibly sweet and juicy. Enjoy fresh or substitute for Bartlett’s in recipes. Bartlett pears ripen off the tree. Let them sit at room temperature or wrap in newspaper and store in a cool, dry place. They will soften to eat in one to two weeks.
Pear Varieties at Apple Annie’s
- Asian Pears
- Bartlett Pears
- Rosy Bartlett Pears
Peach Quick Tips:
All of our peaches are freestone varieties, and are great for fresh eating, freezing or canning.
Peaches that are dripping juice right off the tree are wonderful, but impossible to transport. Select peaches that have a yellow undertone instead of green. The ridge on the peach should just give when pressed gently with your thumb.
Peaches will finish softening within one to seven days off of the tree. Spread them out at room temperature, in a single layer, on newspaper. Do not let them touch each other. Check morning and evening and refrigerate or use as they ripen. Do not transport or store your peaches in plastic; the heat and humidity will cause them to mold.
Peach Varieties at Apple Annie’s
- SUNSHINE – Yellow flesh freestone, 1st peach of the year
- RED HAVEN – Yellow flesh freestone. Long considered the “standard” to which other peaches are compared.
- NEW HAVEN – Similar to Red Haven, with a hint of citrus flavor. Annie’s favorite!
- STAR FIRE – Yellow flesh freestone with a little zip to it’s flavor
- GLO HAVEN – Similar to Red Haven; ripens 10-14 days after Red Haven
- JULY SUN – Similar to Glo Haven; often large size
- RED GLOBE – Yellow flesh freestone with excellent flavor
- BERENDA SUN – Bright red peach, yellow flesh freestone, with a slight twang to the flavor
- SUNCREST – Large yellow flesh freestone, excellent flavor
- ALLSTAR – Large yellow flesh peach; great for fresh eating
- BLUSHING STAR – White flesh peach, very sweet with excellent flavor. It even smells great! This is our only white peach.
- CREST HAVEN – High quality, large yellow flesh freestone. Farmer John’s favorite!
- J.H. HALE – Large yellow skinned peach with a slight blush and yellow “melting” flesh. A favorite for canning.
- O’HENRY – Firm-fleshed, high quality peach. Tends to get very sweet when mature.
- RYAN SUN – Similar to O’Henry; matures 7-10 days later.
- RED SUN – Late season firm flesh peach
- SEPTEMBER SUN – Firm flesh, very sweet
- FAIRTIME – An excellent freezer variety as well as fresh eating, is a very large peach with a balanced flavor.
- SWEET SEPTEMBER – A low-acid, firm-flesh peach with a very large size. The latest peach of the season.