The regular season is over for 2011.

Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning’s we will have fresh baked apple scones and turnovers — which go great with our own Orchard Blend roasted coffee.  You can take a walk on the nature trail, visit the goats, stop in at the kid’s korral or simply relax and take in the view.

We know everyone looks forward to their favorite apples! But like everything else this growing season, apples are a little behind their normal schedule. So…for opening weekend we will have State Fair, Red Free and Zestar! apples.  Hopefully, the Estevahl will ready for harvest by the next weekend.

Of course, caramel apples don’t grow on trees, so we’re go to go!

Check this space for weekly updates on the growing season, special activities and whatever else we need to share!

Hours:  Open Daily 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

We are planning for another great fall!  Hayrides, music at the orchard, brat feeds, pumpkins, caramel apples — all those elements that make a trip to the orchard special!

We open Labor Day Weekend, September 3, 4 & 5 and will be open daily thereafter from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm.

This fall at the orchard you will find amazing, tree-ripened apples, bakery products made with real fruit, unique varieties of pumpkins, great fall colors and a family atmosphere.

The orchard is open daily from 10:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  Check out the fall activities page for information about daily and weekend activities.

Due to popular demand, the Appleshed will also be open each morning, July 5-9 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.  We have fun summer gift items, gourmet foods as well as our delightful strawberry rhubarb pies.  Pre-picked berries will be available too at the Appleshed each day.

If this is your first time to the strawberry patch, please go to the orchard parking lot, there is a black mailbox attached to the orchard sign.  In it, you will find a map with directions to the patch.

We will be open for picking the Fourth of July weekend and you won’t want to miss our Strawberry Barn Sale at the Appleshed!  The Appleshed will be open July 1, 2, 3 & 4 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. We have great summer gift and garden, candles and gourmet foods.  We have been busy making yummy strawberry-rhubarb pies and plan on some other strawberry treats from our bakery.  There are discounts on our famous Pleasant Valley Orchard apple pies and crisp!  Limited amounts of pre-picked berries will be available each day of the sale.

We currently anticipate having berries through the second week of July. As always, we invite you to call ahead 651-257-9159 before you head out to the patch.

If this is your first time to pick strawberries, go to the main orchard parking lot, there is a black mail box attached to the orchard sign with directions to the patch.

If this is your first time to pick strawberries, go to the main orchard parking lot, there is a black mail box attached to the orchard sign with directions to the patch.

• Always pick the berries with the stem on.
• Pick all the red ripe fruit, both large and small — look under the leaves, they like to hide!
• Leave bad fruit in the row for our staff to clean.  (Did you ever notice how they walk around with ice cream buckets?) This helps reduce disease.
• Handle fruit gently, don’t overfill your flat so you don’t bruise the berries on the bottom.
• Refrigerate berries as soon as possible. If you can’t get them home right away, make sure to keep them out of direct sunlight.
• Don’t wash them until you are ready to use them. Fresh berries will keep 2-3 days.

Here’s an easy way to hull berries we discovered that really reduces your processing time!  Use a metal teaspoon from your measuring set and remove the stem with a flick of your wrist.