Indiana Apple Season Underway

In Indiana, apple season is underway. Several orchards across the state have their first apples of the season ready for picking. WRTV visited Anderson Orchard in Mooresville to learn more about this year's crop.

"It's actually a pretty good crop," said Erin Sterling with Anderson Orchard. "The rain has helped. They're sizing up nicely."

This spring, Indiana received plenty of rain, which allowed the apples to grow bigger than normal. Temperatures also play a role in apple growth, especially cool spring nights.

"We did hit some lows like 25, and that can be devastating if you're in bloom," Sterling shared. "A hard freeze (temperatures dropping below 28 degrees) in the spring, after apple flowers have bloomed, can kill the fruit before it even gets started for the season."

Fortunately, Anderson Orchard didn't experience a big freeze this spring, which was good news for the apples.

"When you start hitting 90s in September, that's not great for them. They don't keep well. They fall off," Sterling explained of the later varieties. "It needs to be cool by then. But they can usually handle it pretty well through July and August."

The perfect weather mix has resulted in a great crop this July, which is good news for apple lovers like Veronica Shook.

"We try to come on opening day every year," Shook shared. "Then we try to come once a week, sometimes twice a week." She loves the early varieties for baking and making homemade applesauce.

These early varieties are tart, not sweet, but many more varieties will be available in August, September, and October.

Anderson Orchard will start selling pre-picked apples in their farm market on July 3. U-pick apples will begin at the end of August.