Apple Picking? (Seattle, Spokane, Orchards: to live, agriculture, activities)

[idealist]

Hi, all.

I'd love to go apple picking in the fall. Does anyone have any recommendations as to where to go (the closer to Seattle the better)? I've checked out the u-pick website but was hoping a little insider advice as to which local farms might have the best selection. Thanks for your help!

[Ira500]

Merritt Orchards is one of the few in Western Washington. It's in Bayview, WA near Mt. Vernon, in the Skagit Valley, near Bow-Edison. They grow the most delicious ( but not the Delicious variety) apples. Jonagold, Melrose, Gravenstein, and others. It's also in a beautiful setting. Worth the trip.

[CityGirl72]

You need to drive over to Eastern Wa to get the best orchards - by WEnatchee or Chelan, over by where aplets & cotlets are made

[idealist]

Thanks for the help!

[Geordie Romer]

There really aren't u-pick apple opportunities Chelan County. These are commercial orchards and you will be trespassing. There are a couple of cherry orchards that allow u-pick, but not apples that I know of.

However - I think you can pick apples in Stehekin in the historic orchards there. Check with the park service. It's a long haul, but would make for a really amazing trip.

[soggy]

It's not close to Seattle, but Green Bluff, just outside Spokane has apple picking and wonderful harvest activities! It does get crowded, though!

[davidingeorgia]

greetings...I was wondering - my wife and I are thinking of relocating to the Spokane area - what the local agriculture situation looks like there...esp. the apple orchards? we really want to live somewhere that a lot of local produce is grown and available at local markets, but I'm having a hard time finding that there's much of that left in the Spokane area, esp. regarding apple orchards, pick your own or not...thanks, David

[NCWmark]

Actually, there are tons of u-pick opportunities in and around Chelan County. Almost every orchard every where is commercial, and the large corporate ones don't allow visitors to pick apples there, but it is fairly common for the smaller family owned orchards.

Here is a link to a tour of fruit stands (http://www.wenatcheevalley.org/todo_fruitstands.html - broken link) and some are adjacent to orchards that allow u-pick of not just apples but other produce as well.

Here is a link to a company that runs apple and wine country tours, they even offer a U-Pick tour.

That was just from a quick Google search, there's a lot out there. Have fun.