They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and judging by the crowds at local orchards, apple season is in full swing across the region. “We are planning to make some jams, apple crumble pie and apple pie. It tastes very good,” says Nick Lam, who was at Barrie Hill farms Wednesday morning. Local apple producers say the wet growing season has been perfect for crops across the province. Morris Gervais owns Barrie Hill Farms. He tells CTV News he is hearing positive reviews from producers around the region. “Across Ontario I’m hearing reports that the apple crop is really good,” says Gervais. Gervais is calling this an above-average year. He says crops are bigger and just what the doctor ordered. “The honeycrisp are just entering into their prime. The size is excellent because of all the rain, and now these cool nights and sunny days they are colouring up really, really nicely,” says Gervais. Over in Clarksburg, more great growing conditions. “Cool nights and sunny days. Like 20 or 22 degrees and six or eight degrees at night. That’s the perfect recipe,” says Tom Ferri at T and K Ferri Orchard. Ferri has been in the business for 40 years. On Wednesday, his workers were in the field picking crops. If all goes well, he says the season could run past Thanksgiving. “We want people to buy Ontario apples. We would also hope they would buy Georgian Bay apples,” says Ferri. The push now is to get those apples from the orchard to market and onto kitchen tables. Ferri says the ever-popular Honey Crisp variety will be available starting this weekend.
