How sweet it is: Dry, hot conditions yield fewer bushels, sweeter apples

Farmers in Virginia have worked under challenging conditions this summer with hot, dry conditions throughout much of the state.

The Shenandoah region including Augusta County and Rockingham County, remain in a drought, according to the Department of Environmental Quality.

Despite the tough growing year, peak apple season has arrived. Orchards begin harvesting apples in July and continue through early November, with a majority harvested during the fall.

In Virginia, there are 828 farms growing apples on more than 11,000 acres.

Shannon Showalter of Showalter’s Orchard & Greenhouses in Rockingham County is optimistic for decent yields this year.

“But like everything else in agriculture this year, it’s been a little trying,” he said.

The lack of rainfall resulted in smaller apples statewide, but the smaller apples can be used for processing into products like apple cider.

“We have plenty of apples, but finding a market for the fruit is the tough part,” Showalter said. “With the drought, there’s just an abundance of smaller apples that go into the juice market, which seems to be a little flooded right now.”

Showalter’s Orchard typically packs up to 90 percent of harvested apples for fresh market, but that percentage is down significantly.

Growing more than 30 apple varieties, customers may pick their own apples through early November and taste a vast selection of hard cider at the orchard’s tasting room year-round.

Showalter said his customers especially favor Golden Delicious apples.

“It’s a very good all-around apple. You can cook it, eat it, make cider out of it, and it grows really well here.”

While the downside of the abnormally dry summer is smaller apples and quantities, the upside for consumers is that the harvest should yield much sweeter apples.

Drumheller’s Orchard in Nelson County grows 22 different apple varieties with seasonal favorites like Red and Golden Delicious, September Wonder, Jonagold, Gala and Jonathan available now.

“My two personal favorite apples are Golden Delicious and the old-fashioned Stayman,” said Kevin Drumheller.

He said apples are like peaches and should be sweeter with the dry conditions.

His farm also harvested fewer bushels this year, but customers will still have an array of fresh apples from which to choose and plenty of homemade apple cider, he said.

The orchard will begin harvesting Stayman apples in late September or early October, and customers also can look forward to later varieties like Pink Lady apples in November.

Drumheller expects to have apples available until late December.