BIGFORK — It’s that time of year in northwest Montana when apples of all different varieties are ready for picking.
WATCH: Apple picking season is in full swing near Flathead Lake
“Macintosh is our most popular and biggest seller,” said O'Farrell Orchards Owner David O’Farrell.
O’Farrell has owned and operated O'Farrell Orchards just south of Bigfork for close to 50 years.
He grows a variety of fruit on five acres, including apples each fall.
“Mid-September I start with some of the earlier varieties, and then it will go on into October until maybe we get froze out,” added O'Farrell.
O’Farrell picks from around 100 apple trees on his property and grows 12 different varieties.
“It’s like any fruit, when it’s fresh from a tree, store stuff doesn’t compete at all with it,” said O'Farrell.
O’Farrell sells his apples straight from his orchard and charges $3 a pound.
“And all of our smaller or damaged apples we press into apple cider and sell cider later on in the season.”
In the past, O'Farrell has partnered with local school districts to provide fresh apples for school lunches.
Different orchards in northwest Montana are providing apples for Kalispell schools this year.
“It’s nice that they get to have that variety and that difference in the store-bought and the farm-fresh,” said Kalispell School District Head Cook Chela Pease.
Pease said it’s a fun treat for the kids to have farm-fresh apples in all different shapes and sizes.
“And sometimes there will be little bug bites or whatever, and it’s like that’s what an apple should look like,” said Pease.
O’Farrell hopes people take advantage of apple season this fall.
“Visit the Valley; there are other growers and that, so it’s a good place to get some good apples,” said O'Farrell.
More information on O'Farrell Orchards can be found here.
