Veteran’s Day is November 11th.  We would like to acknowledge and thank our veterans and current service members for their service and sacrifice.  If you are shopping with us on any of our seasonal Saturdays (see below), please let us know you are a veteran or service member and receive a complimentary bag of Golden and Red Delicious apples.

When We are Open

Reminder on our days and hours:  We are currently in our holiday seasonal schedule.  We will be open 9 am to 3 pm on Saturdays through December 18.  You can also shop by appointment – call: 269-244-5690.

Schedule for November and December:

Saturday, Nov. 13 – open 9 to 3
‘Tis the Season’ Holiday Market opens
Last day to order Holiday Pies for November pickup
Saturday, Nov. 20 – open 9 to 3
‘Tis the Season’ Holiday Market open
Holiday pie order pickup
Visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 10 am to 2 pm (by reservation)
Saturday, Nov. 27 – open 9 to 3
‘Tis the Season’ Holiday Market open
Visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 10 am to 1 pm (by reservation)
Saturday, Dec. 4 – open 9 to 3
‘Tis the Season’ Holiday Market open
Visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 10 am to 2 pm (by reservation)
Saturday, Dec. 11 – open 9 to 3
‘Tis the Season’ Holiday Market open
Last day to order Holiday Pies for December pickup
Visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 10 am to 2 pm (by reservation)
Saturday, Dec. 18 – open 9 to 3 –  Last day – then closing for the season
‘Tis the Season’ Holiday Market open
Holiday pie order pickup

Happenings on the Farm

Field Work.  We have been working out on the farm taking advantage of the nicer weather to finish outdoor jobs before the snow flies and the ground freezes.  Below our crew is Taking the plastic mulch out of our fields – a hard and dirty task!

Hard to believe that flowers are still blooming in November!  Flowers are coming out; fresh pine is going in!

Decorating.  Preparing the barn and market for our holiday market is no small task, but thankfully our talented staff members are up for it and in motion!  We hope you enjoy the many unique displays!

Apple Donations.  This is the time when many organizations are putting together food baskets for the upcoming holidays.  We appreciate our staff helping to bag apples, coordinate with various organizations, and often delivering and handing out the apples in our community.

An Old-Fashioned Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus is Coming

Santa and Mrs. Claus will be returning this year to Corey Lake Orchards.  They are looking forward to taking a break from the seasonal frenzy at the North Pole and escaping to the quietness of our farm.

You will be able to reserve your spot soon to visit with him and Mrs. Claus and take some holiday photos with your family.  Reservations will be made online – check our website for a link and more information coming soon.  Photos with family dogs, with or without their humans, are welcome also.  The inner working area of the barn by the market will be festively decorated with the quaintness of yesteryear and with several nice photo spots.  You will enjoy the vintage decorations adorning our 100 year old barn.

Dates:  Saturdays (4 available) – November 20, 27, and December 4, 11
Hours:  10 am to 2 pm (only until 1 pm on Nov. 27)
Reservations Recommended
Cost:  $20 per family

Conversation with Santa – When you make your reservation online, you will be asked information (optional) on your children like name, age, city, and gift wish list that will allow Santa to have a personalized conversation.  Our website will soon include more details regarding the event that will help make this a memorable experience.

Attire – Dress in your warm holiday attire as this is primarily an outside event though we have added some heat by Santa and the photo areas.

Holiday Market Gift Giving

Below are some of the many gift ideas and local handcrafted gifts available at our holiday market.

Candles – handmade by Tiptoe Candle Co. in Sturgis

Photo and greeting cards by several artists, including our very own Amber Sample and Barb Winne.

Several artists from the Three Rivers Artists Guild are providing us with unique items to make your gift shopping and giving easier this season.  Below Mary E. Hanlin is setting up a display.  Her art glass will brighten your home or the homes of dear ones to whom you give these sparkling works.

Lovely jewelry handcrafted by Ruth Scott.

Anna Barnhart’s whimsical tree cookie ornaments will bring a smile to any recipient’s face.  Come see these lighthearted, affordable treasures – whimsical totes, ornaments, magnets, and cards for you to enjoy!

Our own Barb Winne’s bowls make beautiful, yet functional gifts.

Just a sample of C. Lynn Johnson’s artwork available for your seasonal gift giving.

Eileen Mazurski’s popular slate paintings will be available for purchase as a gift to friends and family or maybe just for yourself!

Example of beaded jewelry made by Connie Kuilema of The Pugling Hoard.

Apples on the Market

  • Cameo:  Firm, crisp and sweet, tart. Great for snacking or baking. Keeps well in your refrigerator.
  • Cortland: A hint of tartness makes this a great baking variety, a descendent of the McIntosh.  This variety is a bit sweeter than its ancestor and juices really well.
  • Golden Delicious:  A gingery-smooth, sweet taste under a thin skin.  It is the most popular yellow apple, good eaten fresh, baked or cut in salads.  Makes a nice apple sauce and many people use for canning pie filling.
  • Jonathan: Both pretty and popular! Used for fresh eating and cooking. Juicy flavor has a spicy tang that blends well with other apples. Michigan’s cooler climate produces superb Jonathans. A favorite for making apple butter and taffy apples.
  • Pink Lady:  If you don’t know a Pink lady, you need to meet her!  It is a cross between a Lady William and Golden Delicious apple. It has bright white flesh that resists browning when cut. Pink Lady apples are very firm and dense, with a tart flavor and effervescent finish.  Very unique apple!
  • Red Delicious: America’s most popular apple, known for the “five little bumps” on the bottom.  Best for fresh eating and snacks.  Full-flavored sweet taste, yellowish flesh, and crisp texture. Come bag your own at special 60th anniversary pricing: $19.61 a bushel, $10 a half-bushel, $6 a peck (1/4 of a bushel), and $4 a half-peck
  • Rome: A big, round apple right out of storybooks! Rome’s have a mild, sweet flavor. Most popular for baking because it holds flavor and shape well.

Apples with limited supply, should get these ASAP  

  • Braeburns: Sweet with a hint of tart, and a firmness that stores well.  These traits plus the fact that they bake well have made them a very versatile apple.
  • Fuji:  Has a fantastic sweet and tart flavor, with a low acid content.  An incredibly good keeper, it says crisp for weeks without even being refrigerated.  We had a small crop of these so there are just a few left for the year.
  • Northern Spy: The professional baker’s dream, cooks up well in applesauce, pie and other dishes.  Stores well, easy to remember by saying “Spies for pies”.

New apples (for us) are available in small quantities

These are the late apples we planted in our new orchard.  Come try:  Goldrush, Granny Smith, and Arkansas Black.  These are for someone who likes a hard, juicy, tartish apple with a great flavor.

Apple pricing for the year:  $30 a bushel, $16 a half-bushel, $11 a peck (1/4 of a bushel), $6.50 a half-peck, and $3.75 a 1/4 peck.

Apple Cider

We are no longer making cider but have some frozen cider from this Fall stocked in the freezer for purchase.  We will also have hot cider on the market to enjoy while you shop.  Please note that our cider is not pasteurized and requires refrigeration.

Fresh Produce On The Market from Bankson Lake Farms

Arugula
Celery
Garlic
Herbs
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Radishes
Spinach
Swiss Chard

‘Take and Bake’ Holiday Pies

This Saturday is the last day to order “take and bake” pies for Thanksgiving!  All pies are 9-inch, frozen, and ready to bake.  We have expanded our offerings for the holiday season.

All fruit pies are $13 each; pecan pies are $15.  Stop by the market or call us at (269) 244-5690 to place your order.  Pick up Saturdays are November 20 and December 18.

We also have frozen pies available in the market.

Pies available for pre-order:
Apple – 2 crust; Apple – Dutch; Blueberry; Cherry; Cherry Berry; Peach; Pecan; Pumpkin; Rhubarb; Strawberry; Strawberry Rhubarb

CLO Cookies for the Holidays – Coming after Thanksgiving Weekend

We are once again making our own cookies for the holidays.  Choose between:

  • Sugar “cut out” cookies decorated for the holidays
  • Monster cookies

Spirits, Wine, and Hard Ciders

We have a nice selection of alcohol produced on the farm.

  • Fruit brandy in 375ml and 750ml sizes
  • Wine – an assortment of sweet and dry
  • Hard cider in 12-ounce bottles.  You can purchase them individually or mix and match them in a discounted 4- or 6-pack.

Stop by the market this Saturday and taste a sample of our hard ciders, brandies, and wines!  This is a great opportunity to try them and see which one(s) will pair well with your holiday meals or gift giving.

COVID-19 Guidelines

We are following operational guidance from the CDC as well as State and local health rules.  We are an open-air market and masks are optional though we encourage you to wear them if you have not been vaccinated.  Please note that we also follow food safety rules that regulate how produce is harvested and packaged.

We look forward to seeing you soon.  Thank you for shopping local.
From everyone at Corey Lake Orchards