Days and Hours Open 

Thursday – 9 am to 6 pm
Friday – 9 am to 6 pm
Saturday – 9 am to 6 pm
Sunday – 9 am to 4 pm
Monday – Closed
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – Closed

Call us at (269) 244-5690 or check for updates on our website: www.coreylakeorchards.com
We hope you are enjoying the gorgeous late summer weather as much as we are!  It is a nice break from the sweltering heat in the fields and on the market.  So far no “dog days of August” …. but maybe that is because we had them in June and July!

Summer will soon be over so take time to eat and enjoy the wide array of fruits and vegetables available this time of year.  Fall is coming quickly, and they will soon disappear!  Our summer crops are winding up their growing season.
On Sunday we had a Sunflower Paint and Sip class where our community “painters” got a jump on the upcoming sunflower season!  They made colorful shopping totes and small canvas bags – all while having a good time.  We hope they bring them the next time they shop with us!  Watch for more sip and paint classes this fall.
Saturday is our final Yoga class for the year!  Thanks to everyone who attended a session or two this summer and for supporting Harmony Yoga, our local studio.  See details on the class below.

We are hiring for part time, seasonal help this Fall.  Please see the end of this newsletter.

We look forward to seeing you soon!
Produce Update
Our seasonal produce is continuing to ripen several weeks ahead of schedule due to our warmer than usual weather.  Please watch our newsletter for updates so you don’t miss your favorite fruits and vegetables!

Bartlett Pears
We now have Bartlett pears on the market for sale in small quantities to bushels.  If picking up half bushels or larger quantities, please bring a container to take them home in.  These are wonderful pears for fresh eating and canning.

How to Ripen.  Pears are picked green and ripen from the inside out in about 7 to 10 days.  Just lay them out in a single layer preferably in a cool, dark place (at least get them out of direct sunshine).  They will turn from green to yellow and get juicier as they get riper.  Warning: Juice will drip as you eat them!
Canning Tomatoes 
This is canning tomato season time!  Tomatoes are available in bushels and half bushels.  We will also have a limited supply of Romas available.  We expect the canning tomato season to run through August.  Please call 269-244-5690 to schedule an order.  We will also try to keep some available on the market for walk-ins.  Please bring containers to take your tomatoes home in.  We have contacted or left messages for everyone on our Tomato List, please call us if you still need to connect.
Peaches
We will have peaches again this weekend!  These are coming from an orchard in mid-Michigan since the SW Michigan peaches froze out this year.  This week’s peach is Starfire and they are beautiful!  These are the same ones we had two weeks ago.  They are a freestone peach good for canning, freezing, and fresh eating.
Sweet Corn
Sweet corn is still in season, and we are predicting it will go through Labor Day weekend!   We sell it by the ear, half dozen, dozen, and 5-dozen bushels.  We try to keep a few bushels on hand, but if you can call in advance (269-244-5690) that helps us to have it ready for you.

The ongoing weather variances have affected how the corn and other vegetables are growing this season.  Last week some of the corn ears matured differently than normal which caused the ears to be dried out.  Our goal is to make sure you leave with as many quality ears as you paid for.  If you ever receive something here you are not happy with, please let us know so we can make it right.
Peppers – Bulk Quantities
If you need vegetables in bulk for canning, freezing, etc. please call the market for pricing and to preorder.  269-244-5690.  We grow several types of peppers for processing – bell (and variations in color), yellow banana, hot Hungarian, and jalapeno.  They are sold in half bushels and bushels; peppers are also available by the peck (quarter bushel).

Blueberries
We have already picked blueberries on the market from our long-term supplier, Brookside Farms.  They are available by the pint, quart, 5-pound box, and 10-pound box.  This could be our last weekend as blueberries are nearing the end of their season.

Sunflower Update
Our sunflower field is expected to bloom around the last week of August, they usually last about 10 to 15 days depending on the weather.  Please check back for updates.  The bloom is dependent on the weather conditions.  As you can see, they are getting close!

Professional photographers can access the field in the evenings and on the days we are closed.  Please contact Brenda@coreylakeorchards.com  to schedule an appointment.  See the website for our photo policy and fees.
Grape Update
We will have grapes this year but the crop will be lighter due to some frost damage.  Grapes typically don’t get ripe until mid- to late September.  Please watch the newsletter for updates.  Below are Niagara grapes growing.
 What is on the Market
Summer Apples – EarliBlaze, a good eating and cooking apple, excellent for pies.  This is one of two apples that we feel is up to the flavor that we want in an apple pie, the other one is Northern Spy, which comes mid to late September.

Bartlett Pears – quarter pecks, half pecks, pecks, half bushels and bushels

Blueberries – pints, quarts, 5- and 10-pound boxes

Peaches – quarts, half pecks, pecks, and half bushels

Bankson Lake Produce
Fresh vegetables: Just Lettuce, Spicy Lettuce, Spinach, Arugula, lettuce heads, kale, garlic, radishes and mushrooms.  The lettuces are prewashed, bagged, and ready to use.

Vegetables this week – yellow squash, zucchini, potatoes, cukes, cabbage, onions, shallots, peppers, eggplant, sweet corn, and tomatoes.

Flowers
Cut your own bouquet from the terrace garden of flowers next to the parking lot this week.  Check in at the market first for scissors and directions.  Flowers do better when picked in the morning, before the stronger sun and heat of the day.  We also have nice bouquets already picked from Flowerfield Farmstead.
Baked Goods
We have lots of wonderful baked treats available!

In our freezer section, just “bake and enjoy”:
— Fruit pies in assorted farm fresh flavors.
— Stromboli’s – various types in breakfast, sandwich, and pizza styles.  These make an easy meal, especially when combined with a side salad.

Freshly baked:
— Assorted cookies, breads, muffins
— Our specialty breads: blueberry zucchini and cinnamon
— Focaccia breads made with our fresh farm produce
— Donuts in buttermilk, blueberry, and cherry along with iced yeast donut rings decorated with sprinkles and “googly eyes”
— Cinnamon rolls, a favorite of many of our customers, available Friday afternoons through the Sunday, or until we run out!
Alcohol
Hard Cider and Wine Sampling – this Saturday, from 11 am to 1
Stop by the market and try a sample of our hard ciders and wines.  We feature different ones for you to try each week.

Check out our assortment of alcohol products – wine, hard ciders, and spirits.  Our products are made on-site in small batches.  We distill the brandies on the farm and use our fresh apple cider as the basis for fermenting our hard ciders.

Do you like a drink that is neither sweet nor dry, but right in the middle?  Try our Semi-Sweet Hard Cider.  It’s pure apple, no other flavorings added.
Grocery
We have a great selection of local products we know you will enjoy.  Please note that we are no longer carrying local eggs for sale.

  • Amish Fry Pies from Yoder’s Deli, Centerville.  These individual, hand-held size pies are available in Apple, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, Strawberry-Rhubarb, Black Raspberry, and Red Raspberry.
  • Pork products from Jake’s Country Meats, Jones.
  • Gluten-free items from Gluten Free Sensations, Three Rivers.  Find cookies, brownies, cinnamon rolls, granola and more in the freezer section.
  • Oat Bites snacks and granola in several flavors.
  • Amish made jams, jellies, and salsas, made by Scherger’s Kettle, Shipshewana
  • Pure honey from bees buzzing just a couple of miles away at Babcock’s Apiary.
  • Maple syrup products including the new Barrel-Aged Bourbon Maple Syrup (non-alcoholic) made by Maple Row Sugarhouse using our bourbon barrels.
  • Olive oil, vinegar, and salad dressings
  • Snacking items: potato and tortilla chips, sweet potato chips, crackers, pretzels, flavored mustards, and snacking cheese.
  • Greek style freshly made yogurt in pints and quarts from Mattawan Creamery.
  • Locally made vanilla ice cream from Plainwell Ice Cream
  • Fresh, local, milk in gallons, half gallons, and single-serve bottles from Amish Country Dairy.
  • Dried cherries and blueberries, dark and milk chocolate covered cherries
Gifts
Check out our wide range of hand-crafted gift items and original artwork, most of it made by our local artisans.

  • Paintings
  • Jewelry
  • Kitchen items
  • Tote and shopping bags
  • Candles
  • Note cards
  • Seasonal lakeside living gifts
  • Corey Lake Orchard branded items – golf balls, insulated bags, notebooks, coffee cups, key chains, magnets
  • Corey Lake Orchard gift certificates
Inviting Spaces
While at the market, we invite you to take a moment and relax in our many outdoor spaces.  There are tables and chairs in the play area and tables set up in the “onion barn.  This is the time of year when so much produce is coming in you may have to share you space with tomatoes!

Find a place to savor our baked goods and beverages like slushies, milk, coffee, hard ciders, and sodas while conversing with friends or families, or just taking a much-needed “escape”.

We also rent out the space for private events.  For more information on reserving the space, please see our event space website page or contact Brenda@coreylakeorchards.com.
‘Yoga at the Farm’ – Saturdays @ 10:30am
This is it!  Join us this week for a rejuvenating and beginner-friendly yoga experience presented by Harmony Yoga Three Rivers!  Ages 8 and up (with a parent), all yoga abilities welcome.

Saturdays, 10:30-11:30 am
$20 per person, includes a small slushy.  Class is free for Harmony Yoga members; Class Pack Holders – use one of your classes.

–Registration through Harmony Yoga is recommended but not required.  To register or learn more go to harmonyyogatr.com/events.
–Parking:  Park west of the market and farmhouse by the greenhouses, next to the yoga yard.
–Check in with the instructor in the area in front of the farmhouse, next to the red truck.
–Please bring your mats as they have a limited number to borrow, bottled water, a beach-size towel, and shoes for walking to the class.
Happenings on the Farm
Bartlett Pear Picking
This week we are busy harvesting our Bartlett pears.  There are only a handful of pear orchards in Michigan and we have one of them.  Picking pears is a labor of love, the pears are very heavy, and the orchard is on a steep hill.  This is the hardest job we have on the farm and we are so grateful to the team that picks these every year.
EarliBlaze Apples
Our EarliBlaze apples are beautiful but too plentiful this year.  As you can see, they are pushing out for space to grow.
Planning for the Fall Season – Join our Team!
Fall planning is underway.  Fall is our busiest season, because we are first and foremost an apple farm!  Add in u-pick grapes, pumpkins, donuts and cider, and the fall frenzy begins!

Our Fall season is about a six-week window, and we need help!  We are looking to hire additional people who might have some time on their hands to help us get through it.

If you are retired, have some of your day open while the kids are in school, would work some of your weekends during the fall, or in job transition right now, this may be the perfect job opportunity for you!

We are looking for people who love Fall on a farm, enjoy working with a team, are people-oriented, and are looking for a part time, seasonal job.  This is an excellent way to earn extra income for school, family needs, or for the holidays.

Please apply online on our website.
Thank you for your continued support and for buying local.
Everyone at Corey Lake Orchards wishes our students and families a safe and enjoyable school year!