Saturday morning brought the first frost of the season – covering not just the pumpkins, but the flowers, herbs, grape leaves, and grass as well.  After such a long, hot stretch that began in spring and lingered well into fall, we had started to wonder if it would ever come!
The sight of frost on the pumpkin holds special meaning for our farm.  It always brings to mind the poem “When the Frost is on the Punkin,” which our father would recite from memory each year when the first frost arrived.  That frost marks an important turning point for both our team and the farm itself.  For the perennial fruit trees and grapevines, it signals the start of dormancy – their time to rest before the next growing season – and the beginning of our pruning work for the year ahead.  For all of us here, it also means shifting from the long, busy days that began in March to a gentler, slower rhythm as we settle into the winter months.
Current Days and Hours
Please note our current hours for 2025 as we will only be open on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 am to 3 pm through November 15.  Should we sell out of apples before that, we will close the market until Santa arrives on November 22.

If you can’t make it when we are open, please contact us to schedule an appointment.  Just check our website, FB, Google, or call us at (269) 244-5690 as needed.

Closed      Monday
9 to 3       Tuesday
Closed      Wednesday
Closed      Thursday
Closed      Friday
9 to 3       Saturday
Closed      Sunday
Days and Hours for our Holiday Market
Holiday Market with Santa and Mrs. Claus*
–Open Saturdays, 9 am to 3 pm – Nov. 22, Nov. 29, Dec. 6, Dec. 13

*Santa and Mrs. Claus radioed us from the North Pole last week asking how our apple crop was, and how anxious the reindeer were to get there and have some apples to eat.  We reassured them we have several bushels put away for their visit!

Days and hours outside these are available by appointment, call 269-244-5690.
Happenings on the Market
Last Friday, these young visitors who were on fall break volunteered to unload our pie pumpkins for us.  What a nice family and we thank you!🎃
Please come get some.  If you have never roasted your own pumpkin to make either pie, bread, or muffins, you will be so pleased at the difference in flavor.  And it is easy to do!
Last Saturday, we hosted the Edwardsburg Snowmobile Club’s ORV Fun Run.  The weather was perfect, and they were a fun group to have here.

Who says you can’t come to the farm on a rainy day?
Aww.  Such cute furry visitors!
Concord and Niagara Grapes….this week only
U-Pick Grapes
You can still pick grapes, but since the frost has killed the leaves and the grapes are more exposed, each cold night hurts them a little bit more, changing their texture.  Grape picking will be this week only.

We grow Concord (blue) and Niagara (white) grapes.  These grapes have seeds and are primarily for juicing, wine, and jelly.

We measure the grapes by 5-gallon buckets or a half bushel basket, which weigh 20 pounds.  Minimum quantity to pick is 20 pounds (one 5-gallon bucket).  Discounts when picking 100 pounds or more (5 buckets).

Already picked grapes are now gone for the year.
Apple Gleaning…..this week only
Apple Gleaning/Orchard Clean Up
Selected orchards are open this Tuesday and Saturday only for “orchard clean up” (gleaning) to get useable apples you can find on the trees or on the ground.  Orchard clean-up is an economical way to get apples for animals, applesauce, apple cider, or whatever need you might have for bulk apples.

Please note that this year’s orchard clean up is different than in previous years with fewer apples remaining on the trees and many apples on the ground.  This is due to us having a lighter crop of apples and the extreme heat that continued during their growing season, causing many of them to fall off the trees.

Hours: Orchard opens at 9:30 am and you must be finished by 2:30 pm.  Allow sufficient time to check-in, go to the orchard, and return to the market to check-out.   This can also be done by appointment if those times don’t work for you.

Price is $10 a bushel, sold in whole bushels only, 2-bushel minimum.  For example, the price for 2.5 bushels is $30, not $25.

Please bring your own containers.  If you don’t have bushel baskets, we will loan you some to pick in for measuring, then you can transfer them to your own containers.  If needed, we have half-bushel plastic bags for sale for 50 cents each.

Other useful (optional) items to bring include a small kitchen ladder/stepstool and wagon.  Dress appropriately for uneven ground; no climbing trees or bending branches down.
On the Market
Time is running out to stock up!  Our apple inventory is quickly diminishing, especially since we had a lighter crop of our later varieties this year.  Some varieties are sold out and others have just a few left for the year.

Here’s what we will have:

  • Fall Apples – Cameo, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Northern Spy, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, Red Rome—regular priced
  • End of Season sale on certain varieties of apples – Gala, Jonathan, Jonamac, McIntosh (few) Nu-Red, Ida Red
  • Seconds or processing apples.  The varieties and quantities vary by day as we pack them.  These are in short supply, call ahead to see if we have any and if so, we will reserve them for you.
  • Animal apples –Good for feeding your furry friends or to make cider.  Sold by the half bushel.  These are in short supply, call ahead to see if we have any and if so, we will reserve them for you.
  • Bosc Pears – a winter pear, available in small boxes to bushels
  • Fall veggies – cauliflower, red beets
  • Cider – gone for the year
  • Donuts – This Saturday, our final day
  • Baked Goods – assorted cookies, muffins, and frozen strombolis.  Baked goods will be winding down as we continue to use up our stock.
  • Take and Bake pies – assorted fruit pies continuing to be made for your holiday needs!
  • Pumpkin Rolls – in the refrigerator section
  • Local products – maple products, honey, jams, jellies, and salsas
  • Alcohol products – wines, spirits
  • Gifts – nice selection made by our local artisans
  • Ice-cold slushies – small and large, 2 flavors, last week
  • Fall ornamentals – gourds and stacking pumpkins, mini straw bales, colored corn, pie pumpkins, jack o’ lanterns, and more ornamentals
  • Jack o-Lantern pumpkins – currently just size large in stock – not many left
  • Fall squash, all squash 50 cents off.  Stock up now for the winter.  Squash will keep all winter when stored in a cool, dark, dry place.  See below for types of squash available and descriptions.
Apple Sampling
We really want to make sure that when you leave here with an apple that you’re happy with it.  So, you will find small baskets in front of the apple variety bins with apples to try.  We also encourage you to get out of your “Apple zone “and try something new.

Yes, you can try two at a time, you can even share them!
Apple Specials Counter
We have a special counter on the market with several apple varieties that are at the end of their season and nearly sold out.  Many of them make good applesauce; they are discounted.
Squash and Apple Descriptions
Types of Squash 
Acorn.  Mild, slightly nutty flavor.  Dark green skin with orange-yellow flesh.  Rich in fiber, vitamins A & C.  Great for baking, roasting, and stuffing.  Naturally sweet when cooked.
Baked Potato.  Creamy texture with rich, earthy flavor.  Tastes similar to a baked potato.  Easy to roast, mash, or stuff.  Smooth tan skin with golden flesh.  High in fiber, vitamins A & C.
Buttercup.  Rich, sweet flavor with a hint of nuttiness.  Dark green skin with a distinctive gray ‘cap’.  Dense orange flesh is good for roasting or mashing.  Excellent in soups, stews, and casseroles.  High in fiber, vitamins A & C, and potassium.
Butternut.  Sweet, nutty flavor.  Tan skin with orange-flesh.  Good for soups, stews, baked, or roasted.  High in vitamin A.  Some of our selection are quite large!  Bake and freeze some for later.
Carnival.  Sweet, nutty flavor with hints of maple syrup.  Hybrid of Acorn and Sweet Dumpling squash.  Great for roasting, stuffing, or soups.  Edible skin, no peeling needed.  High in potassium, vitamins A & C, and omega fatty acids.
Delicata.  Sweet creamy flavor with hints of corn and pumpkin.  Skin is edible when cooked.  No peeling needed, just slice and roast.  Great for baking, stuffing, and sauteing.  High in fiber and Vitamin A.
Goldilocks.  Sweet, nutty flavor.  Orange skin with orange-yellow flesh.  Perfect single serving size.  Great for baking, roasting, and stuffing.  Doubles as a colorful fall decoration.
Mashed Potato.  Creamy, fluffy texture when cooked.  Mild, slightly sweet flavor with nutty tones.  Looks and tastes like mashed potatoes.  Great for roasting, mashing, or stuffing.  High in fiber, vitamins A & C, and potassium.
Spaghetti.  Mild, slightly sweet flavor.  Flesh turns into spaghetti-like strands when cooked.  Great low carb alternative to pasta.  Rich in fiber, vitamins A & C.  Delicious with sauces, herbs, or cheese.
Turban.  Beautiful to decorate with, sweet with a nutty taste.
Types of Apples
Cameo.  A firm, crisp, and sweet apple that resists browning.  Great for fresh eating, applesauce, or baking.  Keeps well in your refrigerator.
Fuji.  A fantastic, sweet flavor with a low acid content.  An incredibly good keeper, it stays crisp for several weeks without even being refrigerated.  Excellent all-purpose use like snacking, baking, and cooking.
Gala.  A great eating and cooking apple.  It has a crisp snappy bite over a mellow sweetness.
Honeycrisp.  This seems to be many people’s favorite.  It is crisp with an excellent sweet flavor and a “bite” to it.  Great for eating fresh or using in salads.
Jonathan.  Pretty and popular, used for fresh eating and cooking, a favorite for apple butter and taffy apples.
Jonamac.  This is a good cooking or eating apple.  It combines the best qualities of a Jonathan and a MacIntosh.  A favorite for apple sauce.
McIntosh.  Aromatic, juicy, sweet, and tangy tart.  The tender white flesh of the McIntosh makes it an old time favorite.  Few left
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”.
Nu-Red.  A crisp, tart, hard, crunchy apple.  An improved version of a Red Rome.  Good for fresh eating, applesauce, pies, and baking.
Pink Lady.  Medium size apple with a firm, crisp flesh, and a tart taste with a sweet finish.  Stores well.
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.
Red Rome.  A big, round, red apple right out of storybooks!  They have a mild, sweet flavor. Most popular for baking because it holds flavor and shape well.
Yellow 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 applesauce and canning pie filling.
Thank you for your continued support and for buying local.
Everyone at Corey Lake Orchards wishes you a safe and Happy Halloween!