A Double Header on the Farm this Weekend – Sunflowers and U-pick Apples 9-10-26

9 am to 6 pm – Friday
9 am to 4 pm – Thursday, Saturday
9 am to 2 pm – Tuesday, Sunday
Closed – Monday, Wednesday

Please note: We will be changing to our Fall hours to accommodate grape picking starting September 20. 

With school and work routines back in full swing, now is a perfect time to soak up a little sunshine in our sunflower field and let those gorgeous golden blooms brighten your day!  And nothing beats a fresh-picked apple, smelling the sweet aroma, and being amongst the trees.  And you will probably smell the scent of grapes ripening nearby.

Both our sunflower field and u-pick apple orchard offer the perfect escape to slow down, breathe in the fresh air, and reconnect with nature.

So, gather up the kids, grab your camera, and make some unforgettable memories walking among our happy blooms and picking apples.  Do it soon – the sunflowers may only last through this weekend and the apple season will be short this year.

We ask that you take a moment to read the story of our 2026 Apple Crop.  This will not be a typical year for apples.  Due to weather events outside our control, our orchard as well as other apple growers, are experiencing some crop damage resulting in a shortage of some varieties of apples in SW Michigan this year.

What does that mean for you?

• We have more second-quality apples for sale and will offer them by the half bushel in the market at a discounted rate.
• We had less of a crop of our early varieties, most of them are already gone and others are selling quickly.
• We have less McIntosh and will soon be sold out for the year.
• We were not able to open our u-pick apple orchard on Labor Day as we have traditionally done.
• We are having a shortened u-pick season.
• Keep in mind that apples, grapes, and other crops are ripening about 7 to 10 days ahead of schedule this year.  This is not the year to delay.

Fall is in the air and some of our apples are now ripe!  The u-pick apple orchard is open Saturdays and Sundays only.  Check our website homepage for any updates before driving out.

• Days and Hours open: Saturday open 9:30 am to 3:30 pm; Sunday open 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
• Picking minimum: one peck ($13), prepay
• No reservations needed
• Varieties available: Spartan and Empire (both are similar to a McIntosh), Cortland, Crimson Gala, Golden Supreme, Ida Red, and Jonathan.  See apple descriptions at the end of this newsletter.
• Must check in at the market first, to get your picking bag(s), instructions, and prepay.  You will be driving to the orchard, only one person from the group needs to check in.  No need to get the excited kids out, and then right back into the car.
• Our apple prices are the same whether you pick or we pick.
• See our u-pick apple webpage for additional information including pricing, what to bring, and more.

Visit the Sunflower Field!  This is a large field – over 3 acres of stunning blooms!  Two different walking paths – short and long.

Please check our Sunflower Experience 2026 webpage for event details.

Admission Fees and Flower Pricing

• $5 for ages 11 years and up
• $3 for accompanied children through 10 years old
• No charge for babies and toddlers
• Each paid admission gets a complimentary bloom to take home
• Additional blooms are $2 each or $1.50 each for 6 or more
• Please check in at the market for directions to the field, pay the entrance fee, and get your ticket.  You will be driving to the field so only one person needs to check in.

Sunflower Field Hours

• Each day the market is open, the field will open at 9:30 am.  It will close 30 minutes before the market closes.  Hours: Thursday from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm; Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm; Saturday from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm; Sunday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm.
• Closed Mondays and Wednesdays
• If you are traveling far, please call ahead or check the website before you leave to make sure the field is open.  It could close if there is a storm or a lot of rain.

Professional photographers.  Our sunflower field is a wonderful spot to take memorable photos like family, engagements, maternity, children, high school seniors, and more!  Photographers have access to the field during the “golden hour” after our field has closed to the public as well as other times.  See the website for our photo policy, how to schedule, and fees.  https://coreylakeorchards.com/photo-policy/

We grow Concord (blue) and Niagara (white) grapes, both are excellent juice grapes (with seeds).  Please note that grapes are ripening about 7 to 10 days earlier this year so the season will start and end sooner.  We will have u-pick available by reservation, have them for sale on the market soon, and will take orders for already picked half bushels and bushels.

Important!  Please check for updates on the website, Facebook posts, or call us.

U-Pick Grapes
We encourage you to pick your own, please make a reservation to pick.  Start date for both varieties is Saturday, September 19.

There are two links on the homepage of our website and also below: 1) a link to the grape u-pick page that has pricing, what to bring, days and hours the vineyard is open, and more, 2) a link to the reservation system (coming soon!) so you can schedule a day and time.  Call us at 269-244-5690 should you need assistance with scheduling or have questions about the grapes.

Already Picked Grapes
We are taking pre-orders for already picked Concord and Niagara grapes (bushels and half bushels).  Please call the market at 269-244-5690 or stop by to be added to our list.  Once the harvest is underway, someone will contact you.

Assorted Fruit 

• Apples – Cortland, Gala, Jonagold, Jonamac, McIntosh, Mollie’s Delicious. Apple are sold in small bags to pecks and bushels (for most varieties).  See apple descriptions at the end of this newsletter.
• Early Honeycrisp, priced differently, have regular and “not so perfect”
• Processing/ second quality apples in assorted varieties by the half bushel when available.  Type of apple depends on what we are sorting and bagging that day.  We also have animal apples that are great for animals and for pressing juice.
• Bartlett pears – available by the quart, 2-quart, half peck, peck, half bushel, and bushel.  Pears are picked green as they ripen from the inside out, and it takes 7-10 days to ripen.

Beautiful winter squash coming in from our fields!

Ice cold slushies

Fall ornamentals – gourds, mums, stacking and decorative pumpkins, pie pumpkins, Jack’o Lanterns (for decoration only, too early to get for Halloween), mini straw bales

• “Take and bake” frozen fruit pies – made from assorted fruit, take home to bake.
• Assorted cookies, breads and muffins – daily
• New for fall season – apple caramel cookies, apple spice muffins, and pumpkin muffins
• Donuts – Saturday and Sunday only – in buttermilk and our popular apple cider flavor!
• “Take and bake” frozen Strombolis – 10 different types, ranging from breakfast to pizza to traditional styles.  Take home to bake.

Spirits.  Find apple, peach, grape, and pear brandy; vodka; and white whiskey.

Wines.  Nice assortment to choose from – dry, sweet and semi-sweet wines in whites and reds

Hard Ciders.  Blueberry, cherry, maple, peach pear, rhubarb, dry apple, semi-sweet apple, and sweet apple

Have you tried our Full House wine?  It is a white, semi-dry, full-bodied wine that bursts with ripe apple and pear flavor.  Serve chilled alone, with sweet to spicy entrees, or with a fruit dessert.

Already Picked on the Market
Cortland.  A hint of tartness makes this a great eating, cooking, and baking variety.  It’s a descendent of the McIntosh, but a bit sweeter than its ancestor.  Juices really well.
Early Honeycrisp.  Everyone’s favorite.  Crisp with an excellent sweet flavor and a “bite”.  Great for eating fresh or in salads.  Keep refrigerated and use within two weeks.
Gala.  A great eating and cooking apple.  It has a crisp snappy bite over a mellow sweetness.  Makes a sweet applesauce (no additional sugar needed) or mix with a tarter apple to sweeten that sauce.
Jonagold.  Superbly crisp and juicy with shades of tart and sweet in each apple, very large and aromatic.  Cross between a Jonathan and Golden Delicious.
Jonamac.  A cross between Jonathan and McIntosh apples, similar to a McIntosh in taste, but sweeter.  Firm flesh, crisp sweet/tart flavor.  Good for fresh eating, salads, and applesauce.
McIntosh.  Aromatic, juicy, sweet, and tangy tart.  The tender white flesh of the McIntosh makes it an old time favorite.
Mollie’s Delicious.  A large, sweet, eating apple (not for cooking).

U-Pick
Cortland.  A hint of tartness makes this a great eating, cooking, and baking variety.  It’s a descendent of the McIntosh, but a bit sweeter than its ancestor.  Juices really well.
Crimson Gala.  An intense-coloring strain of Gala with a bright, cherry red color.  Has the characteristics of a Gala; great for eating and cooking.
Golden Supreme.  A medium sized apple with a sweet juicy flavor, good for drying, baking, and making cider.  Keeps for months in refrigerated storage.
Empire.  Red with a few white tints, creamy white interior, juicy and sweet.  A cross between Red Delicious and McIntosh.
Ida Red.  Suits your every use!  Eat fresh or for cooking.  Taste is both tangy and tart.  Flesh is white, crisp and juicy.  Favored for sauces, pies and desserts.  Texture holds up well when baked.
Jonathan.  Pretty and popular, used for fresh eating and cooking, a favorite for apple butter and taffy apples.
Spartan.  A cross between a Macintosh and an unknown variety.  It is a bit smaller in size, but has a crisp white flesh that is aromatic and juicy.  Good for fresh eating, cooking, and juicing.