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
The end of our harvest season is in sight!  The grapes are done, and the apples are nearly all picked.  The signs of season’s end are here – the Fall Color Tour Festival is this Sunday, Oct. 13, the Harvest Moon appears October 17, and the weather is becoming more fall-like.  But there are very few leaves turning autumn colors….  We look forward to getting the harvest wrapped up and thinking ahead to the holidays.

We look forward to seeing you this week!  See information below on the festival and our apple specials!  It is also our last week for u-pick apples so come now before it is too late!
A bridal group stopped by on their group outing, and bonded with our small pumpkins!
A little Spartan, (go MSU!), holds tight to his “just picked” two green apples!
Two apple pickers enjoying picking apples and their post picking treat!
Fall Apples
Already Picked
Current apples on the market:  Braeburn, Cameo, Cortland, Fuji, Gala, Golden/Yellow Delicious, Honeycrisp, Ida Red, Jonamac, Jonathan, Mutsu, Northern Spy, Red Delicious, and Red Rome.  See descriptions of these varieties at the end of the newsletter.

Honeycrisp Special
We have finished picking our Honeycrisp for the year and there were a lot of them!  Please help us find them homes!  Starting this Thursday, buy 2 bags, get one free (of the same size or smaller bag)!

Processing and Animal Apples
If you are canning apples, making applesauce, or pressing your own cider, we have some apple deals right now.  It is “potluck” – the availability and apple varieties vary each day depending on what we are sorting and bagging for the market.

  • Processing apples (second quality) are $10 a half bushel.  The apples are perfectly fine, they just have blemishes or are an odd size or color.
  • Animal apples (third quality) are ideal for cider or animal feed and sell for $5 a half bushel.  These make a great treat for all your “horsey” friends.
U-Pick Apples – last chance!
This is the week for u-pick apples – with special pricing and weekdays to pick!

Where did the apple season go?  With the warmer than normal fall, apple season is continuing to move quickly.  This week, through Sunday, will be the last chance to pick apples for the season.  Note: Next week we will move into orchard clean-up, watch for details coming later.

The orchard will be open for apple picking on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, during our normal business hours.  We know many families have their weekends packed and haven’t been able to get here, so maybe you can do an after-school time!  We’d encourage you to come on the weekdays when the orchard is less crowded.  (Note, the Fall Color Tour Festival is Sunday which will make for parking and line issues).

Special U-Pick Pricing:
You must pick a minimum of $12 of apples to go to the orchard.  There are two main varieties available – Golden Delicious and Northern Spy.  You can mix and match, and there are LOTS of them so picking will be easy and fun!  You will be driving to the orchard, so please just have one person come to the market to get the picking bags, directions, and pre-pay.
–Quarter-peck: $3
–Half Peck: $5
–Peck: $8
–Half bushel: $12
Below are Golden Delicious available to pick.
Apple Cider
We now have apple cider in gallons and half gallons.  This year our cider is being done for us by our local friends at Schultz’s Fruitridge Farm.   The cider is not pasteurized, but is UV treated.  Keep refrigerated and use within a week.
Fall Grapes
The grape harvest is complete!  This past weekend finished up the grape picking here at the farm, two weeks early due to the warm fall temperatures.  We know some of you missed out and still want to come pick.  We are advising against this as the grapes left are in the middle of the rows (lots of walking) and are overripe.  A big thanks to everyone who came out this year!
Pumpkins
The Pumpkin Patch is open for those who wish to pick their own pumpkin.  They are priced by size.  The pumpkins in the field have been precut, so you just need to select the one(s) you want and carry them to your vehicle.

To make your pumpkin last until Halloween, please keep it out of direct sunlight and as cool as possible.  Do not carve it until Halloween.

We also have already picked pumpkins for sale by the market.  See display by the parking lot.  They are the same price as the u-pick pumpkins.
Fall Color Tour Festival – this Sunday!
Join us this Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm for the Three Rivers Area Fall Color Tour Festival, sponsored by the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce.

  • Visit over 20 arts, crafts, and specialty vendors
  • Listen to live music by Becky Raines and stomp your feet to bluegrass by Dismembered
  • Grab a bite from Maple Row Sugarhouse and the Three Rivers Promise
  • Enjoy our wine and hard ciders at our Happy Hour in the Onion Barn
  • Check out several children’s activities including face painting and the giant pumpkins
  • Meet the Michigan Apple Queen, 1st runner up
  • Find slushies, donuts, fry pies, seasonal produce, and more on the market
  • Enjoy the last day of u-pick apples

See our event webpage for the latest information and specific times on some activities.

See the Three Rivers Chamber’s event flyer for more information about the festival and the other stops.

Below, two of our local artists, Eileen Mazurski and Karen Hays are busy painting two church pews for festival seating donated by Teresa and Alan Ives.  Thanks to all of them!
 What is on the Market
Fall Apples – Braeburn, Cameo, Cortland, Fuji, Gala, Jonamac, Jonathan, Northern Spy, Red Delicious, Red Rome, and Yellow/Golden Delicious available in quarter-pecks to bushels.  Honeycrisp available in quarter-pecks and half pecks.

Grapes – Concord and Niagara sold in quart and 2-quart boxes.

Pears – Bosc pears available in quarts and half peck bags.

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.

Hard Winter Squash for eating and decorating – Specialty squash: delicata, spaghetti, mashed potato, baked potato, sweet dumpling, carnival.  Fall squash: acorn, buttercup, butternut.

Sweet Onions – Our sweet candy onions are cured and available individually and in 5- and 10-pound mesh bags.
Baked Goods
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.

Freshly baked:
— Assorted cookies, breads, muffins
— Donuts in Fall flavors – buttermilk, pumpkin, and apple, available Saturday and Sunday.
— Iced yeast donut rings decorated with sprinkles and “googly eyes”, available Saturday and Sunday.

What is a fall weekend without cider and donuts?
Alcohol
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.

Stop by this Saturday between 10:30 am and 2 pm for Wine and Hard Cider Tasting.  Try samples and find a new favorite!

Have you tried our Bramblin’ Raspberry Rose?  One of our most popular, it is a semi-sweet, full on fruit wine, that will tickle your taste buds just like its ever-spreading brambles trickle over one’s yard.
Grocery
We have local grocery products we know you will enjoy.  We are focusing on items that you will want to have handy for the winter months, like honey.  We still have other grocery items in stock, but we will not be reordering them.

Good news!  Fry pies are back for the weekend starting Friday!

  • Pumpkin cake rolls (find in the fridge)
  • 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 Barrel-Aged Bourbon Maple Syrup (non-alcoholic) made by Maple Row Sugarhouse using our bourbon barrels.
  • Sunflower oil and butters
  • Olipop prebiotic sodas
  • Pork products from Jake’s Country Meats, Jones.
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 – insulated bags, notebooks, coffee cups, key chains, magnets, shirts
  • Corey Lake Orchard gift certificates
Happenings on the Farm
CrossFit Pumpkin Picking
The annual “Every child deserves a pumpkin” project took place this past Saturday.  The Triple River CrossFit team finished up their Saturday morning workout at the gym, headed to the pumpkin field, refueled on donuts and cider, and then headed out to pick the pumpkins.
They gathered 21 large bins which will go to non-profits who are providing food and other items to local families.  If you are a non-profit and are interested in receiving some, please complete the donation request form on our website.
Below Beth is in her pumpkin field!
Market Closing Timeframe
With the fall season starting early, it will also end early.  Our last official day to be open for the year with regular days and hours will be Sunday, October 27.

We will continue to sell apples and local goods that you want to continue to stock up on.  Watch for announcements of special days and hours for November and December.

B&B Owners
We feel it is time to clear up the mystery of the twins many of you think you are seeing at the market.  It’s just the two co-owners and sisters:  Beth and Brenda!

For the record, we don’t think we look anything alike, we aren’t changing outfits between you checking in and leaving to go pick apples, and Beth is clearly the youngest!!
Apple Variety Descriptions
Already Picked:
Braeburn: 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.
Cameo:  A firm, crisp, and sweet apple that resists browning.  Great for fresh eating, applesauce, or baking.  Keeps well in your refrigerator
Cortland.  Slightly tart, great for eating, cooking, and baking, a descendent of the McIntosh and slightly sweeter, juices well.
Fuji.  Sweet flavor with a low acid content, good for all purpose use like snacking, baking, and cooking
Gala.  A great eating and cooking apple, a crisp snappy bite over a mellow sweetness.
Golden/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 apple sauce and many people use for canning pie filling.
Honeycrisp.  A popular favorite, crisp, an excellent sweet flavor with a “bite” to it, great for eating fresh or using in salads.
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.
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 good cooking or eating apple, combines the best qualities of a Jonathan and a MacIntosh, a favorite for apple sauce.
Jonathan.  Pretty and popular, used for fresh eating and cooking, a favorite for apple butter and taffy apples.
Mutsu:  Also called Crispin, it is a cross between Golden Delicious and the Japanese Indo apple.  It has a sweet-honeyed flavor mixed with sharp, tangy, and acidic notes.  Keeps well.
Northern Spy: The professional baker’s dream, cooks up well in applesauce, pie and other dishes. Easy to remember by saying “Spies for pies”.
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.

U-Pick: 
Golden/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 apple sauce and many people use for canning pie filling.
Northern Spy: The professional baker’s dream, cooks up well in applesauce, pie and other dishes. Easy to remember by saying “Spies for pies”.