Apple orchards fighting cold weather while prepping for picking season

MARSHFIELD, Wis. (WSAW) - At Cournoyer Orchard in Marshfield, you’ll find trees aching to bloom full of apples. While we’re anxious to sink our teeth into the perfect apple, we must play the waiting game.

“There are blossoms that are starting to form and push out, but we are nowhere near seeing actual pedals or anything like that,” said Mark Cournoyer, Owner, Cournoyer Orchard.

Cournoyer said his orchard should blossom by mid-May if all goes to plan, but is wary of what could ruin those plans.

“Every year’s a challenge, every year brings its set of weather conditions, brings its set of predators and things that we have to battle,” said Cournoyer.

While Cournoyer waits for sunny skies, he’s busy getting the orchard in shape.

“We prune everything up and get everything ready for the upcoming season,” said Cournoyer. “So that way the tree is actually ready to go and can support all that fruit that it is gonna be producing in the upcoming year.”

When the time comes, the feeling of a new apple-picking season never grows old.

“It’s always great to take an apple off the tree and have that first bite and that first crunch because that’s the amazing thing of growing your own fruits, growing your own vegetables is just having that pride of having something that you grew yourself and that you can take that true pride in,” said Cournoyer.

Cournoyer said on any given year, there are about 500 pounds of apples per tree. Apples will be available to pick between mid-August through mid-September. To contact Cournoyer, call (715) 305-0385 or click here.

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