The harvest of apples and pears began Labor Day weekend at Whatcom County’s Bellewood Farms & Distillery, including an opportunity for the public to pick their own apples.
During the U-pick harvest that runs through Oct. 31, the public can choose their apples from the trees at the 62-acre Bellewood Farms. U-pick hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Bellewood Farms is located at 6140 Guide Meridian, only 7 miles away from Bellingham, Ferndale and Lynden.
Currently Tsugaru apples – a sweet, crisp and juicy Japanese variety – are available for the public to pick. Bellewood’s store is offering Gravenstein, Zestar and Tgusaru apples plus red and green Clapp pears. More, including the popular Honeycrisp apples, will be harvested when they are ready.
“It’s a special time when families, couples and individuals of all ages enjoy a farm-to-table experience that’s just minutes away,” said Eric Abel, president of Bellewood Farms. “We love to help people find apples best for snacking, baking, sauces and storing.”
The Bellewood Farms apple bin train ride will take people through the orchard during the harvest season for $2 apiece and a corn maze is free. Apple cider doughnuts are available Saturdays and Sundays and a pumpkin patch opens Oct. 2.
Schools, co-ops and homeschool families are welcome to bring children, although advance notice is requested for groups, he added.
Bellewood Farms typically harvests around 1.7 million pounds of apples annually, selling many of them through local grocery stores, including Haggen Food & Pharmacy and Community Food Co-op locations in Whatcom County.
Bellewood Farms also includes a market and gift shop, café, bakery and distillery. For more information, call (360) 318-7720 or visit www.bellewoodfarms.com.
