Families can save money picking their own apples while their children have fun learning about local agriculture this fall at Whatcom County’s Bellewood Farms & Distillery.
The public can choose from 22 varieties of apples in the orchard or in the store at the 62-acre Bellewood Farms. U-pick hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday beginning Sept. 5 through Oct. 31. Bellewood Farms is located at 6140 Guide Meridian, about halfway between Bellingham and Lynden.
“It’s good for everyone to know where their food comes from and how things grow,” said Eric Abel, president of Bellewood Farms. “Even if they don’t pick their own apples, they can enjoy the free apple bin train ride through the orchard and farm. When children reach dead ends in the free corn maze, they’ll see signs with answers to agriculture questions and will receive a prize when they return with the answers.”
Classes and homeschool families are welcome, said Abel, who added that education isn’t just for children. Culinary enthusiasts can learn from the staff and signs inside the store the apple varieties that are best suited for baking, sauces, storing and just simply snacking.
“Besides the apples available at the farm, we deliver 1.7 million pounds of apples to local grocery stores,” Abel said. “Honeycrisp is our most popular variety, but we have a farm favorite called Tsugaru. It’s a sweet Japanese variety with almost no tartness, great for desserts and snacking.”
Cider donuts and kettle corn will be available during weekends through Oct. 31 and a field full of pumpkins for sale will be open Sept. 26. COVID-19 recommendations will be followed. Bellewood Farms also includes a pear orchard, a market and gift shop, café, bakery and distillery. For more information, call (360) 318-7720
