ELKHORN, Wis. – Farmers from Apple Barn Orchard and Winery say apple picking season is on the horizon and that the summer climate has made for a fruitful fall harvest.
“We connected through church. We just stumbled into each other one day, and that was, it,” said Steve Jacobson the co-owner of Apple Barn Orchard and Winery.
Watch: Elkhorn farmers gear up for a fruitful apple season:
Steve and Judy Jacobson are the owners of the Apple Barn and have been married for 40 years. Their farmland has been in Steve's family since 1846, the year James K. Polk was president.
They have five daughters who are all grown, and now their grandkids are the seventh generation to help out on the farm.
With 5,000 apple trees and the fall harvest just weeks away, they say there's a never-ending to-do list.
“You're racing around like that first day of school trying to get ready, and you're just like, you're just never going to be ready,” said Judy Jacobson.
Thankfully, the one thing they do have already is plenty of apples. Steve says that’s all dependent on something he can't control.
“Growing fruit is something that's really sensitive to the weather,” said Steve.
He says this summer's warm weather and rainfall has been ideal for his crop and that they were not negatively impacted by the historic floods that hit parts of southeast Wisconsin in early August.
“We've had four rain events over three inches, and one over five, but they've been spaced out just enough that we're able to absorb it. Really lucky,” said Steve.
Both Steve and Judy say that luck can change every year, but they are thankful to see their trees heavy with fruit this season.
“You’re just thankful that everything's worked out and you have something,” said Steve.
Apple Barn Orchard and Winery’s apple picking season starts September 13. From there, customers can pick apples on Saturdays and Sundays until about Halloween.
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