How to prepare your pick-your-own apples
- Choosing your orchard
In the Orchard section, you'll find a list of Les producteurs de pommes du Québec who offer U-pick. You'll also find cider producers and growers who don't necessarily offer pick-your-own, but have a stand with certain products.
The orchards indicate which of the following services are available: playground, picnic area, tractor or horse rides, organic apples, cider, artisanal juice, farm stand, maze, mini farm, farm by-products, catering and toilets.
So you can plan your whole day and decide whether you want to bring a lunch or eat on site. What's more, with young children, it's a pleasure to find play areas and enjoy the beauty of the site a little longer.
- Choosing the date and your varieties
If your favorite variety is Cortland and you arrive at the orchard and it's not available, your day will start with a little disappointment! It's best to call the grower or visit his website and/or Facebook page, to find out which varieties will be available at the time of your visit, or to set a date for your visit. Variety availability varies from region to region, depending on the current year's weather and even on the volume available. What's more, not all varieties ripen at the same time.
- What to bring
For some producers, cash is still the only method of payment. So drop by the counter, as you may be tempted by a pie or a juice!
Why not go green and bring your own reusable bags! Some producers will accept them, especially for kiosk purchases.
10 instructions for responsible picking
Are you planning to go apple picking alone or with your family? Here are the 10 rules of responsible apple picking
Rules to be observed at all times
- I limit myself to the rows authorized for pick-your-own in order to respect the maturity of the different apple varieties.
- To pick an apple, I lift it upwards, folding it towards the branch to detach it from the tree. Don't turn it on itself, or pull it downwards, as this will damage the tree and destroy next year's fruit.
- I don't climb trees, I use the ladders provided in the orchard.
- I don't break branches
- I avoid waste and I don't bite into every apple or throw them on the ground, but a little quality test is allowed and even recommended for your health.
- I don't throw garbage on the ground
- I don't throw apples
- I don't smoke in the picking areas
- I supervise my children at all times for their safety and the respect of other pickers.
- I visit the store to discover good local products