School is back in session, and the emblematic apple is in season at local orchards. Courtney Basil, co-owner of Apex Orchards in Shelburne Falls, reports “beautiful, bountiful peach and apple crops this season.”

Apex planted several new varieties in the last three years, and Basil anticipates crops from those trees soon.

When farmers plant tree fruit, like apples and peaches, it can take several years for the trees to mature and for the first harvest to come in. This creates very different planning and cost cycles for orchardists compared to vegetable growers, who mostly plant and harvest their crops on an annual rhythm.

After losing Matsu apple trees, the farm replanted that variety, and they will return to the farm store this year.

Newer varieties of popular Honeycrisp apples are invigorating grocery store produce aisles, and Apex has planted some of those hybrid varieties in their orchard. Basil explains that hybrids are developed to highlight flavor profiles while addressing challenges in growing.

The Honeycrisp varieties can be prone to storage rot and require special handling: they have to be at one temperature for a defined period, and then stored at a different temperature from the traditional varieties. In general, these varieties cost more because the trees themselves cost more, and then they require special handling and infrastructure to store them. Apex has a separate cold room just for Honeycrisp varieties.

The farm store offers peaches, plums, pears, and more apple varieties than what is available for picking by the public. “We grow an expansive variety of apples that aren’t available as pick-your-own, with 10 additional varieties of apples in the farm store,” Basil says. The store also offers apple cider that is made by nearby Pine Hill Orchards, and mini cider doughnuts that are made hot and fresh to order on weekends through October.

Currently, they have a large crop of late-season peaches, which are for sale until they sell out. Basil notes, “They are beautiful and delicious.” The Apex Farm store sells peaches and apples as seconds, which are great for baking, cooking and preserving. They come in large quantities at about half the price. Seconds are pieces of fruit that have blemishes, bruises, or could be too large.

Apex Farm has a relationship with schools in Franklin and Hampshire counties. The farm sells to local colleges, including the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Mount Holyoke. The fruit is offered to students fresh in the dining hall or cooked into meals on the campuses. With a commitment to learning about the source of their food, students in the Sustainable Food and Farming program at UMass helped to plant 150 apple trees at Apex Farm.

Some of the local K-12 schools occasionally purchase fruit from Apex. The farm donates directly to teachers who want to offer healthy snacks to students who arrive at school without, and Apex donates to The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

Apex offers events every weekend through October, and all highlight the fall harvest, as well as small, hyperlocal businesses inspired by the season, and the bounty from nearby farms. “That connection to other farmers has grown and strengthened over the years. We only have our own fruit and local vegetables in our farm stand. We don’t buy them from anywhere else. Often, it’s literally products from right here in Shelburne, if not like the next town over. These local partnerships strengthen the farms and the local food system within our immediate community,” says Basil.

Food trucks, face painting, local beer or local coffee roasters, and music all add to the weekend festivities on the farm. Basil shares how this weekend’s Apples and Artisans festival inspired a local potter to launch her business. “It’s always great to watch small businesses grow,” says Basil.

While pick-your-own peaches and sunflowers just finished, Christmas trees will start in November. Apex will bring visitors to the farthest reaches of the farm by wagon in search of their perfect holiday tree — including tall trees over seven feet and up to 15 feet tall.

Another seasonal festivity planned is Gathered Farms on Sunday, Sept. 29th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) will offer their Making Food Fun family-friendly activities from 10 a.m. to noon. Other local farms participating include Our Family Farms and Davenport Maple.

In addition to the beauty and bounty of the orchard, Basil finds joy in the people who work at and visit Apex Orchards throughout the season.

“We have four people on the farm year-round, and we grow to 30 people in high season,” she says. “I appreciate the new perspectives and fresh ideas our seasonal crews bring to the business. It re-energizes us for the next season.”

In addition to events, people come to Apex simply to celebrate the season, the harvest, and to relax. “Watching couples, families, and kids enjoying the trees, picking in the orchards, and enjoying the view is really what it’s all about,” says Basil.

Apex Orchards is open for pick-your-own apples Thursdays through Sundays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 225 Peckville Rd. in Shelburne Falls. On weekends, the farm offers samples of mini cider donuts and tractor rides to the pick-your-own area from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Currently, Gala, Courtland, Honeycrisp, and Macintosh apples are ready. Macoun, Empire, Fuji, and Golden Delicious will follow soon.

Basil suggests wearing walking shoes and dressing for the outdoors. The landscape is very scenic, and many visitors snap photos while picking apples. No equipment is required for picking apples, and bags are purchased at the farm store. While dogs are not allowed in the orchard or farm store, well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome in the grassy area next to the farm store.

For information on Apex Orchards, see their website at apexorchards.com or visit their Facebook page for event updates.

Lisa Goodrich is a Communications Coordinator with Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA). You can find fall crops and more at buylocalfood.org.