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“30.5 Million Bushels of Michigan Apples Produced in 2024”
That’s 1.2 billion pounds of apples grown here in Michigan that wouldn’t all fit inside your house if you tried.
Congratulations, Michigan Apples Fans! 🍎 Out-of-date recollection would say Michigan is the nation’s #3 top producer of apples. But the Detroit Free Press would have you know Michigan is the nation’s #2 top producer of apples in the year 2024.
Washington State in the west is by far the biggest apple grower, but we’re glad to pull ahead of New York in numbers of bushels of tasty apples produced for 2024’s lovers of apple pie, apple juice, just plain apples, and not to mention Michigan apple pomace.
Fritters. Michigan apples are available year-round, except maybe the odd month of July. Let me explain...
Source: Jarrod R. Peels Film Reels of Pure Real Michigan Apples in HD on YouTube “Filmed 13 Years Ago, Not Much Has Changed”
Earning the United States coveted Silver Prize Apple Mastery in 2024 is a big deal! Even back in 2001, Michigan yielded 880 million pounds of apples and ranked #3 behind New York’s 1 billion pounds of apples, so we lost the Apple Mountain Race by just a smidge of 200,000 pounds.
More than 17.5 million apple trees cast Michigan roots at 775 family-run Michigan farms across 35,000 acres. About half of Michigan apples get eaten fresh, and the other half get processed into pies, cider, juice, applesauce, preserves like jam and jelly, and fritters don’tcha know?
Meijer, with its Grand Rapids origins, is the best grocery story to pick up Michigan apples. Walmart and Kroger may have them, but Meijer makes Michigan a must pick harvest for their customers.
Here are 16 places around Michigan to find the best local apples during harvest season.
As far up north as Charlevoix, and down southwest before South Bend, we’d especially like to thank Kent, Berrien, Van Buren, Ottawa, and Oceana. These are the top five apple producing counties of Michigan. These are true American apple champions.
If you run the numbers of bushels by hand, the apples roll in like this by county. How many acres of apple orchards are in our top five apple counties?
Michigan’s climate and weather are good for growing apples. Local pleasantries like cool Michigan nights and warm summer days make for ripe apple picking starting early August and through the fall months.
☀️ It’s fabled that Michigan’s sun makes for especially sugary sweet apples.
Midwest consumers can pick up fresh Michigan apples at the supermarket between August and June of the following year, but sadly, not in July, unless you trespass onto an Michigan apple orchard for sneak pickings. Therefore, I recommend buying apple juice, applesauce, and even canned apples in July!
Apples, blueberries, and tart cherries are the three fruits Michigan is best for growing, if recent years’ yields are an indicator.
From my childhood, I’d tell you Uncle John’s on US-127 the only place to locate real Michigan apples. But actually, every Michigander has one special apple cider mill with fresh apples, cider, and donuts for sale within a weekend’s driving distance.
Orange Pippin made a custom apple map of Michigan orchards directory that I hope never changes.
One helpful lady on /r/MapsFun posted a high definition old time map of Michigan’s fruit belt.
Michigan Apples the website pinned a county by county classification of apple types across the state. And made a map of Michigan apple orchards that you can click.
Awesome Mitten the website made an interactive Google Map for southwest Michiganders to get their sweets and sours local.
Michigan State University is a major proponer of the Michigan apples industry, but keeping up to date better than any academic farmer on the ripeness and maturity of all kinds of Michigan apples. From Braeburn to Rome, the recent MSU October 2024 Michigan Apples AgroReport lists popular types of red and green Michigan apples.
Michigan apples contain about 4 grams of fiber, on your way to the daily recommended amount of 25-30 grams of fiber daily.
Yes, Michigan apples are just as healthy as apples grown to the same Midwest quality standards. Eating more fruit is good for your digestive health, since fruits like apples are high in fiber.
Apples are naturally fat free, cholesterol free, and sodium free. Apples also contain B-complex vitamins for energy and nerves and antioxidants and phytochemicals for cleansing and protecting the body.
Michigan State University and Michigan Apples lists some tasty state heritage.
In the 1600s, it was French missionaries who first planted apple seeds in Michigan.
The infamous orchardist John Chapman a.k.a. Johnny Appleseed lived between 1774 and 1845, where the “Apple-licious States” of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio during the same period these states were officially formed.
If you’d like to read more, then two Sharons wrote the book on Michigan’s apple history. “Michigan Apples: History & Tradition” by Sharon Kegerreis, foreword by Sharon Steffens. Buy on Amazon #ad. Buy on Arcadia Publishing.
