The drive from Hendersonville to Bat Cave on Highway 64E reveals that Henderson County is the heart of North Carolina's apple industry. In season (from July to November), this route offers countless opportunities to visit orchards and purchase farm-fresh goods. In many spots, you're welcome to pick your own apples right from the tree.

From the whirring speed of the highway, everything seems normal in apple country for this time of year. Trees are pruned and full of healthy green leaves, and rows between trees are neatly mowed, but upon closer observation, one important element seems to be missing from the picture...apples.

The infamous 'Easter Freeze' devastated a large majority of this year's local apple crop during a bitter cold snap in which nighttime temperatures hovered in the low twenties for three consecutive nights. The overall outlook has improved though, considering that initial reactions to the freeze predicted a complete loss of apple produce and profit in Henderson County. Most growers are currently expecting a fifteen percent harvest. Marvin Owings, agriculture extension agent for the state's cooperative extension program, explains that this freeze was particularly damaging to fruit trees because it was wind-borne.

"Historically, fruit growing in high elevations [such as Henderson County] will survive a ground freeze. In this case of a wind-borne freeze, trees at higher elevations were hit harder...every year is different." The ground freeze that he speaks of is what typically plagues vegetable growers. Damage to fruit trees was so extensive because the newly budded blooms were showing on trees at the time of the freeze. Peaches, which are an earlier crop, were in full bloom, and peach growers suffered a total loss.

While local apple growers are lacking regular quantity this season, they are focusing much of their energy marketing directly to consumers, offering vegetables and other goodies for sale on site in addition to apples. They're also offering visitors the opportunity to experience the farm firsthand, have a picnic on the grounds and enjoy the excitement and tranquility that only a farm can offer. Creasman Farms off of Sugarloaf Road in Hendersonville is one example.

Dawn Creasman works a third generation orchard with her husband, Bob, and their three daughters. She points out that one apple season is not an isolated event in itself. The success of the previous year can determine what will happen in the next; and from the beginning of each tree's life you must "bring them along, kind of like your kids," she laughs as she humbly adds what resolve it takes to be a farmer. With over twenty acres in production, there are a lot of these figurative children to take care of.

Dawn emphasizes the importance of visiting farms this fall because the loss offers people the opportunity to try something new. She points out, "there is still something to learn from visiting the farm." One important lesson is that despite the overwhelming crop loss, late-blooming varieties are producing quite well. Rome apples will be prolific this season, while Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp and Arkansas Black are also promising a decent yield. Dawn extols the virtues of the often under-appreciated Rome apple. "It's a great keeper as well as a good choice for baking and applesauce. Although most people don't think of it, it's also a great eating apple."

Mike Stepp of Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard has only one answer for people who are currently calling to ask if there are going to be any apples this season. It's a resounding "YES!" Both Creasman and Stepp are also offering additional products at their farm stands this season. Dawn and her mother provide baked goods for customers, and both growers will have a variety of vegetables. Mike Stepp's daughter is growing tomatoes to sell at their stand and may even extend that offering to local restaurants. School groups will also account for a strong percentage of the Stepp's visitors this fall. They have been hosting school tours for the last four years, and they are excited to share an educational presentation with the kids, where children are treated to a hayride and a visit to the pumpkin patch to pick a pumpkin to take home.

While both growers are bracing themselves for a tough season, there is no air of defeat in their attitude, just a weary understanding that this is an ever-present risk when working with Mother Nature. Several of the roadside stands, including Apple Wedge Packers, will be sourcing apples from regional orchards so that they will have some of the variety their customers are used to. Owings brings this to light: "Many of these growers have built their clientele over decades and must look out for their business." All thirty farms in the Blue Ridge Farm Direct Marketing Association will be open for business this season, and they invite you to come and pay them a visit.

This year's apple season offers consumers a sophisticated challenge to support local farms. It's easy to take the beauty of the mountains for granted while heading toward the grocery store in search of the best bargains. Let's realize that the best bargain in town is to sustain our local economy. With over 5,000 acres in apple production in Henderson County alone, these farms are a cornerstone of the beauty here and part of a localized food system that ultimately safeguards the roots of our sustainable future.

FALL FARM CONNECTIONS
Resources:
For more information about visiting apple orchards in our area, visit the Blue Ridge Farm Direct Market Association's website at http://www.ncapples.com, or call 828-697-2775 x 8.
The Local Food Guide, published by ASAP, is also an excellent resource. Visit the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture online food guide at http://www.AppalachianGrown.org.

Up-coming Events:
Check out the Henderson County Apple Festival this Labor Day weekend; Friday, Saturday and Sunday in downtown Hendersonville. And don't miss orchard tours. Check out an organic apple orchard, place TBA, on August 28th. For more information on these events, visit the websites mentioned above.

Orchards:
Creasman Farms, LLC: http://www.creasmanapples.com, 828-685-7728. Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard: http://www.steppapples.com, 828-685-9083.
Apple Wedge Packers & Cider: http://www.applewedge.com, 828-685-8349.

Liz Meeks is a volunteer writer for ASAP. She resides at Hickory Nut Gap farm in Fairview and is eager to promote awareness about the value of local food. She can be reached at lizmeeks@yahoo.com or 828-628-9824.

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