“Bumper Crop” of Apples at Arbor Day Farm

With Apple Jack Weekend fast approaching in Nebraska City, good news this weekend from Arbor Day Farm: Nebraska City’s famous apple crop is outstanding this year.

Apple Jack Weekend is an exciting time at Arbor Day Farm, but it’s just one example of the fun to be had as trees across the nation turn wonderful colors and give us new perspective on nature’s beauty.

Here’s to a great weekend in Nebraska City, and to beautiful fall foliage for all of us to enjoy and reflect upon.

Nebraska orchards expect bumper crop of apples

By The Associated Press
Sunday, Sep 14, 2008 
OMAHA, Neb. — A year after lamenting a crop damaged by cold weather, apple growers in southeast Nebraska are expecting one of their best harvests in recent memory.

“Apples were a few days later ripening because of the wet spring and cool summer,” said Beverly Todd Nolte, director of Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure in Nebraska City. “But we’re ready to go now with more than we could have imagined.”

Erik Olson, orchard manager for Kimmel Farms and Arbor Day Farm, projected his harvest at 15,000 bushels this year.

That size of crop is considered a great year, Todd Nolte said.

Things weren’t so great last year, when a late spring freeze caused heavy damage to the crop.

“Last year we didn’t really harvest anything,” she said. “There was just some hand-picking.”

Apple season runs through late October, and almost two dozen varieties are harvested in the state.

Apples have been grown in Nebraska since the 1800s. Nebraska City is the apple capital of the state, with its orchards attracting day-trippers eager to load up their cars with the savory fruit for making cider, covering with carmel, baking pies or just eating as a snack.

The 40th annual AppleJack Festival will be held in Nebraska City this weekend. The festival includes a car show, arts and crafts fairs, pancake feed, parade, petting zoo and strongman and strongwoman contests.