GOSHEN, Ind. -- The first taste of fall has arrived at Kercher's Orchard, where the annual U-pick apple season began Friday.
But while visitors can start picking apples before Labor Day, orchard owners say this year's overall harvest is expected to be smaller because of unfavorable weather during the growing season.
“They might not pick bushels,” said Mollie Kieffer, co-owner and store manager at Kercher's Orchard.
The peak of Indiana's apple-picking season could look different this year.
Kieffer said cold weather during the spring created poor conditions for pollination. Many apples that initially formed later fell from the trees.
“The weather was not very good for pollination,” Kieffer said. “We had some bad weather stretch, colder weather, and so a lot of the apples that were set and were starting to grow, they all fell off.”
The orchard also dealt with severe summer weather, including hail that damaged some of the remaining apples.
“We had a storm that came through that it hailed for different times that day,” Kieffer said. “So our apples are kind of all hailed up, little spots, really still good to eat.”
With fewer apples available, customers could see higher prices for some locally grown seasonal products, including cider, caramel apples and baked goods.
Despite the challenges, Kieffer said there is some good news for fall visitors: The orchard's pumpkins are developing well and are expected to be ready for U-pick in late September.