A look at Michigan's apple and produce production

(CBS DETROIT) - We all know Michigan is a unique state, but when it comes to the produce that grows here, it may be even more special than you think.

"We have an incredible diversity of fruits and vegetables in Michigan. We're only a second to California," says Derek Plotkowski, a fruit extension educator at Michigan State University Extension.

We have a lot to be proud of here in Michigan.

"We are some of the top producers in the whole country for tart cherries, asparagus, blueberries ... apples," Plotkowski said. "We usually trade places with New York for being the second biggest producer after Washington."

And here in Michigan, our climate is unique for growing produce. Our diverse land, from our fertile glacial soils to the Great Lakes, impacts growth.

"Especially along the west side of the state, along Lake Michigan," Plotkowski said. "You have the lake effect, which moderates temperatures. It makes our winters on that side of the state milder. And it makes our summers milder, too, which tends to bring favorable growing conditions."

Types of apples and cider can be regional, similar to regional grapes and wine.

"A Macintosh or a Northern Spy, those are surprisingly pretty regional fruits," Plotkowski says. "Macintosh originally came from Ontario, and it's so popular in New York, Ontario, Michigan, but it's not really popular elsewhere. If you start talking about Europe, they have unique apple varieties that have been used for centuries for hard cider production. It's the same way that we have grapes that we use for wine production, like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir."

However, the weather in Michigan is well-suited for apple production because of its cool nights and warm days. But there's much more to it than just temperature.

"If you have a sunnier season, you're going to have more sugars, and that gets put into the fruit, which will make the fruit sweeter," Plotkowski says.

Our climate is changing, and that leaves us wondering how it will impact Michigan's produce.

"Apples are here to stay, especially in Michigan," Plotkowski said. "It'll continue to be a good place to grow apples, but it could pose some challenges for things, like wine grapes or peaches, in the state where they can be a little bit more sensitive to the particular changes and climate patterns that we're seeing."