Time is short for apple picking, a core part of fall in Delaware

WYOMING — Now’s your chance to pick apples, before this favorite seasonal activity falls off.

According to Fifer’s spokesperson Jessica Doran, picking is available at the facility through mid-October, depending on the crops.

Visitors can garner apples right from the trees on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weather permitting. Ms. Doran said the orchard’s Facebook page will post updates about any of its outdoor happenings.

In addition, through Nov. 9, Fifer’s Fall Fest tickets allow participants access to not only the “Star Wars” corn maze, the Pumpkin-Palooza photo area and other activities but also the pumpkin patch and apple orchard.

Choosing produce in those areas costs extra — $8.95 per pumpkin or $25 for a bag of apples.

Tickets can be purchased at fifers.com and cost less online compared to at the gate.

Meantime, on Oct. 18, the farm is holding an apples-only day, allowing visitors interested in just picking apples to do so for the price of the bag. This does not include access to the other festival attractions.

The varieties of apples change each week at Fifer’s, announced via the Facebook page and its newsletter.

Ms. Doran added that staff members will share with pickers what their varieties could be used for, like baking, applesauce or eating fresh from the trees.

Looking ahead, she said there will be plenty more to do at Fifer’s.

“You can order fresh turkeys, sides and pies for Thanksgiving, and we have a ‘Donuts With Santa’ event that is for four Saturdays, starting at the end of November,” she said.

Fifer’s is at 1919 Allabands Mill Road. Event tickets can be purchased at tinyurl.com/yfmatdrs .

Apples — along with their rhyming counterpart, scrapple — are also taking the stage in Bridgeville, as the town will present the 32nd annual Apple Scrapple Festival on Friday and Saturday.

One of the event’s sponsors, T.S. Smith Orchard Point Market at 9045 Redden Road in Bridgeville, knows all about the fruit and the best varieties for snacking, baking and making sauces.

Kim Sears is the market’s general manager and makes sure customers find the perfect selection for their needs.

“A lot of people stop in (and ask) questions (about) starting to make their sauce and doing things at home, so what combination of apples to use,” she said. “Some people like to use just one type of apple. Some people like to mix it up and have a unique togetherness for an applesauce.”

She went on to explain that the best apple to use for a sauce is the Crimson Crisp — her personal favorite — as well as Golden Delicious and Honeycrisp.

While Honeycrisps are almost finished for the local season, they are good to eat plain, along with Crimson Crisp, Jonagold, Ginger Gold, Ambrosia, Fuji and Gala, Ms. Sears said.

Finally, for baking, she noted that Golden Delicious, Fuji, Ginger Gold and Jonagold are perfect options.

And, while T.S. Smith is not offering apple picking this year, each of these varieties is available at the store, as long as they are in season.

For the Apple Scrapple Festival, the market will open a location in downtown Bridgeville, as well as the Redden Road site.

“We will have apple cider donuts, apple dumplings, apple cider slushies. Our regular apple cider will be in pints. We have a new can of sparkling apple cider, apple fritters, warm apple cider,” Ms. Sears said.

“We look forward to this every year. It’s a lot, but we are thankful for the customers that come out to support that.”

To learn more about T.S. Smith Orchard Point Market, visit orchardpointmarket.com or its Facebook page .