With orchard season underway, how has past weather impacted the fall harvest?

GOSHEN, Ind. -- It's officially fall and orchard season has begun. Whether guests are picking apples, finding the perfect pumpkin, or finding their way through a corn maze, local orchards have lots to offer. However, what is offered might be in limited supply. 

Kercher's Sunrise Orchard in Goshen specializes in their wide variety of apples each year. This year, however, their fall yield is significantly sparse after suffering a late spring freeze and a summer hailstorm. 

Visiting the orchard in May, Mollie Kieffer, co-owner of Kercher's, was concerned that the harvest would be lackluster; but she explained that she would have to wait until the fall to truly tell the impacts. Her predictions came to fruition as "the apple trees are not full" this season, and they are in "very limited quantity of all varieties."

Some apples even have dents and holes in them from storm damage. Despite everything, Kercher's still brings levity to this seemingly underwhelming harvest season. A light-hearted sign can be seen as guests enter the rows of apple trees that says, "Our apples were kissed by God this year! They are very holey!"

What they lack in quantity and appearance, they make up in quality. "The taste is phenomenal still. So, the taste has not been affected," Kieffer reassures. 

Another high demand crop at the orchard is pumpkins, and they are plentiful. While other Southern Michiana and Central Indiana fields suffered extreme flooding, Kercher's missed the worst of the damaging rainfall. With a wide variety of pumpkins, they will make a great addition to fall decor. 

For more information about fall harvest and your orchard visit, Kercher's Sunrise Orchard can be reached by phone or online.