September heat kicks off early apple season

While many hold onto what's left of summer with a warmer-than-typical September, these temperatures have caused an early start to apple season, a crucial time for local agriculture.

Karen Ferri and her husband Tom own TK Ferri Orchards in Clarksburg, a 20-acre orchard with almost 50,000 trees, and one in which the couple takes plenty of pride.

"As opposed to being first on the shelf, we aim to be best on the shelf," said Karen.

• Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device 
• Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox

The Ferri family started apple season in early September, selling their products to customers who visit their on-site market. They also play a key role in supplying Toronto-based grocers.

"We do sell the majority of our apples into the food terminal in Toronto," said Karen. "We pick about 800 to 1,000 bins per season."

The Ferri's offer seven types of apples, including popular ones like Honeycrisp, Royal Gala, and Canadian Ambrosia. They also sell ciders and other apple-based products.

"Being able to grow your own food, in my opinion, is one of the things that keeps us a first-world country," added Karen. "Quality is absolutely essential, and food safety is incredibly important."

Heading east, about halfway between the Blue Mountains and Lake Simcoe, Fernwood Farms & Market in Stayner sells apples from nearby growers, bringing freshly grown apples one step closer to local kitchens.

"Apples are very important to the agricultural economy. It's one of those last fruits of the season," said Kevin Ward, co-owner of Fernwood Farms. "It's going to be a lot of apple bins from the grower that we're going to buy in. And that'll be over 100 bins that'll go through [our] store."

Apple season in the region typically lasts until late October; however, the mid-September heat could cause it to end earlier, as heat deteriorates apple quality.

Farmers will hope the season lasts until Thanksgiving, which is typically the most important weekend for apple sales.