With Labor Day behind us, you might be itching for fall to arrive.

People visiting an apple orchard near Harrisburg will notice a change this year.

Greg Jones knew it would be a tough year at Country Apple Orchard near Harrisburg.

Not only did his apple trees suffer dry conditions over the past year, but also a pest, known as a thrip.

“The thrip gets into the blossom and it eats the blossom up before the apples even set, so there wasn’t even any apples on the trees,” Country Apple Orchard owner Greg Jones said.

The lack of apples means there won’t be any picking in the orchard this year.

Instead, the business is partnering with some Minnesota orchards to make apples available in its store.

There will be apple varieties that orchard visitors are used to and some new kinds.

“We’re even focusing on having some more varieties as well that you wouldn’t see here, like Pixie crunch, and we’ll have a lot more varieties that you haven’t seen in the past,” Jones said.

“While you can’t pick your own apples out here this year, there are other fun fall activities such as a new pumpkin patch.

You could also take a tractor ride or find your way through a corn maze.

“There’s lots of fun things to do. It’s a long winter here, so you better get outdoors and soak it all up while you can,” Jones said.

Jones says the orchard is saving what little apples it does have on the trees for kids on field trips.

Source - https://www.keloland.com