Minnesota apples Tag

Fall is in the air, which means apple season is in full swing. Whether you like to pick them, bake with them or anything in between, now is the time of year we often have shoppers asking us why local apple growers don’t certify organic. It’s a great question, and one that we posed to three different Minnesota orchards.  Overall, the sentiment expressed by everyone we asked was that if they could certify organic, they would, or as John Zimmer of SOGN Valley Orchard puts it, “If I had my druthers, I’d [grow organic] in a heartbeat.” He went on to explain that he has presented a three-year plan to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources that would hopefully result in the orchard achieving organic status and he’s worked diligently to significantly reduce the use of chemicals at his