Frequently Asked Questions

All produce needs to be labeled. When you buy apples in tray-pack or bulk, the only labeling possible is a sticker on the fruit.

While the label stickers on produce are made of food-safe materials, it’s best to avoid eating them. A clever solution — tape a piece of Scotch Tape over the apple sticker and then peel it off. It removes the sticker quickly and cleanly.

For more information, check out this helpful article from Bon Appétit.

Although each Michigan Apple variety is typically harvested around the same time each year, weather conditions can cause harvest dates to shift by a few days to a couple of weeks. Michigan Apple harvest typically starts around mid-to-late August and goes through October.

Find out when your favorite Michigan Apple variety will be harvested with the Michigan Apple Harvest Schedule.

If you walked out into an orchard, picked an apple from the tree and rubbed that apple on your shirt, you would notice that it shined − you’ve just polished the natural wax that an apple produces to protect its high water content. Without wax, fruits and vegetables like apples would lose their vital crispness and moisture through normal respiration and transpiration − eventually leaving them soft and dry (yuck!).

After harvest, apples are washed and brushed to remove leaves and field dirt before they are packed in cartons for shipping to your local market. This cleaning process removes the fruit’s natural wax coating, so to protect the fruit many apple packers will re−apply a commercial grade wax.

One pound of wax may cover as many as 160,000 pieces of fruit; perhaps two drops is the most wax covering each apple. Waxes have been used on fruits and vegetables since the 1920s. They are all made from natural ingredients, and are certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be safe to eat.

Apples bruise easily, so handle with care! Apples that are refrigerated can last longer than apples left out. So place your apples in the fridge and enjoy the crisp, fresh flavor even longer!

Find more tips on how to keep apples fresh.

Each Michigan Apple variety has a unique texture and flavor. While nearly any apple can be used for cooking or snacking, certain varieties are generally considered best for specific uses. Firmer apples that hold up to heat are often preferred when cooking and baking.

Take a look at our Michigan Apple Best Usage Chart for guidelines.

Individual preferences vary, so don’t hesitate to experiment.

Leave deer apples (also known as drop or windfall apples) for the deer! These apples have a higher bacteria count and most likely have a lot of damage and bruising to them.

There are a few Michigan Apple growers who grow organically.

Michigan has a moist climate that is attractive to pests and diseases that can be difficult to combat. If the apples are organic they will be labeled as organic either on a sticker, bag or other packaging.

The website safefruitsandveggies.com has a “Pesticide Calculator” and other information about traditionally-grown produce, for your information.

No. There are no GMO apples grown in Michigan.

Controlled atmosphere storage is a non-chemical process that slows down the ripening process in order to keep Michigan Apples crisp and fresh.

Oxygen levels, which are at 21% in the air we breathe, are reduced to one or two percent in the controlled atmosphere (C.A.) storage rooms. Temperatures are kept at a constant 32 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit, but exact conditions in the rooms are set according to the fruit variety.

Researchers develop specific instructions for each variety to achieve the best quality and computers also help keep conditions constant. Read more about some of the latest from Michigan State University and apple storage.

For resources on helping to cultivate your own Michigan Apple trees, try your local tree nursery and Michigan State University Extension.

MSU Extension offers this primer guide to growing backyard fruit trees to get you started.