Early apple season begins during peak peach season at Franklin County farms

DEERFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – It’s peak peach season in Franklin County with another fruit starting to make its seasonal appearance.

Not only are we in the peak of peach season but early apples are ready at local farms up in Franklin County.

On a breezy summer day, Clarkdale Fruit Farms in Deerfield was packed with people coming for the beginning of early apple season.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid. I grew up in Greenfield, so 38 years. But Ellie is five and Ethan is three and we’ve been coming since they were babies.” Greenfield resident, Luke Martin told 22News. He brought this children to get their first apples of the season from the farm.

It’s not only early apple season, right now we’re also in the peak of peach season. The drought around the state has impacted the farm by moving the early apple season up a few days, but farm owners say they’re getting by.

“The dry weather has really made for sweet and juicy peaches. The size may not be quite as big but they’re wonderful flavor,” Clarkdale Fruit Farms owner, Ben Clark said.

When it comes to apples right now early apples they have is Paula red, Gravenstein and ginger gold.

Due to the pandemic, the store has changed its store to one way only to reduce browsing and limit the touching of fruits along with other precautions that they’re taking inside.

“We do daily temperature screenings of our employees. Everyone working at the store is masked, we’re sanitizing between every customer,” Clark continued.

Masks also must be worn while visors are at the farm.

Clarkdale Fruit Farms said that in about two weeks they’ll have Macintosh apples when they’ll also start pick your own apples for guests.