Published on August 19, 2026 6:52 pm
Last Updated on August 19, 2026 6:56 pm
By RHIANNON BRANCH, FarmWeek
Apples are ready for picking at some Illinois orchards, marking an early harvest.
“Due to the early bloom and warm temperatures this summer, harvest is running at least several days to a week earlier than most years,” Molly Christ with Christ Orchard in Elmwood told FarmWeek.
They began picking the first of more than 60 varieties of apples in late July and will offer U-pick apples later this month.
“Despite the close calls we had this spring with the freezing temperatures, we still have a bumper crop of apples,” Christ said. “A few apples have frost rings, or rough patches on the skin. This is a type of russeting that does not affect the flesh or taste.”
Apples ripening early in Illinois this season
The first varieties of apples at Liberty Apple Orchard in Edwardsville ripened about 10 days ahead of usual. (Photo courtesy of Liberty Apple Orchard)
Apple varieties are also maturing about 10 days ahead of schedule at Liberty Apple Orchard in Edwardsville. Owner Stephen Miller said the early bloom in late March was a driving factor.
“The only other year with a bloom in late March was back in 2012 and then it was followed by a deep freeze in April that just decimated the apple crop here in Illinois,” Miller recalled. “Fortunately, this year we had an early bloom, but we also had a fairly warm April, so we didn’t have that problem.”
Most of their varieties look plentiful with good quality, especially the Honeycrisps.
“The trees are loaded with Honeycrisp. It looks gorgeous. They have a lot of color and a lot of sizing that we haven’t seen in the last couple of years, so we’re very optimistic that there’ll be a good season,” he said.
Miller calls himself an “encore-preneur” having planted his first apple trees in 2008 after retiring from his career. Now he has around 1,000 trees growing 21 different varieties for people to pick. Liberty Apple Orchard also sells at three farmer’s markets in southwestern Illinois and eastern Missouri.
“I think this could be the best year we have ever had for apples,” Miller said. “Last year was a very good year for us, but this year looks very promising.”
Around 545 farms grow more than 2,200 acres of apples in Illinois each year, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture.
