By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Despite a summer of long droughts alternating with drenching downpours, it looks like the Empire State will see a good apple harvest.

New York is second nationwide in apple production, behind Washington. Michigan follows New York, and then Pennsylvania and California. USDA says that nearly 41,000 acres in the state are planted as apple orchards. There are 700 commercial apple producers in the state.

Mark Lagoner is president of Lagoner Farms in Williamson, Wayne County, the highest-producing county in New York and the third-highest producing county nationwide, according to USDA. He grows 125 acres of apples.

Lagoner says his workers began harvesting apples on Sept. 8, picking McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Gala and Autumn Crisp, a newer variety that's gaining popularity for sauce and the fresh market since it's slow to brown. It was developed by researchers at Cornell.

NEW VARIETY: The Autumn Crisp apple was developed by researchers at Cornell University. It has been growing in popularity for sauce and the fresh market since it's slow to brown.

"I think it will be a very good crop," Lagoner says.

He praised the quality of the fruit, too.  

"The flavor is going to be excellent with the hot, dry summer we had," he says. "That raises the flavor."

Statewide, the crop brought in $343 million in 2017, according to USDA. The agency predicts a comparable harvest this year totaling 31 million bushels, a small increase over the 29.5 million bushels harvested in 2017 and the 28.5 million bushels picked in 2016.

High temperatures and lack of rain can affect color. Many consumers prefer bright, red apples in the grocery store. Lagoner says lack of color challenged growers this season since the heat and dry conditions prevented the red hues from fully developing.

"It's starting to come along with cooler temperatures," he says. "We were fortunate to have heavy rain a month ago, 6 inches of rain in a week, and that was a savior for this harvest's quality."

Cynthia Haskins is also upbeat about this year’s harvest. Haskins is president of the New York Apple Association, a trade organization that promotes the apple industry statewide and supports agricultural and market research.

"In talking with our growers, I'm hearing we'll have a variety of sizes," Haskins says.

She, too, says the dry weather slowed the fruit's coloration but cooler, rainy weather has helped to develop the hues.

"We were a little concerned this summer when we didn't have rain, but the rain came in at the tail end," she says. "They're sweetening up nicely. I was at an orchard a week ago. The early varieties are coming along, and the others are sizing."

The lack of early cold snaps, blight, pests, hail or other weather issues also bodes well for a good harvest.

About 53% of the state’s apples sell as fresh fruit. The remaining 47% are processed for juice, cider, sauce, slices, pie filling or other uses, according to the New York Apple Association.

The top 10 varieties in the state are McIntosh, Empire, Red Delicious, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Rome, Idared, Crispin, Paula Red and Gala, along with many heirloom apple varieties.

Sergeant writes from central New York. Contact her at [email protected].