Kennebec Journal interviews Moran about state’s ‘bumper crop’ of apples
Renae Moran, a tree fruit specialist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, spoke with the Kennebec Journal for the article, “Whitefield, Manchester, Farmington apple growers see ‘bumper crop.’” Orchards throughout central Maine have been open for picking for a couple weeks as their early varieties have come into season, according to the article. “We’re entering the peak harvest right now, when you can expect all the orchards to be open statewide,” Moran said. “Now we’re coming into our best apples — the fall and winter apples. This is when we start to see the sweeter apples ripening up.” Moran said those who visit orchards will find a robust crop of apples that benefited from nearly ideal growing conditions, such as warm weather, a healthy supply of buds and good pollination. “I think one of the things people are going to notice is the abundance of apples,” she said. “It’s what we call a bumper crop.”