Families can pick their own tasty and healthy apples and save money doing so while their children learn about local agriculture this fall at Whatcom County’s Bellewood Farms & Distillery.
Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 1 through Oct. 20, the public can choose from 22 varieties of apples at the 62-acre Bellewood Farms. U-pick hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Bellewood Farms is located at 6140 Guide Meridian, only 7 miles away from Bellingham, Ferndale and Lynden.
“People want to know where their food comes from and how things grow,” said Eric Abel, president of Bellewood Farms. “The free apple bin train ride through the orchard and farm can be enjoyed whether you’re picking apples or not. When children go through our free corn maze, they’ll see signs with answers to agriculture questions and will receive a prize when they return with the answers.”
Schools, co-ops and homeschool families are welcome to bring children, Abel said. Culinary enthusiasts can learn about apple varieties that are best suited for baking, sauces, storing and snacking.
“Besides the apples available at the farm, we deliver approximately 1.7 million pounds of apples to local grocery stores,” Abel said. “Honeycrisp is our most popular variety, but we have a farm favorite called Tsugaru that will be available Sept. 1. It’s a sweet Japanese variety with almost no tartness, great for desserts and snacking.”
Cider donuts and kettle corn will be available during weekends through Oct. 31 and a field full of pumpkins for sale will be open Oct. 1. COVID-19 recommendations will be followed. Bellewood Farms also includes a pear orchard, a market and gift shop, café, bakery, and distillery. For more information, call (360) 318-7720 or visit www.bellewoodfarms.com.
