WASHINGTON, D.C. – A near doubling of last year’s apple crop in Michigan forecast by USDA seems right on the money, judging from growers in the southwest part of the state.

“Everybody in the area has a huge apple crop,” said Annette Bjorge, owner of Fruit Acres Farm Market and U-Pick at 3452 Friday Road in Coloma.

Bjorge estimated her 20 acres of apple trees doubled their production from last year when the crop was hurt mostly by early season bud-killing frost.

She said there was no early season frost or freezes this year and weather during the growing season was ideal.

Bjorge wasn’t sure if the size of her crop will set any personal records considering the orchard has been in her family since 1846. She said her apple crop this year will be one of the best at her farm, which also raises peaches, cherries, pears and other fruit on about 200 acres.

USDA estimates 26.1 million bushels of apples will come out of Michigan this year, compared to 15.6 million bushels in 2021.

According to USDA, many growers in Michigan are also expecting some of their best yields since 2016. Michigan is the third leading apple producer in the country, with an average five-year crop size of 22 million bushels, according to USDA.

Agnes Cielbauer predicted her apple crop this year will be about 40 percent larger than last year. Cielbauer and her husband, Joseph, have owned Twin Maple Orchards at 15352 Cleveland Ave. near Galien for 58 years.

She also wasn’t sure if any production records will be set for apples at her orchard but left it open as a possibility. Cielbauer was certain, though, this year’s crop will be one of her best not just in terms of volume but also the size and quality of her apples. “There are no bad apples on the trees,” she said.

Cielbauer also described the weather as “just right” for pollination. “We did have our bees working,” she said.

Doug Forraht described his apple crop as above average and estimated production at his two growing locations at roughly 25 percent above 2021. “I don’t know if it’s a record year but it’s pretty good. A very heavy crop,” he said.

His family owns Forraht Fruit Farms at 960 E. Lemon Creek Road at Berrien Springs and The Shafer Farm at 9800 Hartline Road in Baroda.

There’s close to 40 acres of apple trees at both sites combined, along with 16 acres of peach trees and 1 acre of pear trees.

He also credited no early season frost and what could be viewed as perfect weather conditions during the growing season for an abundant crop. “We had a lot of timely rains and enough heat but it wasn’t excessive,” Forraht said.

According to USDA, the top apple producing state in the country is Washington followed by New York.

USDA is projecting 154 million bushels of apples coming out of Washington this year or about 6 million bushels less than 2021 because of a wet, windy and colder than normal spring in the state. 

Apple production in New York is expected to climb from 31.9 million bushels to 34.5 million bushels in 2022, according to USDA.

USDA estimated this year’s apple production nationwide will be up by 3 percent.