Upon arriving at Deardorff Orchards in Waconia, Minnesota for opening season, we were greeted by the owner himself, Lin Deardorff. He was by the entrance sampling the U-Pick apple of the weekend, Zestar! apples (the exclamation point is officially part of the name). Lin is full of knowledge about apples and you can tell he has a lot of passion for them.
Today we learned from Lin, that Zestar! apples are not sold in stores because they are easily bruised. An apple is handled about 15 times from orchard to grocery store shelves. A bruised apple doesn’t have a long shelf life.
During opening weekend they had a special on U-Pick apples of $20 per 1/2 peck. Normally priced $25 per 1/2 peck. These hold about 5-6 pounds of apples, Remember if making a 9 inch pie that you need at least 2-3 pounds of apples.
After picking we enjoyed a wine tasting at Parley Lake Winery, which is located in the same barn as the apple barn. And relaxed with gorgeous views and wonderful music from the Flannel Brothers.
Tip: Remember to bring your favorite mosquito repellent. We didn’t think about it and were eaten alive while we were picking our apples.
A rustic apple barn built in 1888 full of treats!
From sauces, jams, popcorn, caramel apples, pies, fudge, honey, apple donuts, and apple cider.
Don’t feel like picking your own apples? Grab a pre-picked bag of 10 different varieties of apples.
How To Get There:
8282 Parley Lake Rd.
Waconia, MN 55387
I enjoy places that are easy to get to and easy to find parking at. And this adventure checks both of those off!
