Radke's Orchards

Apple Season 2010

Adam — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:57:48 +0000

The season is nearly here, we will be open again beginning on August 28. Most varieties are ripening early this year due to the unusual weather patterns during the growing season. Apples will be available for U-Pick for $.60 /lb. Pre-picked apples at the stand are priced by variety. We look forward to seeing you this year!

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End of Season 2009 Sale

Adam — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:25:03 +0000

We are nearing the end of our 2009 apple picking season, and will be closing October 25. U-Pick apples are now 25 cents per pound until the end of the season. Thanks for a wonderful 2009 season.

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Basic Applesauce

Adam — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:58:22 +0000

This is our method of producing applesauce. You can make as little or as much as you like.

We wash and quarter the apples, taking out the seeds but leaving the skin. The skin contains the natural pectin that will thicken the sauce. We use our seconds for sauce so we do take out any bad spots from the apples. Place the apples in a saucepan and add a very little amount of water. Cook the apples, stirring as necessary to prevent sticking. We put the mixture through a food mill to remove the skins and any seeds. Wait until the sauce cools before deciding if any extra sugar is needed. We don’t add any extra sugar to our sauce. We often use a mixture of apples. Golden Delicious apples used alone makes a lighter colored sauce. We prefer freezing the sauce using canning jars that are freezer safe. We have canned sauce using the hot water bath method.

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Apple Dumplings

Adam — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:55:28 +0000

This is a Thanksgiving tradition in the Radke household. Ruth Radke’s grandmother, Marie Bartholomew, made this recipe every fall. Ida Red apples are our favorite.

This recipe is in 2 parts: Sauce and Dough

Sauce

2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup butter

Cook on the stove for at least 5 minutes.

Dough

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup milk

Peel and core 4 or 5 apples.

Mix and roll out dough as for a piecrust. Mix the dry ingredients. I cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients with the mixer. Add the milk last and roll out the dough on a floured surface. Wrap each apple with dough, pinching together at the top. Place in pan and spoon syrup over the apples. Bake 35 minutes in a 375-degree oven.

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Apple Crisp

Adam — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:54:45 +0000

6 cups sliced, peeled apples
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place apples in 8×8 baking pan. Mix remaining ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.

Melt 1/3 cup butter and drizzle on apple mixture. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. This recipe comes from the St. Paul Lutheran Cookbook, Otis, IN through Bonnie Martin’s Aunt, Lois Burge.

Radke Orchard traditions – I’ve seen my mother-in-law, Gladys Radke, sprinkle a little vanilla and/or cinnamon over the apples before she adds the crust mixture. She adds the cinnamon before the crust because the cinnamon on top makes the crust a darker brown. She adds the vanilla because her mother-in-law, Jessie Radke, always added vanilla to enhance the apple flavor. When doubling this recipe, sometimes more crust mixture is necessary. We prefer Ida Red apples, although Golden Delicious work well also. Mutzu makes a crisper crisp, as those apples remain crisp when baked. A soft apple, such as McIntosh, makes a softer crisp. We use enough apples to generously fill the baking dish.

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Apple Season 2009 is underway!

Adam — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:02:20 +0000

The season is well underway at Radke Orchards! Most varieties of apples are now ready, or will soon be, so plan your visit soon! We offer the same, family-friendly country atmosphere as always, and the weather has been particularly cooperative this season. Be prepared for a wonderful time!

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Apple Season is nearly Here!

Adam — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:56:16 +0000

The 2009 apple season is nearly here, and we have a nice looking crop that will be ready for picking. We will open on September 1 for both U-Pick and stand operation. At that time, the early varieties (including Honeycrisp) will be available for picking. For the first few weeks, we may have a limited supply of pre-picked apples, so be sure to call first if you are looking for pre-picked.

We look forward to seeing you this year! If you have joined our mailing list, be sure to look for your postcard in the mail!

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End of Season 2008

Adam — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:58:14 +0000

Thank you all for a wonderful season. The 2008 picking season is now over. All of the apples have been picked, and we are now closed. We look forward to seeing all of you again next year. Watch this site for more information on when to expect apples to be ready in 2009. Generally, apples are available starting around the end of August. Thanks again!

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2008 Season nearing completion

Adam — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:48:00 +0000

Well it looks like this will be a short season again this year. Currently, we only have significant quantities of Mutsu and Golden Delicious left for picking. As a result, we will be closed for U-Pick during the week, and will re-open this weekend. (Saturday and Sunday 10/18-10/19 8:30am-6:00pm). Depending on the number of apples picked, this weekend could be our last weekend. We will update the site again once the decision is made to close for the year.

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2008 Season has begun!

Adam — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:03:38 +0000

Radke’s Orchards is pleased to announce the beginning of the 2008 apple picking season. We are open for both U-Pick and ready-picked business from 9 AM to 6 PM daily. Be sure to check back often to find out what varieties are ready for picking. Our crop looks fantastic this year, so don’t miss out! For your convenience, we now accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.

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