Adams County, PA: Apples and more

Spring has finally sprung in south central Pennsylvania! Days of rain are interspersed with sunshine. We’ve been busy cultivating our seeds, getting them ready for our backyard herb garden. The Olde Getty Place Community Garden, located in Gettysburg’s Sterner Rec Park, is tilled and ready for planting. The garden is embarking on its third season of neighborhood growing. Besides us amateurs, professional farms and orchards abound in this part of Pennsylvania.

Adams County is the largest producer of apples in the Commonwealth with seven million bushels of apples grown in the county each year. (Pennsylvania is the fourth largest producer of apples in the U.S.) In addition to the 20,000 acres of orchards Adams County boasts other agricultural outlets, large and small. Orchards, dairies, beef ranches, wineries and more thrive here. One of my favorites, Hacienda Shiloh, specializes in garlic and shallots.

Local produce is available at roadside stands and area farmers markets, which generally open in May. (http://www.acfarmersmarkets.org/ lists dates and locations of the markets.) Stay tuned for more details on recommended stands and markets as they open for the season.