The historic town of Julian in San Diego’s backcountry is known for apple picking, apple cider and apple pie. At 4,200 feet elevation, the mountain climate is usually perfect for growing the fruit.
"Apples have been planted in Julian since the 1850s-1860s,” said Teak Nichols, a member of the Julian Apple Growers Association. “Around the turn of the century Julian apples were winning competitions in state fairs across the country.”
The big apple harvest month used to be held in October, but ongoing warm and dry conditions have led to ripened fruit two months early, said Nichols, a Julian native who helps run his family's business, Mom's Pies.
“We started having apples and pears at the end of August, and we’ve had fruit throughout September,” Nichols said. "As October passes we probably won’t have as much as we have in some years, but there has been fruit available."
Growing apples requires nearly 1,000 hours of cool temperatures, called "chill hours."
“A chill hour is any amount of time below 45 degrees,” Nichols said. “That’s what helps the tree form their fruit for the next year.”
Despite nearly 18 consecutive months of above average temperatures, some orchards have thrived, including Volcan Valley Apple Farm, where hundreds of trees still have some hanging fruit.
Other orchards have already run out of fruit or fallen victim to drought. Some farmers rely on rain during the winter months so they don’t have to spend as much money on water.
“Julian started with dry farming where there wasn’t irrigation and now in order to keep an orchard going and viable, you do need irrigation,” Nichols said.
Just like the early apple harvest, Julian’s annual Apple Days Festival is also being held earlier than usual. Nearly 5,000 visitors are expected to descend upon the town this weekend for festivities, fun, and of course, apples.
The Apple Growers Association is kicking off festivities at 6 p.m. Friday at Town Hall with an apple tasting of 15 to 20 varieties from local farms.
The two-day Apple Days Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at Menghini Winery, 1150 Julian Orchards Dr., Julian.
The celebration of apples will continue through the fall season, Nichols said.
"And in that time you might have apples, you might have pears, you might have rain, you might have fall color on the trees," Nichols said. "It's really just a time to celebrate all those things."
