Fall fun begins a little early in Arizona. Bring your baskets along; it's time to pick apples. Some orchards will have fruit ready to pick during the first weekend in September. Other orchards open a little later in the fall.

Great places to visit to pick apples include:

Wickenburg -- Date Creek Ranch. Organic apples are ready to be picked. Opening weekend is September 4^th and 5^th. The orchard will be open weekends from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. until the fruit is harvested. Boxes and wheelbarrows are provided. The apples are $1 a pound. Varieties available include Golden Delicious, Fuji and Braeburn.

Willcox -- Apple Annie's Orchard. Apples are available during September. Also, the farm hosts a harvest hotline that you can call to determine which fruit or vegetable is at its peak. (520-384-2084) Estimates show the apple varieties available during September include Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Rome Beauty, Criterion, Granny Smith and Fuji. "You Pick" apples are $.99 a pound. The orchard's hours are from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

Willcox --Brown's Orchard.  Organic apples and pears during September. Varieties include Gala, Early Blaze, Yellow Transparent, Gravenstein, Red/Golden Delicious, Red Rome, Top Red Delicious, Royal Red Delicious, Stayman Winesap, Winesap Commerical, Old Fashion Winesap, Rome Beauty and Jonathan. Bring your own plastic bags. A 10-pound minimum. Open Thursday -- Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.


Other farms with fall produce include:

Glendale -- Tolmachoff Farms. A four-generation family farm that offers a large variety of fruits and vegetables. The farm opens on October 1^st.

Queen Creek --Schnepf Farms. A 300 acre u-pick organic garden. Opens Labor Day weekend. 


Gilbert -- Mother Nature's Farm. A family owned and operated farm since 1968. Opens September 27^th.