Apple picking is a rite of passage for Northeasterners, and many start before they can walk.
Eastern Produce Council tapped into this regional, cultural tradition with the 8th annual Joe DeLorenzo Family Apple Picking Event Oct. 8, at Melick’s Town Farm, Oldwick, N.J.
Susan McAleavey Sarlund, executive director of Eastern Produce Council, greeted industry professionals as they arrived with their families, offering apple cider and doughnuts and special apple-collecting bags stapled with food tickets to redeem afterward.
Guests enjoyed tractor rides to the heart of the orchard to begin their picking, with varying degrees of commitment and success.
The event was established in memory of Joe DeLorenzo, former EPC president and Hall of Fame member and director of produce at Krasdale-Alpha1Marketing. DeLorenzo passed away in 2014.
After the ride to the orchard, EPC members and their families enjoyed fresh grilled corn on the cob, hot dogs, popcorn and camaraderie with fellow EPC members and the DeLorenzo family.
