The 2026 Apple Report

Farmers talk harvest, weather, and the troubles with cherries

This week’s Northern Express — sister publication of The Ticker — is all about fall: fall color, fall harvest, and fall adventures. And the hallmark of the season is the apple, a crop that is quickly becoming a more reliable product for local farmers.

"I think growing apples is more profitable in the end, at least for us. It seems a little more hopeful or encouraging," says Kristie Altonen, owner of Altonen Orchards, a multi-generational farm based in Williamsburg and Townline Ciderworks.

Isaiah Wunsch, CEO of Wunsch Farms, a sixth-generation farm located on Old Mission Peninsula, agrees. "I think apples are definitely more climate resilient than some of our traditional cherry varieties." Read more here.

Pick up a free copy of this week’s Northern Express, available to read online or at one of nearly 650 spots in 13 counties across northern Michigan.