Apple picking next weekend: Do it with 'zest'ar

A smallish apple with a great sweet and tangy taste. (Courtesy photo)

MILTON - Apple picking in August?

Yep, that's right.

Thanks to a fruitful growing season, McKenzie's Farm in Milton will have its Zestar apples ready for picking next weekend, the final weekend of August.

"It's been a good growing season," owner Annie McKenzie said on Wednesday.

Zestar apples, which are grown under the brand name, Zestar!, were developed for early picking and grow well in northern climes.

It was developed by horticulturists at the University of Minnesota specifically to increase local apple production amid cooler temperatures.

It is known for its sweet and tangy taste and its long shelf life, even unrefrigerated.

Developers of the Zestar also developed the Honeycrisp apple, another favorite at McKenzie's where most of the pick-your-own apple picking occurs in September and October.