Galas are already coming off the trees, and Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers is looking for a great apple season and promotable crop. “Weather has been pretty good this growing season,” said National Marketing Representative Dan Wohlford. “We’ve had good temperatures and precipitation at the right time for the most part. There were a couple of hail events in July that affected a small amount of fruit. However, there is a market for that, too, and we don’t anticipate any real issues.”

Oneonta began operations in Wenatchee, WA, in 1934. Today, its offerings include a wide array of quality apples, pears, cherries, stone fruits, table grapes and citrus.

Gala production ramped up the week of Aug. 12. “Sizing looks good and the color has been outstanding,” Wohlford commented. “Golden Delicious and Granny Smith will be next followed closely by Honeycrisp in early September. Then Jonagold and some early Fuji’s in mid-September.” Production for Red Delicious, Braeburn and Cameo begins in early October. “And Pink Lady and Fuji are the last to mature and get picked in mid-October,” he added.

Wohlford said the company’s apple volume will be up this season. “Our trees came through the winter in good shape and that, coupled with favorable growing conditions, lead us to more fruit on trees,” he stated.

In addition to conventional apples, Oneonta markets organic product. “Organics account for less than 10 percent of our total volume. However, it is an extremely important segment,” Wohlford said. “Buyers want their trucks making as few pickups as possible while still getting the quality they demand. And having organics as part of our lineup through Columbia Valley Fruit gives us that total package for buyers to make one pickup for conventional and organic fruit.”

If Galas are an indication, he said size and quality for the new crop will be outstanding. “We will see the classic type and uniform coloring along with a good mix of sizes for a good year of fruit,” Wohlford stated.

On the marketing side, Wohlford said Oneonta is giving consumers the ultimate flexibility with their apple purchases. “This year we’re giving consumers the freedom to choose,” he explained. “Our theme this year is U-Pick The Flavors. The idea is that you can mix different varieties to get the different flavors you want.”

The promotion complements other packaging options. “Like everyone else, we are looking for ways that the gusseted bag can fit with our customers packaging needs,” Wohlford stated. “It’s a good looking package design, and we’ve looked at it for anything from a club pack to a two-pound ‘snacker’ size package.”