Apple Orchard Videos
Discover how Ontario apples are grown, harvested, and stored so they can be enjoyed year-round. These videos take you behind the scenes of an apple orchard — from spring blossoms and tree care to picking, storage, processing, and cider making.
360 Apple Orchard
Apples are crisp, juicy, and full of flavour — and there’s a lot more to them than you might think! Check out this 360° video to learn all there is to know about Ontario apples: how they’re grown, the innovative and sustainable practices used, and how they’re packed, stored, and made into juice/cider. . Visit FarmFood360.ca to tour other types of farms and food processing facilities.
Processing Apples for Juice
Did you know not all apples are sold fresh? Check out this video to learn how Canadian-grown apples are processed and how they’re turned into delicious cider! Visit FarmFood360.ca to tour other types of farms and food processing facilities.
Technology & Innovation in Growing Apples
If you’ve ever wondered how technology and innovation are changing the way apples are grown in Ontario, Canada, this video is for you. Watch to learn how today’s apple farmers are using cutting-edge tools and sustainable practices to grow better apples, work smarter, and care for the land — all while continuing a proud tradition of farming. Visit FarmFood360.ca to tour other types of farms and food processing facilities.
Storage & Packing of Apples After Harvest
What happens to apples once they’re picked from the orchard? Watch this video to learn all there is to know about how Canadian apples are sorted, stored, and packed — and how they go from the orchard to your table fresh, crisp, and ready to enjoy! Visit FarmFood360.ca to tour other types of farms and food processing facilities.
Sustainability in the Apple Orchard
Growing apples in Ontario, Canada comes with its own set of challenges — from unpredictable weather to protecting the trees and fruit. Click to watch and learn how Canadian apple farmers are adapting to a changing environment by using sustainable practices to care for their orchards and the land they rely on. Visit FarmFood360.ca to tour other types of farms and food processing facilities.
APPLE QUICK FACTS
- There are about 15 main commercial apple varieties grown on nearly 16,000 acres in Ontario.
- The top five apple varieties in Ontario (based on acreage planted) are Gala, Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, McIntosh, and Red Delicious.
- The province’s main apple growing regions are along the shores of Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.
- Ontario growers use Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage, reducing oxygen levels - effectively pausing ripening - and allowing apples to stay fresh through winter and into spring.
- To protect against frost, growers employ frost fans and wind machines to keep warmer air circulating in orchards.
- Farmers may use automated, self-propelling platforms for pruning, thinning, and harvesting. The platforms improve worker safety and make picking easier overall.
- In recent years, Ontario has been testing machine-based fruit tracking, using scanners to count and size apples on the tree.
- Apples are versatile and rarely wasted: imperfect fruit goes to processing, juicing, cider, or used in school snack programs.
- Farmers plant young nursery trees, then train and prune them by hand, typically in early spring, to ensure proper sunlight exposure and branch structure.
- Harvesting is done in the late summer and fall. Apples are carefully hand-picked to avoid bruising by workers using ladders or motorized platforms.
- After harvesting, apples are graded based on size, colour, and quality, which determines their market destination