Apple Picking Calculator
Enter the pounds you picked and the orchard price per pound. The calculator converts your bag into pies at three pounds each, cider gallons at the press rate, and the real cost of the outing.
The orchard charges above grocery prices because the outing is the product - the hayride, the cider donut, the ladder photos. The payoff is storage: picked apples keep five to eight weeks in the fridge crisper unwashed, so a late-October bag becomes Thanksgiving pies for free.
How to use
- Weigh the bag at checkout - pecks and bushels confuse everyone.
- Three pounds makes one pie; three pounds presses into a quart of cider.
- Refrigerate unwashed; wash at eating time, not storage time.
Frequently asked questions
How many apples are in a peck?
A peck is about 10 pounds - roughly 30 medium apples, or three pies. A half-bushel bag runs 20 pounds; the calculator converts any weight into pies and cider.
How many apples does it take to make a pie?
Three pounds - six to eight medium apples - fills a standard nine-inch pie. Different varieties cook down differently; mixing a sweet and a tart apple makes the best filling.
How should I store fresh-picked apples?
Unwashed, in the fridge crisper, in a bag - they keep five to eight weeks. One rotting apple speeds up its neighbors, so pull the soft ones as you spot them.
Is apple picking cheaper than buying apples?
No - orchards charge a premium and the outing is the product. The honest framing is paying for the hayride and the donut and receiving apples; the calculator prices the bag so the outing is a chosen expense.