An Apple a Day at Frost Top by Brooke Peterson
A wise old man once said, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” If that’s true, then there definitely aren’t any doctors at Frost Top Orchard in Corvallis, Mont.
Nestled in the Bitterroot Valley, Frost Top is an apple orchard that Al and Mary Pernichele have owned for ten years as a retirement project.
“It’s a hobby orchard for us,” Mary Pernichele said.
The Pernicheles had always been interested in growing fruit, so when they noticed an ad on the Internet for Frost Top posted by Galan Frost himself, they thought they would give it a try. Mr. Pernichele said they started to learn about apples from books and technical papers.
The national demand in the early 1900s proved that apples can be grown in the Bitterroot Valley, which at one time was the largest supplier of apples in the Northwest. Although the orchards in Montana do need irrigation, they rarely have problems with insects and disease like other orchards across the country.
This year they sold every apple, all 96,000 pounds of them, including 3,000 gallons of apple cider. The Pernicheles have no problem sustaining a small orchard by selling locally. In fact, 95 percent of production is sold straight from their barn. Sales go to many local and repeat customers, which spans to areas of Great Falls and Dillon. Also, the “buy local” trend in the area definitely helps business, the Pernicheles said.
“If we went totally organic, raised prices, and planted more intensively, then we would prosper more,” Mrs. Pernichele said, but they are just fine having it for social security.
Their early harvest begins in late August with the Zestar, Williams Pride, Redfree, Gala, and Sansa varieties, but their main harvest doesn’t start until the third week of September. The Honeycrisp, Spartan, Fuji and Jonnagold blossom then. Their biggest seller is the Macintosh, at $20.00 for a 40lb. box. Mr. Pernichele said that it is the best for pies and applesauce.
During harvest of the main crop, the Pernicheles get too busy storing apples and making cider so they hire apple pickers. Pickers aren’t hard to acquire because they can make good money relative to other work in the area. They are paid $1.25 for a 40-pound box of apples.
Harvey Sharp, 68, has been picking at Frost Top for nine years, “When you don’t have anything to do, you come pick apples. And I love pickin’ apples,” he said. On a good day, Sharp picked $85.00 worth of apples.
They also get help from their three daughters, who have been coming up from Salt Lake City and Portland during harvest time for the past nine years.
“Harvest time is a reunion and party time with friends and relatives,” Al Pernichele said.
Al and Mary Pernichele will maintain the orchard for as long as they are physically able. Surrounded by apples, the doctors shouldn’t be needed.