Apple orchards are starting to open for another U-pick season. 

By Rick Nelson Star Tribune

A sure sign of the impending change of seasons is when local U-pick apple orchards open their gates.

Some go all out, offering hay rides, corn mazes, live music and other family-friendly activities. Others operate apple-focused bakeries — a feast of doughnuts, fritters, turnovers, pies and crisps — and many concentrate on general stores stocked with pre-picked apples, freshly pressed cider, caramel apples and other apple-related products. Then there are the purists, who stick strictly to the highly underrated fresh-air activity of apple picking.

These U-pick orchards are within (roughly) a 90-minute drive from downtown Minneapolis. Some have already started welcoming apple enthusiasts, others are opening soon. Be sure to do your research before visiting to confirm hours, services, availability and payment options.

Belle Plaine

Cherith Farms, 27450 Raven Road, 507-665-5055, cherithfarms.com

Emma Krumbee’s Apple Orchard, 311 E. Enterprise Drive, 952-873-3006, emmakrumbees.com

Buffalo

Deer Lake Orchard, 1903 10th St. SW., 763-682-4284, deerlakeorchard.com

Delano

Apple Jack Orchards, 4875 SE. 37th St., 763-972-6673, applejackorchards.com

Apple Tree-O, 5667 SE. 90th St., 763-390-7795, appletreeo.com

Elko New Market

Thompsons’ Hillcrest Orchard, 6271 E. 250th St., 952-461-2055, thompsonsapples.com

Faribault

Trumps Orchard, 1020 St. Paul Av., 507-334-5167, trumpsorchard.com

Hastings

Afton Apple, 14421 90th St. S., 651-436-8385, aftonapple.com

Croix Farm Orchard, 12971 St. Croix Trail S., 651-437-7126, croixfarm.com

Whistling Well Farm, 8973 St. Croix Trail S., 651-998-0301, whistlingwellfarm.com

Jordan

Minnesota Harvest, 8251 Old Hwy. 169 Blvd., 952-492-2785, minnesotaharvest.net

Lakeville

Applewood Orchard, 22702 Hamburg Av., 952-985-5425, applewoodorchard.net

Maple Lake

Organic Breezy Hill, 3944 Iresfield Av. NW., organicbreezyhill.com

Minnetrista

Minnetonka Orchards, 6530 County Road 26, facebook.com/minnetonkaorchards

Montgomery

Montgomery Orchard, 15953 State Hwy. 99, 952-221-1051, montgomeryorchard.com

Montrose

Fall Harvest Orchard, 345 County Road 30 SE., 763-972-3894, fallharvestorchard.com

Northfield

Silkey Gardens, 5561 SE. 115th St., 651-357-5092, silkeygardens.com

Princeton

J.Q. Fruit Farm & Orchard, 8082 33rd St., 763-389-2567, jqfruitfarm.com

Red Wing

Frontenac Hills Orchard, 30202 Frontenac Hills Way, 651-212-1768

Rochester

Sekapp Orchard, 3415 Collegeview Road E., 507-282-4544, sekapporchard.com

Rockford

Knapton’s Raspberries, Pumpkins & Orchard, 5695 Hwy. 55, 763-479-1184, knaptons.org

Rush City

Moulton’s Vineyard & Orchard, 51513 Game Av., 320-248-0042, facebook.com/Moultons-Vineyard-Orchard-434431100263550

Shakopee

Peter’s Pumpkins & Carmen’s Corn, 12860 Old Brick Yard Road, 952-906-0247, peterspumpkins.com

South Haven

Fairhaven Farm, 13835 51st Av., 320-236-7685, fairhaven-farm.com

Stanchfield

Dew Fresh Produce, 404 375th Av. NE., 763-689-2282, facebook.com/Dew-Fresh-Produce-191144470922866/

Jake’s Apple Shack, 601 375th Av. NE., 763-689-2282, jakesappleshack.com

Stillwater

Aamodt’s Apple Farm, 6428 Manning Av., 651-439-3127, aamodtsapplefarm.com

Waconia

Deardorff Orchards, 8282 Parley Lake Road, deardorfforchards.com

Watertown

LuceLine Orchard, 2755 Rose Av., 612-817-6229, lucelineorchard.com

Webster

Havlicek’s Veseli Vrsek Orchard, 26526 Newport Av., 952-758-4386, havlicekorchard.com

Nelson’s Apple Farm, 3010 Douglas Av., 952-461-3355, nelsonsapplefarm.com

Wyoming

Sunrise River Farm, 7602 Wyoming Trail, 651-462-8220, sunriseriverfarm.com

Get picking at these 32 Minnesota apple orchards – StarTribune.com

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) — Rochester Public Schools (RPS) announced in a school board meeting Tuesday night that the new middle school will be called “Dakota” Middle School.

Voting for the new school name was conducted online from September 8 to September 16.

Other names that were considered were Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King Jr., Unity, Dakota and Woksape; meaning wisdom in the Lakota language.

The names were submitted by students and are what they believe to best represent the community of Rochester.

New Rochester middle school announces name (kttc.com)

By Ethan Humble

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) — Roller Disco, the Rochester Downtown Alliance’s newest event, will temporarily turn downtown into an outdoor roller-skating rink on October 9.

The event will feature high-energy music, skate rentals, party lighting and a disco ball. It will include family, teen and adult skate hours.

The temporary outdoor roller rink, which has been featured at large-scale events like Coachella, will be installed for one day at a downtown location yet to be determined.

“Roller skating has made a comeback recently and we hope Rochester really embraces this new program. We envision an exuberant, welcoming event that appeals to all ages, including 12- to 18-year-olds, a demographic we haven’t always served in the past,” said Kanika Couchene, RDA director of events & strategic partnerships.

Roller Disco event partners include Winona State University, Rochester and KTTC TV.

Visit the event’s web page and follow Downtown Rochester, MN on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as more details are released.

Roller Disco event coming to downtown Rochester in October (kttc.com)

ROCHESTER, Minn. – Mayor Kim Norton is encouraging residents to join the “Fall Fit City Challenge.”

Rochester is one of 32 communities across the country taking part in the program where people take the time they spend moving on a dedicated app. When the challenge ends on October 15, the ward with the most tracked time will win a party at a local park.

“Rochester is already an incredibly active city with a great public trail system, which includes over 100 miles of trails, and numerous parks and recreation opportunities. It is my hope that this program encourages people to get out and explore the city,” says Mayor Norton. “As America’s City for Health, this initiative supports what we try and focus on as a community.”

The “Fall Fit City Challenge” is a national initiative founded by the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. Rochester is the only community in Minnesota taking park.

Rochester joins national effort to get people active this fall (kimt.com)

Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) – Look for another addition to a popular Rochester park.

When you think of Rochester, what comes to your mind first? Yeah, not lakes. But we actually have 11 lakes or reservoirs in town including Lake Maroo. Yep, it is a real thing.

The city has been adding features to Cascade Lake Regional Park in recent years, including trails and a swimming beach.

Coming next will be a fishing pier.

It will be constructed on the south side of the lake, west of the beach.

The plan is to have it ready for public use this year.

Under an agreement with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the state will provide and install the pier. The city Parks Dept. will provide an accessible pathway and other shoreline improvements needed to connect the pier to the shore

Read More: New Addition Expected This Year At Popular Rochester Park | https://krocnews.com/new-addition-expected-this-year-at-popular-rochester-park/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral