July’s arrival not only means a much-anticipated national patriotic celebration and warmer weather but also a surge in the number of people converging on the town of Medina in Bandera County, mainly because of apples.
“There’s nothing better than picking and eating a ‘hot,’ unrefrigerated apple right off the tree,” says Bryan Hutzler, who – along with wife Stacie – superintends Love Creek Orchards on the southern outskirts of Medina, year-round population of approximately 500. “You just can’t beat that sweet, juicy, fresh-picked taste.”
When the July harvest begins, Hutzler takes great pride and joy in accompanying guests as they grab a bucket, fan out through the apple trees and gather their own fruit. In a good year with ideal weather conditions, the harvest can go as high as 10,000 pounds. The actual picking is quite easy because the apples hang from 11 miniature-tree varieties standing not more than 6 feet tall; no ladder is required. Twenty-eight-acre Love Creek also offers pick-your-own peaches, blackberries, grapes, figs and oriental persimmons. Generally speaking, the amount paid for the fruit reflects current market prices at the time of picking.
“Our apples are smaller and aren’t as red as some common varieties,” Hutzler says, “but ours are definitely sweeter than what you typically find in grocery stores. Many people think Texas is too hot for apples. That’s not so. For the varieties planted at Love Creek, we do have the right number of chill hours to set fruit.”
Hutzler’s high-tech career took the native San Antonian all over the world, yet he always longed to live in the Hill Country. In 2007, he and his wife acquired what’s now known as The Apple Store gift shop and eatery in downtown Medina from Baxter and Carol Adams, pioneers of the Texas apple industry.
The Adamses moved from Houston in 1980, purchased a 2,000-acre ranch bisected by Love Creek and intended to raise cattle, but they found the property had been overgrazed. So, for other land-friendly options, they turned to Dr. Loy Shreve of Texas A&M University, who suggested growing apples from a tree variety common to Romania. The 100 trees in the initial planting flourished because the Romanian climate, terrain and soil were similar to conditions found in the Texas Hill Country.
Ultimately, 300,000 apple trees were planted in a 50-mile radius of Medina, and the Texas Department of Agriculture named the town the “Apple Capital of Texas.” In 2012, the Adamses decided to retire, so the Hutzlers took over Love Creek Orchards operations that also include propagation of big-tooth maple trees like the ones found at Lost Maples State Natural Area near Vanderpool. Maples that display dazzling red and gold foliage in the fall – some as tall as 20 feet – grow in stately rows within sight of the apple trees.
Those who come to pick fruit can picnic near the orchard or drive a half-mile into town to dine at The Apple Store’s Patio Café, famous for its awesome apple pie, soft-serve apple ice cream and SPJ (spicy pepper jack) burger. The latter boasts a one-third-pound beef patty, apple-wood smoked bacon, pepper jack cheese, jalapeno peppers and jalapeno mustard on a jalapeno cheese bun. Motorcyclists, bicyclists, car club enthusiasts, tourists, locals and others who frequent The Apple Store consume 36 gallons of the tasty apple ice cream on a typical weekend.
When the fruit harvest wanes in late summer, Love Creek welcomes fall and the return of the Great Hill County Pumpkin Patch and Harvest Celebration. Cider, caramel apples and other apple treats share the spotlight with pumpkin painting, scarecrow building, orchard touring and hay-maze exploring, to name a few activities, every Saturday, Sunday and Monday in October. Each year, the month-long celebration attracts approximately 15,000 guests of all ages. This includes school groups, scout troops and families who want to celebrate birthdays in the great outdoors. Complete details can be obtained with a visit to www.LoveCreekOrchards.com or a toll-free call to (800) 449-0882.
The apples start making their relatively brief appearance in July, but Hutzler says the propagating, grafting, fertilizing, watering, pruning and other orchard activities require year-round attention to detail. However, it’s all worth it when the time comes to bite into a “hot” apple straight from the tree or a hot slice of apple pie at The Apple Store.
