FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT

BAYFIELD-Some orchard–owners expect apples will be ready for picking about two weeks earlier than usual. They also say there might be less of them because of this year's cold Spring.

Jim Erickson, owner of Erickson Orchards and Country Store say the late frost certainly affected him.

"As far as I'm concerned, this orchard is down a lot," Erickson said. "But the buds in that cold weather, they were weakened so much and I didn't think it was going to affect them too much cause apples – they can take a lot."

"What I'm hearing is that we're still going to have a good apple crop," Bayfield Mayor Larry MacDonald said. "There's a couple of forms that I think are going to be light and a couple farms to me sound like they've got a great crop."

Macdonald also said things would have to take a dramatic turn to have an effect on the Bayfield Apple Festival.

"It's a small intimate party for 50,000 of our closest personal friends," MacDonald said. "We love it. They love it. We're glad to see it come and we're glad when it's done but apples are the king of Bayfield."

The fruit, however, might be ready for picking earlier this year. Apples typically are ready during the last week of September. This year they could be picked up to two weeks earlier.

"Not a full load but they've got plenty of apples. Plenty of apples for the applefest. Let's put it that way," Erickson said.

"I hope it gets back to normal – to a normal year. It would be much better for everybody," Erickson said.

The 51st Annual Bayfield Apple Festival runs from October 5-7. It typically includes more than 60 orchards selling their fruit.