By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

CONCORD – Apple picking season in New Hampshire has arrived with farmers looking at a handsome crop this year, but also keeping an eye to the sky in hopes of more rain.

On Tuesday, Gov. Chris Sununu went to Apple Hill Farm off Mountain Road in Concord, picked a Zestar apple off a tree, and declared it Apple Day in New Hampshire to the applause of apple farmers, pickers and agriculture experts from across the state.

Farmers traded stories about the fall harvest about how the pandemic has actually helped agritourism in some cases, and about comparative drought conditions which vary across the state.

The southern part of New Hampshire is seemingly more dry than the rest and there may be a need for agricultural disaster declarations in a few weeks if that region does not see more rain, farmers told Sununu.

Apple Hill Farm plans to be open for Pick Your Own Apples Labor Day weekend on Sept. 5 and has a variety of apples to choose from as well as apples that can be purchased at its farm stand.

Diane Souther and her husband, Chuck, dreamed of having their own farm while attending Concord High School together. They have come to realize their dream on a hillside in the northern end of the city. There are about 200 apple growers in the state whose product adds $12 million to the state’s economy.

In all, New Hampshire produces 17 million pounds of apples, according to the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food.

The state has more than 1,300 acres of apple orchards which not only produce this fruit but preserve open spaces and scenic views, provide agritourism opportunities and contribute to conservation, the governor’s proclamation read.

A list of farm stands in New Hampshire is here https://www.agriculture.nh.gov/publications-forms/documents/farm-stand-directory.pdf