In the fall, there can be nothing better than taking a bite out of a crisp, locally grown seasonal apple. Thanks to a partnership with Royalton Farms, the city’s youngest residents are getting the tasty treat hand-delivered to their school buildings each week by Bruce Grayson, owner of the Royalton Road family farm that’s been cultivating apple varieties since 1982.

Every Monday morning during apple season, Grayson loads his pick-up truck with bushels of his farm’s apples and drives them to the various school buildings by 7 a.m. – one bushel to each elementary school, three bushels to the middle school and two to the high school. Each bushel is approximately 40 pounds. And the best part? Students are eagerly gobbling up the seasonal treat and get to enjoy a different variety every week. Varieties include McIntosh, Jonathan, Cortland, Empire, Melrose, Jonagold, Winesap and Red and Golden Delicious. The partnership is now in its eighth year, Grayson said.

And for the first time this year, Grayson delivered his farm’s Glo Haven peaches to the schools.

“It’s really a win-win,” said Mary Ellen Feigi, food service supervisor for the North Royalton City Schools. “Bruce gives us the smaller apples that might not sell as well and in turn, they’re the perfect size for our students. It’s good for the community to participate in helping with the local economy. The kids absolutely love it and I know some high-schoolers who buy an extra handful of apples every week because they are so good.”

The partnership is near and dear to Grayson’s heart, as his children attended the city schools as well. His daughter’s first field trip as a local kindergartner was ironically a trip home to Royalton Farms to watch how a real life working farm and cider press operates. Royalton Farms has more than 1,000 trees on its property located at 16393 State Road and sells various homegrown and locally made goodies in its market, along with their signature apple cider. Royalton Farms proudly boasts the only working cider press in Cuyahoga County.

“People call us North Royalton’s best kept secret,” Grayson said. “Most people in North Royalton don’t know we’re here. We’re right on the Cleveland Metroparks so many folks don’t come down this way or go for rides much south of 82.”

Last year, Royalton Farms harvested about 50,000 pounds of apples, which Grayson said is small-time compared to some of the larger farms throughout the state. At any given time, it’s just four or five employees, Bruce and his wife included, helping run the farm and sell products in their market barn. Regardless of its size, Royalton Farms is a must-stop shop in the autumn, selling everything from fruit butters, pumpkins, corn stalks, straw bales, baking mixes, seasonal vegetables and more. Information can be found on their website at royalton-farms.com.

“It makes me really proud that we do the apple program with the schools,” Grayson said. “Sure you can go to a grocery store for apples, but it’s just not the same as eating something locally grown less than a few miles from your house.”

By SARA MACHO HILL

Contributing  Writer