Apple Orchard · August 3, 2026

How Many Apples Are in a Bushel? (Peck, Half-Peck, and What They Cost)

A standard bushel of apples weighs 48 pounds and holds roughly 100 to 120 apples, depending on the variety. Here's how pecks, half-pecks, and bushels stack up — and what each size costs at Fisher's Fruit Farm near Rochester, NY.

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How Many Apples Are in a Bushel?

How Many Apples Are in a Bushel? (The Direct Answer)

A standard bushel of apples weighs 48 pounds. In terms of individual pieces of fruit, that works out to roughly 100 to 126 apples, depending on the variety and how large individual apples happen to be that season. Smaller, compact varieties — like Paula Red, Jersey Mac, or Macoun — tend to yield more apples per bushel because each one is lighter. Larger varieties like Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith will give you fewer apples for the same 48-pound weight.

If you're trying to plan a picking trip or figure out how much to buy for a big baking project, a good working number is around 110 to 115 apples per bushel for a mixed or medium-sized variety. That's a meaningful quantity of fruit — more than most families go through in a week of fresh eating, but not as overwhelming as it sounds once you factor in pies, applesauce, and the freezer.

What Is a Peck of Apples?

A peck is one-quarter of a bushel — roughly 12 pounds of apples, or about 28 to 35 medium-sized fruit. It's one of the standard units you'll encounter at pick-your-own orchards across New York state, particularly in the apple-growing regions along the Lake Ontario shore including Monroe County near Rochester.

A peck is a practical picking size for most families. It's enough to make two or three apple pies, a generous batch of applesauce, or a week's worth of after-school snacking. It's also light enough to carry without straining through a long row of trees — which becomes relevant after you've been walking an orchard for an hour with kids in tow. Visitors to pick-your-own orchards in the Rochester area frequently start with a peck and go back for a second once they see how quickly fresh local apples disappear at home.

What Is a Half-Peck?

A half-peck is half of a peck — one-eighth of a full bushel. By weight that's around 6 pounds of apples, which translates to roughly 14 to 18 medium-sized fruit depending on the variety. At Fisher's Fruit Farm in Brockport, we sell apples by the 8-quart bag, which corresponds to roughly a half-peck by volume.

For many visitors, a single 8-quart bag is the right starting point — especially if you're new to picking or trying a variety you haven't had before. At $14 per bag, it's an accessible way to bring home fresh, tree-ripened apples without worrying about what you'll do with too many. If you're making one pie or just want a fresh-fruit week, a half-peck is almost always the right call. You can always pick a second bag of a different variety once the first is empty.

How Much Does a Bushel of Apples Cost?

At Fisher's Fruit Farm near Rochester, a bushel of apples is $40 — that's 48 pounds of fresh, tree-ripened fruit you picked yourself directly from the orchard in Brockport. Individual 8-quart bags run $14 each, which makes a bushel the clear value choice if you know you'll use the volume. You can find full pricing details on our 2026 pricing page.

For context: grocery store apples typically sell for $1.50 to $2.50 per pound depending on the variety and the time of year. That puts 48 pounds of store-bought fruit somewhere between $72 and $120. What you don't get at the store is a farm that has grown apples since 1973, organic practices with no systemic pesticides, and fruit that goes from tree to your kitchen in the same day. The price difference is real, and so is the quality difference.

What Does a Bushel of Apples Look Like in Real Life?

A bushel is bigger than most people expect the first time they see one. Picture a standard wooden produce crate — the heavy-duty kind used for commercial apple packing — and you're looking at roughly a bushel. At 48 pounds, it takes two hands and real effort to carry. Most families who pick a full bushel end up taking it to the car in multiple trips, or loading it into a wagon at the orchard.

It helps to know the volume too: a bushel equals 4 pecks, 8 half-pecks, or about 32 quarts. That last number matters for food preservation — 32 quarts of apples fills a serious number of canning jars. For families who put up applesauce or apple butter every fall, a bushel isn't just a quantity: it's a pantry strategy. And when you know how many apples in a bushel, you can shop for exactly the volume your recipes require.

How Many Apples Do You Need for Common Recipes?

Understanding bushel measurements becomes practical when you translate it to the kitchen. Here are approximate apple counts using medium-sized fruit for the most common preparations:

An apple pie typically calls for 8 to 10 apples. A 9×13 apple crisp uses 10 to 12. A full peck (28 to 35 apples) made into homemade applesauce yields roughly 10 to 12 quarts — enough to fill a pantry shelf and last well into winter. Apple butter from a half-peck gives you 4 to 5 half-pint jars. And if you're making fresh cider at home, plan on roughly 36 to 40 apples per gallon of juice. At $40 for a bushel, a season's worth of preserves from Fisher's Fruit works out to a fraction of what jarred product costs at the grocery store — and the taste is genuinely not comparable.

Which Container Size Is Right for You?

Choosing between a bag and a bushel comes down to how you plan to use the apples. A single 8-quart bag ($14) is the right choice if you're bringing fresh apples home for everyday eating, one baking project, or a first-time visit to the orchard. It's easy to carry, fits in a standard grocery bag, and doesn't require reorganizing your refrigerator. If you want to try two varieties, pick two bags — the same logic applies.

A bushel ($40) is the right choice if you're planning to process apples at home — sauce, butter, frozen slices for winter baking — or if you want to keep a supply of fresh apples in a cool basement for several weeks. Families who make applesauce together every fall find that a bushel disappears faster than expected. Either way, check current picking conditions before heading out so you know which varieties are on the trees and ready to pick.

From the Orchard to Your Kitchen Near Rochester

Now that you know how many apples are in a bushel — and how pecks and half-pecks fit the picture — you can plan a visit to the farm with the right amount in mind. Fisher's Fruit grows a full lineup of varieties across the season, from early-season Paula Red and Jersey Mac through mid-season Gala and Fuji to late-season standouts like Honeycrisp, Empire, Macoun, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, Burgundy, and Braeburn. Each variety has its own weight, sugar level, and best use — all of which affect how many apples you'll actually want to pick.

The farm is in Brockport, about 25 minutes west of Rochester — an easy weekend drive that tends to become a fall tradition once you've done it once. Whether you're picking one 8-quart bag or a full bushel, the math is simple: fresh, tree-ripened apples from a farm that has been here since 1973, at prices that make cooking from scratch genuinely worth it.

Ready to Pick Apples Near Rochester?

Apple season at Fisher's Fruit & Christmas Tree Farm in Brockport runs from late August into October. Check current picking conditions before you visit — and come ready to fill a bag or a whole bushel.

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