STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New Yorkers are invited to take a bite out of locally grown apples at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, as part of the statewide “Big Apple Crunch” initiative celebrating Farm-to-School Month.
The event promotes healthy eating and supports local agriculture. Organized by FarmOn! Foundation, participants are encouraged to organize group Crunch events at the designated time.
Participants can also compete for a $1,000 FarmOn! Victory Garden grant for a school of their choice in 2026 by posting photos or videos of themselves enjoying a New York-grown apple at a Crunch event.
Promotional materials from the FarmOn! Foundation urge participants to “Post a video or photo to show us HOW BIG IS YOUR BITE? in a PLEDGE to EAT LOCAL NY!”
To enter, participants should tag @farmonfarmon on Facebook or Instagram throughout October, include @NYApples, and use the hashtags #bigapplecrunch and #applesfromny.
The winner will be announced on Nov. 7.
The event is supported by the New York Apple Association and Market 32, a supermarket brand created by Upstate’s Price Chopper to modernize its image.
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Love apples? Take a bite from a whole New York-grown variety or use them in recipes—like this pizza made with cinnamon, cream, and a crunchy finish from Ungaro’s.Loving the Big Apple
New York is the second-largest apple producer in the United States, with more than 250 varieties grown statewide and 30 produced commercially. The state harvests over 31 million bushels annually, contributing $1.3 billion in economic output and supporting more than 12,000 jobs.
Cornell University’s Apple Breeding Program has helped drive innovation in the industry for over a century, introducing popular varieties like Empire, Cortland, and SnapDragon.
Beyond supporting local agriculture, consuming apples offers numerous health benefits. Apples are high in fiber and water, helping with weight management, and contain phytochemicals like quercetin that provide antioxidant protection. They also contain pectin, a prebiotic fiber that supports gut health and immunity.
Regular apple consumption has been linked to lower cholesterol, improved heart health, and reduced risk of diabetes and cancer.
FarmOn! Foundation, founded in 2011, works to close the “succession gap” in rural America by preparing the next generation to take over family farms as older farmers retire and younger people move to urban areas. In this image, Smiley, a deer dog adopted from the local pound protects the crop of apples at the Bowman Orchard in Rexford, N.Y.STATEN ISLAND ADVANCEThe dearth of Big Apple farmers
FarmOn! Foundation, established in 2011, works to address what it calls the “succession gap” facing family farms in rural America.
“Increasingly, independent and family-run farms are being left with nobody to run them, as young people continue to migrate to urban centers in larger and larger numbers,” the foundation explains.
The nonprofit organization creates educational programs providing the next generation of farmers with skills necessary for sustainable food production, focusing on “inspiring, educating and preparing youth for successful careers in sustainable farming.”
For more information about the Big Apple Crunch or FarmOn! Foundation go to farmon.org/big-apple-crunch/.
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