SOUTHAMPTON, Mass. - It's apple picking season and Bashista Orchards and Cider Mill is working to make sure every last fruit is accounted for.

"It's kind of a light crop this year," said co-owner Tom Bashista. "Before pollination in the spring, it was kind of wet, when the Macs were at peak bloom. So that's why the numbers aren't as high."

Tom Bashista is a fourth-generation owner of the orchard in Southampton, which opened in 1926. He said the large amount of rain during the spring caused insects, like bees, to be less active and the lack of pollination hurt his crops.

He said the dry periods this summer have also played a role in the lack of apples customers will see this fall.

"We have more drops on the ground because of the drought," Bashista said. "Because the trees are stressed a little bit. It means more labor for young trees. Gotta keep them watered."

Bashista said he's had to cut back on fertilizer for his apple trees this year due to high costs. He said the farm uses a well as its primary source of water.

However, the recent labor shortage and little-to-no irrigation have made it difficult to manually water and maintain the crops. Bashista said right now, he manages the farm with just two other family members.​

"So my younger trees, I put in about 100 this spring," Bashista said. "We were watering those by hand. We just fill up a big tote with water and go around with buckets."

Despite fewer apples available this year, Bashista said people excited about apple picking season will have better-tasting apples to choose from. 

"The fruit this year has much more intense flavor because of the drought," Bashista said. "That's the positive."