Vermont’s pick-your-own orchards will offer a chance to win an iPod during the Apples to iPods promotion that kicks off next week.

In this technology-meets-agriculture contest, one specially marked wooden apple is hidden in an apple tree at 20 Vermont pick-your-own apple orchards. The lucky apple picker who finds a wooden apple wins an Apple iPod, iPod Shuffle or iPad.

This good-natured promotion of Vermont’s working landscape is in partnership with Woodchuck® Hard Cider, Small Dog Electronics, Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Association and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture. The State of Vermont first launched this promotion in 2007 with hopes of growing participation at Vermont pick-your-own orchards. Since the launch, participation has been incredibly ‘fruitful’ across Vermont.

Vermont’s nearly 4,000 acres of commercial apple orchards produce leading apple varieties: McIntosh, Cortland, Red Delicious and Empire. In 1999, the Vermont legislature designated the apple as the state fruit, and the apple pie as the state pie.