SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Despite a smaller crop due to weather conditions this year, apple orchards in Julian are starting to open for the season. “Tourism, especially from about Labor Day weekend to New Year’s Eve, is Julian’s bread and butter,” said Eva Elmblad, the general manager of Julian Farm and Orchard. RELATED: Julian apple farm closes for the season due to limited crop Many of the small businesses in Julian are locally owned and depend heavily on seasonal tourism dollars. “We have those few couple months to make enough revenue to support ourselves the entire year,” Elmblad said. Lori Sorbo, owner of The Olde Goat, added, “65 to 70 percent of my sales is done in those three months, four months." Grab your lederhosen! Oktoberfest returns to San Diego County Weather conditions have led to significantly reduced crops in Julian this year. As a result, Volcan Valley Apple Farm was only open for three days this year compared to more than two weeks last year. “Because we only had 150 pounds, and last year, we probably had closer to 26,000 to 27,000 pounds,” said Chris Laidlaw, a farmer at Volcan Valley Apple Farm. Due to their short season, Laidlaw said they only made about half of what it costs to run the orchard. They’re selling apple products and merch at a booth onsite Friday and Saturday of this week. Here are some places to pick pumpkins in San Diego County “Shirts, sweatshirts, anything to make a dollar to keep it going,” said Laidlaw. Though the number of apples produced is a bit lower, most of the orchards are still open. Just down the road, Julian Farm and Orchard is preparing for a busy season. “So, here at the farm, I’ve seen upward of just over 2,000 visitors on a single day at the farm,” said Elmblad. Due to high demand, apple picking is done by reservation only. Even if you cannot secure a reservation, there are still plenty of reasons to visit, with attractions like a petting zoo, cider press and -- its newest addition -- the apple cannon. “We really do need tourism to support our economy,” said Elmblad. The Visit Julian website shows apple picking is still available at nine locations and encourages people to check with each owner for updates on their opening days.