Apple Picking in Connecticut – The notion of apple picking is one that conjures up romantic images of happy families exploring picturesque orchards and picking crisp red fruit with golden leaves. Add to that fascinating and diverse surroundings of Connecticut and the perfect family activity has been created, with no tech in sight! As you explore Connecticut in the autumn be sure to get out into the countryside to enjoy the delights of the traditional, bucolic orchards and take some time enjoying the most classic of fall activities – pick-your-own apples! Apple picking season in Connecticut begins in late August and continues through to early October.
Please do check opening times and more details with each farm before your visit, just in case anything has changed since we published this post. Enjoy your apple picking!
Beardsley’s Cider Mill
278 Leavenworth Road, Route 110, CT 06484
At Beardsley’s Cider Mill they are committed to providing the local community with fresh, local produce.
“In an effort to provide the growing community with a fresh, local commodity, and to preserve the farm land from being developed, we have rejuvenated the existing orchards. We have over 10,000 dwarf apple trees in our Pick-Your-Own Orchard and over 400 peach, nectarine and plum trees on our farm. We are re-planting thousands of dwarf apple trees in our fields for our Pick-Your-Own orchard. The trees will only grow to a maximum of 10 to 12 feet for easy picking. We offer PYO apples on weekends and sometimes Columbus Day if ripe fruit is available.
Approximate Picking Time and Varieties Available
Mid September:
Gala, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Macoun, Cortland and Liberty
Early October:
Mutsu, Jonagold, Empire, Red Delicious, McIntosh
Mid October:
Winesap, Braeburn, Enterprise, Granny Smith and Rome.”
Silverman’s Farm
451 Sport Hill Rd Easton, CT 06612
Silverman’s Farm is located in Easton, Connecticut and is about a 45 minute drive from Stanton House Inn. This farm features a gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, petting zoo, farm animals, and sometimes hayrides in addition to apple-picking in September.
“The Country market is full of everything from fruits and vegetables to dairy products, jams, jellies, and condiments. We always have sweet treats to share with friends and family!
We are currently offering curbside pick-up Monday -Friday, with new offerings like bread, cheese, and fresh-baked goodies.”
Ellsworth Hill Orchard and Berry Farm
461 Cornwall Bridge Rd, Sharon, CT 06069
There is so much to see, do and try at Ellsworth Hill Orchard that a day spent there will delight the whole family.
“Pick Your Own Fruits & Berries
We call our land Mother Nature’s Candy Store for all the wonderful crops that she produces. We are dedicated in growing the highest quality fruits and vegetables from a tree or bush to your table. All crops and their productivity rely on Mother Nature’s weather so day and hours of picking are subject to change!”
“We have 8 acres flourishing with 11 varieties of delicious apples to eat, cook, make sauce, bake or use in salads. Our Honeycrisps are delightful and one of our top sellers. We also have the heirlooms such as Cortlands and Northern Spys. McIntosh, Macouns, Gala, Empire, Ida Reds, Crispin (Mutsu), Red Delicious, and Yellow Delicious.
Available the beginning of September through early November. Fresh picked apples are also available in our farm store Saturday and Sunday, and pre-picked at our farm stand Monday through Friday.”
We all know that apples are good for us, but did you know how?
“HEALTH BENEFITS OF APPLES
Apples eaten with the skins are packed with rich phyto-nutrients. The antioxidants in apple have much health promoting and disease prevention properties; thus truly justifying the adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Apples also contain many vitamins (C, B-Complex, Beta-Carotene) and minerals (potassium, phosphorus, and calcium)”
Scott’s Yankee Farmer
436 Boston Post Rd, East Lyme, CT 06333
For over a century the Scott family has owned and operated Scott’s Yankee Farmer. “Farming on over 100 acres of land we are currently located on Boston Post road in Eact Lyme, CT. While visiting our farm can meet the owners Tom and Karen Scott along with their youngest son and daughter Colin Scott and Allison Schmidt.
Tom and Karen have four children and six grandchildren. The family has made many improvements over the years! A greenhouse has been added to sell plants in the spring and pumpkins in the fall. A cider mill has also been installed, complete with glass windows so the public can watch the cider be pressed from apples grown in our orchard. We can’t forget about the donut room! If you visit our farm from June through December this is where our apple cinnamon donuts are made. People from all over come for our donuts, but that’s not all there is! Tom and Karen have put many years in to growing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables for both Pick-Your-Own and the store.” Pick your own products include:
- STRAWBERRIES
- BLUEBERRIES
- CUT FLOWERS
- PEACHES
- NECTARINES
- APPLES
- PUMPKINS
- SUNFLOWERS
Lyman Orchards Farm Store at the Apple Barrel
32 Reeds Gap Rd, Middlefield, CT 06455
Lyman Orchards really is a big deal! From a modest working farm to the huge family attraction it is today, it has much to offer families.
“In their wildest dreams, colonial farmer John Lyman and his wife, Hope, could not have envisioned the complex and diverse enterprise that would evolve from their purchase in 1741 of a 37-acre parcel of land in what is now Middlefield. Now covering more than 1,100 acres of scenic farmland, Lyman Orchards is one of the most popular family attractions in New England.
Our apples picking is available Mid August – Late October.
Did you know ” Apples are a good source of fiber, high in Vitamin C and potassium, low in sodium, and are almost fat-free. There is truth to the adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Apple picking is a great family friendly activity at CT Magazine’s Best Pick-Your-Own Farm in Connecticut!”
Plus, once you’ve finished apple picking, you can have a go at navigating your way around the stunning sunflower maze!
Here you will find ”
- More than 350,000 yellow, orange, and red sunflowers make up this year’s maze.
- The maze is approximately 3 acres in size
- The average time to make it through the maze is about 30 minutes
- During your walk amidst the sunflowers you’ll see butterflies and yellow finches, with the surrounding orchard hills as a beautiful scenic backdrop.
- Your trip through the Sunflower Maze will be educational too as you’ll learn all about Arthur Read, the star of the popular CPTV Kid’s series “Arthur” “
Lapsley Orchards
403 Orchard Hill Rd, Pomfret Center, CT 06259
Lapsley Orchard is very proud of its history and its evolution with the times.
“The fields at Lapsley Orchard have been producing food since early colonial days. In fact, Isreal Putnam once purchased the acres in 1750 and specialized in stock raising and fruit growing. This land is still proudly feeding the community today. Present day production offers the best of a New England farm, with a retail stand offering a diversified selection of fruits and vegetables all grown on sight. Our 200 acre farm is not just a place to shop. It is local, healthy and fresh and comes with a commitment towards the highest quality produce. Our family takes great pride in the harvest of all our hard work, to place on your family’s table.”
Pick- your -own Apples commences on September 1 and there are
20 Acres of Apples and 24 varieties!
Be sure to treat yourselves to the farm specialty too! Fresh Apple Cider Doughnuts! Made fresh on weekends throughout fall.
“You don’t want to miss out on our homemade apple cider donuts. They are perfectly moist and sweet with a cinnamon sugar coating. Made with our own fresh pressed sweet cider, their big apple flavor is something that you can’t resist!”
Belltown Hill Orchards – Apple Picking Connecticut
483 Matson Hill Rd, South Glastonbury, CT 06073
Belltown Hill Orchards offers a wonderful family day out, with plenty of activities, beautiful surroundings and yummy treats to eat!
“Belltown hill orchards is a working, fourth generation orchard nestled in the scenic rolling hills of south Glastonbury, Connecticut. Come on out to our farm market to pick up tasty local produce, a fresh baked pie or apple cider donuts! Our pick your own is a favorite family activity, after you are done harvesting your own fresh produce stop at our hungry harvester concession stand to enjoy a fresh hot batch of our famous apple fritters.
Step out into the beauty of our orchards for a picturesque afternoon in our Pick-Your-Own fields from mid-June to late October. Our farm is famous for our pick-your-own apples, offering over 24 varieties!
Step into our vast apple orchard for a one-of-a-kind u-pick adventure! We have over 24 varieties of apples, and have apples ready to pick from mid-August into early November.
Nothing beats the freshness of hand-picked produce and our delectable farm grown apples are no exception!
Our apple pick-your-own is priced by the pound. Head out into the orchard and fill one of our bags or boxes full of tasty, farm fresh apples!”
Horse Listener’s Orchard
317 Bebbington Rd, Ashford, CT 06278
At Horse Listener’s Orchard you get the full rustic experience, where you can truly embrace the rural way of life!
“Horse Listener’s Orchard is a beautiful 153 Acre Orchard with apples, peaches, tomatoes, vegetables and blueberries asking to be picked and bought. As well as train rides on weekends, special tours and festivals throughout the season. We have a store filled with candy, seeds, flowers, mustards, syrups, jams, jellies, “high” pies and fresh eggs from the chickens we keep.”
Apple picking season commences mid – September. Here is some top apple information to help you pick wisely!
- “Gala Apples – September 17th – Red-orange, with yellow stripes. A sweet crisp flavor and texture. Very good for salads and sauces. Introduced in 1934. Ripens in late September.
- Cortland Apples – September 17th – A larger apple good for baking, with a deep, purple-red color. Moderately juicy and fairly sweet. Their white flesh doesn’t brown when sliced so Corlands are a standout for fruit salads, dipping in toppings, or eating wit a plate of sharp cheddar cheese. Developed in 1898, across between a McIntosh and Ben Davis. Ripens late September.
- Ida Apples – October 22nd – Bright golden red. Their tangy taste mellow at maturity. Excellent for snacks and all culinary uses. Developed in 1942. Ripens in late September.
- Empire Apples – October 8th – Deep red skin brushed with gold and green. The Empire is mildly tart-sweet and has juicy quality dessert apple, good for all culinary uses. A newer variety introduced in 1966 from McIntosh and Delicious parents. Ripens late September.
- Shizuka Apples – October 1st – Green with yellow highlights. Tangy sweet. Best for cooking and baking. Dates back to 1700. Ripens in September.
- Macoun Apples – September 17th – With their wine-red color with gold accents, Macouns are highly regarded for their aroma and sweet-tart, juicy flavor. Excellent for snack and desserts and good for all culinary uses. Developed in 1909 from Jersey Black and McIntosh parents. Ripens in mid-September.
- Red Delicious Apples – October 8th – The unique shape of this red apple tapers to a five-knobbed base. Sweet, tender and juicy. Best for crunching out of hand and in fruit cups and salads. Developed in 1872, Red Delicious is America’s most plentifully grown apple. Ripens early October.
- Golden Delicious Apples – October 15th – Golden or light-green, with pink blush. Tender, mellow, sweet. Wonderful fresh and in salads. Developed in 1912. Ripens in October.
- Fuji Apples – October 22nd – Red blush with green and yellow stripes. Crisp, firm, juicy flesh. Developed in Japan in 1939. Ripens in October.
- Creston Apples – It is a large, conical apple, yellow with a red blush or stripes. Its yellow flesh is crisp, juicy, and more sweet than tart. It is a late-season apple that has been compared to Jonagold in flavor, texture, and appearance. Ripens in October.
- Stellar Apples – October 22nd
- Mutsu Apples – October 22nd – Greenish yellow to yellow. Good for cooking. Introduced in U.S. in 1968. Ripens mid-October.
- Fortune Apples – October 29th – The flavor and size of Fortune apples make them ideal for fresh eating, as well as pies and tarts. Fortune apples are available in the mid-fall and winter months.”
Dondero Orchards
529 Woodland St, South Glastonbury, CT 06073
Dondero Orchards is a family-owned local farm celebrating 110 years in business.
“Come enjoy our Pick Your Own, Farm Dinners, delicious Bakery, Greenhouse, and more. We provide only the top quality for you, your family, and friends! Welcome to the Family!”
Dondero Orchards has apple picking availability from late July through to October.
In October there is a huge variety of apples available and here they explain what they are and what they are like, to ensure that you pick the best apple for you!
” Many varieties of apples and pears. Some varieties may be displayed in bins for you to select from because the trees are not with in walking distance for pick your own. They are all freshly picked and available at the same price as if you picked them.
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Baldwin: An old fashion apple, used mostly for baking. It is firm and semi-tart. Stores extremely well. Ripens: Mid October
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Cortland: Seems to be the most popular for baking. A larger apple that is moderately juicy and fairly sweet. It has a non-browning quality that makes it exceptional for salads. Ripens: Late September
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Empire: This one is a cross between Macintosh and Delicious. This apple has an excellent all around use. It’s crisp and not too sweet. Ripens: Late September
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Golden Delicious: Sweet, crunchy and juicy like the Red Delicious is. Universal uses Ripens: Mid October
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Granny Smith: Probably the most tart apple for the fall season. It has a crisp texture, it’s used for baking and loved for eating by those who seek tart apples. Ripens: Mid October
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Honey Crisp: Our newest variety growing in popularity. It is sweet and crisp. Used for baking and eating. Ripens: September
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Ida Red: It’s tangy taste and firm texture makes it popular for cooking. Ripens: Late September
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Macintosh: A popular snack apple. Excellent for baking and salads. Fine for pies and sauces. Especially juicy, slightly tart. The most aromatic of all apples. Ripens: Early Sept.
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McCouns: The most asked for apple for eating, also good for culinary uses. It is a cross of the Macintosh and Jersey Black. It has a short season and it seems the trees produce a hardy crop only every other year. It has a sweet-tart, juicy flavor. Ripens: Mid Sept.
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Opalescent: Mostly used for baking, this crunchy apple has a tart taste. Ripens: October
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Red Delicious: Sweet, crunchy and juicy. Used all-around for baking and eating. Popular with the kids for their lunch time snack. Ripens: Early October
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Russet: An old fashion apple, used mostly for baking. It’s firm and semi-tart. Ripens: Mid October “
Easy Pickins Orchard
4805, 46 Bailey Rd, Enfield, CT 06082
You can look forward to the warmest of welcomes at Easy Pickin’s Orchard!
“Easy Pickin’s Orchard is a pick-your-own farm in Enfield, CT. Since opening in 1992, we’ve expanded “what we grow” to include tree fruit, berries, vegetables, herbs & flowers. We aim to provide good, fresh produce to our customers, who enjoy, appreciate and support local agriculture — what we grow and how we grow it. In addition to “pick-your-own,” we sell our produce at the farm and at several farmers’ markets, summer & winter. In apple-picking season, we have special activities; all season long we welcome visitors of all ages to enjoy grocery shopping outdoors: fresh produce in the fresh air. Know your food and where it comes from; know your farmer; keep it local. We’ll see you here, where the pickin’ is easy!
All of the apple trees in our pick-your-own orchard are fully-dwarfed and trained to a 4-wire trellis. This means you can reach apples for picking from just above the ground up to a height of about 6 feet. Everyone — from the tallest to the smallest — can pick their own apples at our orchard !
We offer about 20 varieties of apples — many well-known traditional varieties, and some you won’t find elsewhere. The different varieties ripen at different times, from late August through the end of October. Come see us often during apple season, and you’ll find something new and tasty each time you visit !”
Karabin Farms
894 Andrews St, Southington, CT 06489
Karabin Farms has been established since 1972, and has gone from strength to strength. They are very well known for the amazing apples from their orchards – but also, so much more!
“Today, in addition to the orchard, there are four greenhouses, 15 acres of Christmas trees, and a country Store. Besides fresh fruit and vegetables, we offer local honey, maple syrup, jams, pickles, soup mixes, and gourmet treats. All meat beef, pork, chicken, and turkeys are grown humanely right here on our farm. Process is done by “certified humane” USDA inspection facility in Vermont. We have numerous country furniture items by hand-made artisans in Pennsylvania and Maine.
We offer an extensive selection of specialty candles and soaps. Home baked pies are available August through December. Flowers are available from early April with custom designed planters available to meet the needs of your yard. In addition to Mums for fall color, we offer an extensive selection of Poinsettia’s for Christmas, wagon rides to Pick-Your-Own apples, peaches, and pumpkins. Karabin Farms provides special programs for school groups during the fall harvest.”
And….the apples?
“All apple varieties both heirloom and new are grown on dwarf kid friendly trees. Pick your own begins with Zestar in mid August and ends with Cameo and Red Delicious in October. Visitors are encouraged to sample the apples before they pick. Pre-purchase apple bags at outside register or inside store.
1/2 bushel (20-25 lbs.) $28.00
1 Peck (12 lbs. approx.) $18.00
Picking is limited to Karabin Farms issued bags.
Apple varieties-
Zestar, Ginger Gold, Honey Crisp, Mac, Cortland, Empire, Macoun, Jonathan, Gala, Yellow Delicious, Red Delicious, Autumn Gala, Cameo, Mutsu, Snow Sweet, Rome, Northern Spy
PYO:
Seasonal September & October: Saturday and Sunday only (weather permitting) 9:30 AM until 4:00 PM
Starberry Farm
47 Kielwasser Rd, New Preston, CT 06777
About Starberry Farm – “Bob and Sally operated the Just-a-Mere Fruit Farm on Kinney Hill the last season it was open, 1977, and at tempted to buy the property. When they were not successful, neighbor Teed Averill told us to go ahead and order the peach trees for the 1978 season and he’d find a place to put them. He did, the 15 acres where Starberry is now located, a former pasture/hayfield. One to two hundred trees have been planted each year since, including a few apples, apricots, sweet and sour cherries, pears, plums and nectarines as well as about 1500 peaches.
Bishop’s Orchards
448-518 New England Rd, Guilford, CT 06437
At Bishop’s Orchards “we work hard and take pride in growing the highest quality fruits to enjoy year after year from our family to yours. All the fresh products are available either seasonally at our Pick-Your-Own (PYO) locations and/or annually at our farm market.
The summer sun shining down on our orchards provides an ideal location to spend part of the day to enjoy the fun of picking your own quality fruit directly from the bushes or trees. Each year the Pick-Your-Own season may vary due to weather and crop abundance, yet generally runs from mid-June until the end of October.
We look forward to having your family and friends enjoy the fun and experience of our popular Pick-Your-Own season at Bishop’s Orchards! Plan ahead and see when your favorite fruit will be ready for picking to snack on shortly after picking or to prepare delicious meals or canned jams.
Late August – Late October
As the primary fruit of our orchard, apples are readily available from late August to late October. On site, we grow over 20 varieties of apples that suit all your needs whether it be for cooking, gifts, or a quick snack on the go. At our Pick-Your-Own locations, we provide two bags, $22 for 8qt bag and $40 for 1/2 bushel bag. On the weekends a tractor trailer rides takes you from our parking area into the orchard. For specific varieties, we recommend calling us before you come in to make sure we have just the right apple for you! Other than the Pick-Your-Own season, we always have a wide selection of apples year round to choose from right in our Farm Market due to our special storage units that keep the apples “Tree fresh” long after they have been picked.”
Also check out our post on farms in Connecticut as well as the best places for apple picking near me.