Best Apple Picking Orchards, Farms In New York, New Jersey
Autumn brings countless activities that make for the perfect family weekend, including apple picking. Whether people are on Long Island or in Westchester, there are numerous orchards that boasts some of the best crops throughout the area. With the arrival of cooler weather, New Yorkers can head to one of these orchards for some apple picking festivities. By John Friia/Holly Rosen Fink.
Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm
1313 White Hill Road
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
914-245-5111
www.WilkensFarm.com
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With a large variety of apple trees, Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm offers New Yorkers the ideal weekend getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. Located in Westchester, people can choose some of their favorite apples, including Macintosh, Macoun, Empire, Galas, Cortlandts, Red Delicious and Yellow Delicious. After picking bags or bushels of apples, people can take a ride on hay wagons and discover homemade jams and pies in their farm store.
Lewin Farms
812 Sound Avenue
Calverton, NY 11933
631-929-4327
www.LewinFarm.com
More: Best Farmers' Markets In NYC
Lewin Farms has become a staple on Long Island for four generations. One of the first pick-your-own farms in the area, there is a wide variety of crops that are readily available. Over the years, their offerings have become diversified, with new additions like eggplant, apples, peppers, tomatoes, peaches and pumpkins. Once all the apples are picked, people can see if they make their way throughout the newly designed corn maze.
Fort Salonga Farm
30 Meadow Glen Road
Northport, NY 11768
631-269-9666
www.FortSalongaFarm.com
With a large selection of dwarfed apple trees, Fort Salonga Farms is the perfect place for family apple picking. All of their trees begin fruiting about a foot from the ground, which is the perfect height for children. Boasting a vast selection of apples, including Akane, Paula Red and Fuji, the farm allows people to pick their own from the orchard. In addition to growing apples, Fort Salonga Farm makes their own honey, which is extracted from their hives and made available at their farm stand.
Hank's Pumpkintown
240 Montauk Highway
Watermill, NY 11976
631-726-4667
www.HanksPumpkintown.com
More: Tri-State's Best Pumpkin Picking Destinations
Once a bustling corn farm, Hank's Pumpkintown evolved into a farm growing strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, pumpkins and apples. During apple picking season, Hank's brings weekend activities and family fun that will make anyone feel like a child again. There's a long list of activities, include giant slides, pig races, cow milking, corn swings and tractor train rides.
Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard
130 Hardscrabble Road
North Salem, NY 10560
914-485-1210
www.HarvestMoonFarmAndOrchard.com
With the goal of providing the community with fresh and local food in a family-oriented atmosphere, Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard delivers an endless selection of apple and farm fun. People can head enjoy their weekly Fall Festivals every weekend till Halloween, which is filled with hayrides, apple picking, live music, pony rides, bouncy castles and more.
Masker Orchards
45 Ball Rd.
Warwick, NY 10990
(845) 986-1058
www.maskers.com
More: Best Ways To Celebrate Rosh Hashanah In NYC
The folks at Masker Orchards in Warwick are getting ready to go into overdrive for the fall season. The orchard has been around for over 100 years, and George Vurno and Victor Ludmerer took over the business more than 40 years ago after working as a lawyer and family court judge, respectively. Opened for the season just after Labor Day, experts suggest getting there early to beat the crowds. The orchard also sells a great amount of honey, quite popular during the Rosh Hashanah holiday.
Outhouse Orchards
130 Hardscrabble Road
North Salem, NY 10560
(914) 277-3188
Outhouse Orchards is a family-operated apple farm that happens to be open all year. But a visit to the orchard in the autumn is very special. Aside from perfect apple picking (they have a great selection), they also have an animal farm, a bouncy pumpkin, a duck pond, a playground and hayrides. They also feature amazing vendors offering everything from turkey legs to ice cream and donuts.
Stuart's Farm
62 Granite Springs Road
Granite Springs, NY 10527
(914) 245-2784
www.stuartsfarm.com
Stuart's Farm in Granite Springs is another good choice for family apple-picking outings. They have smaller trees so the kids can pick the apples themselves, or you can take a hayride around the orchard, pick a few pumpkins or have a picnic. If there's any corn left in their store, be sure to get some.
Silverman's Farm
451 Sport Hill Rd
Easton, CT 06612
(203) 261-3306
www.silvermansfarm.com
Founded in 1920, Silverman's Farm has a hayride that takes you up the hill to an orchard where you can find a wide variety of apples, a gourmet food market and a petting zoo.
Wightman's Farms
1111 Mt. Kemble Avenue
Morristown, NJ 07960
(973) 425-9819
www.wightmansfarms.com
If you're not interested in long lines and crowds, Wightman's Farms is a good choice. You and your kids can pick apples and pumpkins, ride hayrides and run around a corn field maze. Kids have a ball here.
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Holly Rosen Fink is the founder and managing editor of The Culture Mom.
John Friia is a freelance journalist and native New Yorker writing about food, drinks and lifestyle. You can follow his adventures on Instagram.
