September marks the beginning of the traditional apple season and a day or weekend spent picking-your-own is a fantastic way to get the kids outdoors, have fun, and educate them at the same time. Children learn about the fruit growing process, gain more insight into nutrition and hopefully will be enthused about cooking and eating the produce they pick. You can also play games with younger children, like identifying colors, counting apples and even hide and go seek among the trees. Last year we took our almost-three-year-old picking and she still talks about it, especially when we are in the supermarket fruit section and she comments that "these apples aren't as good as the ones we pick off the trees." Many orchards are geared especially towards families with young children offering accessible trees, kids' activities and delicious treats.
For those who live in the northeast, we are blessed with a multitude of easily accessible pick-you-own farms -- most within an hour or two's drive of major cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. If you live further afield, consider a weekend getaway exploring the orchards of New York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Your children will thank you and you're sure to have an enjoyable experience too.
Maskers Orchards (tel. 845/986-1058; www.maskers.com) is located in Warwick, NY, a mere 55 miles from New York City. Here you can drive your car right up to the orchard trees --perfect for those with small children and babies in strollers. Wander through 200 acres and 14 different varieties of apples on this historic property that's been growing apples for close to 100 years. September is a particularly rich month for fruit ripening with Prime Reds, Macintosh, Granny Smith, Cortland, Empire, Jonagold, Red Delicious, and my personal favorites, Macoun apples.
The views of the surrounding valley are picturesque, especially as the leaves start to change colors. Apart from apple picking, Masker Orchards offers barnyard baby animals, pony rides and wagon rides. The orchard and store are open from 9am to 5pm daily and the picking season runs through early November. Admission and parking are free, as are bags (or you can bring your own). You can also eat all the apples you wish while visiting the orchard without paying, but those you do choose to take home are priced at $19.95 per half bushel bag (approximately 20 pounds). Farm fresh apple cider is $2.95 a jug.
Gould Hill Orchards
(tel. 603/746-3811; www.gouldhill.com) is set among the rolling hills of Contoocook, NH a little over an hour's drive from Boston. Apple harvest here begins in August and extends into late October, with most of the apples ripening while fall foliage is at its peak in late September and through October. Gould Hill is a 225 year-old family-owned and operated farm that grows over 85 varieties of apples (including two exclusive varieties, the Hampshire and the Kearsarge) and 14 varieties of peaches on nearly 100 acres of prime farmland. Gould Hill also produces fresh sweet cider and maple syrup from its hilltop location.The trees are considered semi-dwarf, so even the smallest of pickers can reach up without having to climb. In the late 17th century barn on site, you'll find The Little Nature Museum with collections including fossils, rocks, minerals, shells, mounted birds, and insects. The orchard also arranges guided nature trail walks wind in and out the orchards, forests, fields, and streams. You can pick-your-own here from Labor Day onwards at a cost of $6 per half peck (around five pounds), $10 per peck (10.5 pounds) or $18 per half bushel.
Frecon Farms (tel. 888/367-6200; www.freconfarms.com) in Boyertown, PA (less than an hour's drive from Philadelphia) is open for pick-your-own apples each weekend from September 6 through October 26 for 80 cents per pound. Varieties include (in order of ripening) Macintosh, Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Rome, Stayman Winesap, Fuji, and Granny Smith. Operated by the Frecon Family since the 1940's, the farm is hosting a September 6 "Pick-Your-Own Kick Off Weekend" featuring live music, wine tasting, food, and of course plenty of apple picking. On October 4, they are celebrating the season with their second annual Harvest Festival (rain date October 11) with three live bluegrass bands (The Manatawny Creek Ramblers, Scranton pickin' sensation Cabinet and the Estelles, an all-girl folk group), apple recipe contests, bluegrass open mic, wine tasting, kids' dancing, "pick and paint" festivities and more. The event will start at 10am and run until 6pm.
Shelburne Farm (tel. 978/897-9287; www.shelburnefarm.com) in Stow, MA is less than an hour's drive from Boston and is open seven days a week from 9am to 6pm. Shelburne is a small, family run and family-friendly farm, and the oldest pick-your-own in eastern Massachusetts. On weekends (from Labor Day) Shelburne offers you and your children the opportunity to pick freshly grown apples while also enjoying a selection of kid-friendly activities like hay rides, a moon bounce, pony rides, pedal tractors, a hay maze and a hay climbing mountain. It also has farm animals that you can see every day of the week like ponies, goats, llama, sheep, chicken, ducks and rabbits.
The farm has live music performances and special events throughout the picking season from August 30 to late October. The orchard terrain is flat so it's easy for little pickers to get around, and the trees are semi dwarf with low fruit -- ideal for small hands. Apple varieties include McIntosh, Cortland, Gala, Macoun, and Empire through September and Red Delicious, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Spencer, Melrose, Mutsu, Northern Spy, and Fuji in October. Customers also rave about their cider doughnuts (a secret family recipe) and hand-made caramel apples. Admission and parking are free and the apples cost $21 for a half bushel (approximately 20 pounds) and $15 for a peck (approximately 10 pounds to take home).