Several of my friends have mentioned going apple picking near NYC. I’m going with a group of family and friends in a couple of weeks, so I have been asking my friends and family for orchard suggestions. Below are the top seven suggestions:
1. Mom in the City reader Sandra Polanco recommends Barton Orchards. “(They have) hayrides, apples, pumpkin patch, playground, petting zoo, place to eat, and delish apple donuts!! You can also pick peppers, tomatoes, etc. We had a blast.”
2. Parenting blogger Mitch picks DePiero’s Country Farm. “This is on my list, we went 3 weeks ago and traveled too far. We hope to go back here for pumpkins, it is 45 minutes away.”
3. Mom blogger Lisa Perez (along with another personal friend) suggests Dubois Farms. “I like Dubois Farms in Highland, NY. “(It’s) not so commercialized like some I know.” You can actually read Lisa’s thoughts more in-depth on her post about apple picking at Dubois Farms.
4. Mom blogger Renee Smith raves about Wilkens Farm. “Beautiful, does not feel at all like an apple picking factory; homemade donuts and candy and stuff, and hay rides.” were some of the things that she loved about the farm.
5. Another Mom in the City reader, Mandy, sang the praises of Applewood Orchards & Winery. I asked her if it was easy to get to the site from the city and if she would recommend it for a group outing. Her response: “(It’s) extremely easy to get to, same exit as Woodbury Commons and about 10-15 min once you exit. For the toddler set it is PERFECT as they have “miniature apple trees”in some sections that are their height and the full grown apples are the size of their palms. LOTS of toddlers were having a blast picking their own apples and parents were thrilled they didn’t have to lift them up. Well taken care of orchard, NO BEES! I recommend it for the toddler to 10 year old set. They would enjoy the marionette/face painting/folky band, etc. My early 13 year old ended up having a good time (much to my surprise!), but I don’t think he would have had a good time if it was a bunch of his friends. Great for a family outing. Oh yeah, they have their own vineyard, so we had a good time sampling wines!”
Other offline friends recommended the following two farms/orchards that they visited with their families this year:
6. Terhune Orchards in Princeton, NJ
7. Masker Orchards in Warwick, NY also received high praises for being less commercial than other local produce farms (although it is not organic).
I compiled the list and gave it to my husband with my top two picks. Our final pick ended up being Dubois Farms. I think that the barbecue lunch is what tipped the hat in their favor. With my husband, it’s (almost) all about the food! We’re planning on going with a group of folks on October 24th, so I’ll let you know how it goes. (You’re welcome to come along!)
Other posts that might be of interest regarding apple picking orchards and farms in the NYC area can be found at:
-CBS New York Local
-TONY Kids
-Babble (Congrats to Carol on her new gig over at Babble!)
That’s it on my end. Did I miss any other noteworthy farms/orchards that your family has visited that are within a couple of hours of NYC?
(Top Photo Credit: Tehrune Orchards)
