Apple picking is a great fall pastime, regardless of your age. Who says the fun has to stop once you hit college? Going to school in Connecticut is perfect for those who want a lil apple picking fun. Fairfield University is close to some great apple orchards in Westchester County, NY, as well as some orchards that are just a short drive away. Keep reading to see where you should go this fall.
1. Silverman’s Farm (Easton, CT
This farm is super close to campus, and offers plenty of different varieties for apple picking. This farm has it all when it comes to fall fun! There’s a cute country market, filled with homemade jams, butters, and jellies; there’s cider donuts fresh from the oven; there’s a petting zoo; and there’s a tractor ride that takes you over to the orchard.
Early October at Silverman’s has a bunch of different varieties of apples for the taking, everything from Gala to Crispin to Red Rome apples. The best part? All of the apples listed are perfect for baking pies.
2. Beardsley’s Cider Mill and Orchard (Shelton, CT)
Beardsley’s Cider Mill is about twenty minutes away in Shelton, Connecticut. Like Silverman’s, there is a farm bakery onsite, as well as a pick-your-own section. And for the over twenty-one crowd that’s not into apple picking, there is also hard cider available at Beardsley’s.
The apple variety at Beardsley’s is top notch, especially around October. If you’re looking more for snacking apples, Beardsley’s is a great spot for you. Empire, McIntosh, and Red Delicious are all available at this farm.
3. Bishop’s Orchards (Guilford, CT)
To be fair, Guilford is about forty-five minutes away from campus, but I don’t think that’s too great a distance as far as apple picking is concerned. Par for the course, there is a farm bakery at Bishop’s, but there is also a bunch more to see and do there. Bishop’s also has a winery onsite, which provides tastings and tours. Additionally, Bishop’s takes great care to speak on their website about their environmental mission in their orchard.
While Bishop’s doesn’t list its apple varieties on its website, there is a number provided that links you to the farm so you can ask about specific varieties. While this may be annoying for some people, I think that this is actually a novel idea. That way, you can figure out exactly what kind of apple you can use in your kitchen.
4. Blue Jay Orchards (Bethel, CT)
Blue Jay Orchards is about thirty-five minutes away from Fairfield University’s campus. Like most of the other orchards on this list, Blue Jay isn’t limited to just apple picking: there’s a farm store, a pumpkin patch, and a playground. You can use the playground to entertain kids you babysit…or use it yourself. I won’t tell.
There’s also wagon rides all day on the weekends, and even a beehive you can observe right in the store. Blue Jay Orchards has a large variety of apples from Cortland to Jonagold to Ida Red. Use them in a pie, or even in a fall salad!
5. Stuart’s Fruit Farm (Granite Springs, NY)
I’m not above crossing state lines for apple picking! Stuart’s Fruit Farm in Granite Springs, New York is just a little over an hour away from campus. This farm in Westchester County has thirteen different kinds of apples ready to picked in the month of October. And that’s not to mention the pick your own pumpkins and nectarines.
You can grab some cider donuts and take a perfect pic for Instagram in front of the giant cider drum by the entrance. Or, if you’re looking to be a little more active, there are farm tours offered regularly. And remember to come back for your Christmas trees in the winter!
6. Outhouse Orchards (North Salem, NY)
A little less than an hour away from campus, Outhouse Orchards is a great choice when you want to make a day of your apple picking adventure. The apple varieties change over fairly quickly at this farm, but whenever you go, the results are sure to be delicious.
Once you’re done picking your apples, check out the pumpkin patch, or even the corn maze! This year’s maze is shaped like a barn and a tractor, and is full of apple-themed trivia along the way, perfect for all ages!
7. Salinger’s Orchard, Inc. (Brewster, NY)
If you’ve already made your way out to Outhouse Orchards, you might as well take the extra five minutes and go apple picking at Salinger’s Orchard, too! Salinger’s also has a wide variety of apples ripe for the picking throughout the month of October. During this month, the farm offers ten varieties, with Granny Smith hitting their peak on October 30. So, what I’m hearing is, you can still go apple picking in November!
Plus, the bakery menu at Salinger’s looks unreal. There are four different varieties of just apple pies, including apple crumb pie and sugar free apple pie. Do you think they’re hiring for taste testing?
There really is no better fall activity for foodies than apple picking. Sure, pumpkin picking and leaf picking are great, but apple picking comes with a built-in snack! So, with all of these amazing farms listed near campus, there’s no excuse for Stags not to get off campus and into the orchards.