Apple Picking Tips
The rest of the apples, such as Red Delicious, Cortland, Fuji, and Golden Delicious, usually reach their peak in mid-October. If you haven’t taken your family apple picking this season, now is a terrific time to do it. Along with advice on how to make the day go as well as possible, we are providing some of our favorite spots to choose.
Teach little ones.
Picking apples with your family may be an enjoyable activity that will produce wonderful memories and pictures. But it can also be a chance to teach kids about the need of respecting the environment and the sources of our food. Children can learn from caregivers how fruits and vegetables are grown as well as the origins of the food we buy at the grocery store. You might be able to demonstrate how the many crops, animals, and staff that maintain a farm functioning as a whole work together, depending on the orchard.
Come prepared.
To ensure a seamless day, make sure kids wear boots or shoes and dress in layers to account for variations in the temperature and level of activity. The majority of farms provide small beverages and snacks, but you may want to bring some portable food for young children and finicky eaters. Remember to bring bug repellent, sunscreen, and water bottles!
Watch children.
Respecting the trees, animals, people, and land is crucial when you visit an apple orchard or working farm. Children should be taught how to pick apples without tugging or shaking the tree; generally, this involves delicately cupping the apple in your hand, twisting, and pulling. The apple is probably not ready to eat if it is difficult to release. Children may enjoy petting zoos and other attractions at many orchards; for advice on how to teach your kids to engage with animals, click here.
Don’t pick more than you need.
Apples are a resource that should not be wasted, just like any other meal. Only choose items that you will actually utilize during the next few weeks. Apples may last 6–8 weeks when stored properly, giving you plenty of time to attempt all of your favorite recipes.
Be considerate of others – and have fun!
At this time of year, a lot of farms and orchards are very active. As kids choose their apples, pose for photos, and navigate the farm, remind them to be considerate of others. In the meantime, give them the chance to have fun in the outdoors. Children may be allowed to run, play, use outside voices, and take in the open landscape in certain areas. It’s best to ask kids to be considerate of other people when they’re picking apples and spending time with their families in the actual apple orchards.
Apple & Pumpkin Picking: Recommended Farms
New York’s Apple Ridge Orchards
At Apple Ridge Orchards in Warwick, New York, you can choose your own apples and pumpkins. Hayrides, eerie movie nights, a fresh farm stand, a petting zoo, and even homemade barbecue on the weekends are all available there. After that, we strongly suggest dropping by Bellvale Creamery for one of their delectable milkshakes or a scoop of their handcrafted ice cream. We make it a point to visit the vintage ice cream shop whenever we are in the region because Trip Advisor ranked it as the second-best in the nation.
New York’s Woodside Orchards
We adore Woodside Orchards, whether you’re from Long Island or nearby. After picking your own apples, visit their tasting room, which is dog-friendly and serves a range of hard ciders produced on-site. Remember to sample the apple cider donuts as well!
Snow-Line Orchard, Oak Glen, California
For those in the Los Angeles area, we recommend Snow-Line Orchard. This West Coast orchard offers something for the whole family. Enjoy apple picking (and raspberry picking in the summer!), apple cider donuts, and an on-site winery and cidery (made with their own apples, of course) and tasting room. While they offer a great selection of wine and cider (as well as other homemade goodies, including jams and jellies!), this time of year we reach for a glass of their Black Bear Merlot, made with blackberries.