It’s Apple Picking Season (updated)

photo by Mattox

Last year was our first Fall in Connecticut and everybody we met told us we just HAD to go pick apples.  “You can’t live in New England and not pick apples in the Fall!” I often felt as if they believed apples didn’t grow anywhere else!  More, that apple picking was our ticket to New England citizenship!  The funny thing was, I grew up surrounded by the Sangro de Cristo mountains in Northern New Mexico and picked apples nearly every Fall at Dixon’s Apples.  But shhh, that secret’s between you and me.

Well, we love Pick Your Own farms, so we were an easy sell (and figured the stamp of approval from staunch New Englanders was a nice bonus!)  Thus far, we’ve checked out a few different apple orchards, but still haven’t found our favorite spot.  Below is a list of nearby apple picking sites we know about, with tidbits about the ones we’ve visited.  Where’s your favorite place to pick apples?

Beardsley’s Cider Mill & Orchard – 278 Leavenworth Road (Route 110) in Shelton #(203) 926-1098

• There is something extra delicious about fresh-pressed apple cider.  Beardsley’s has that plus cider donuts.  Oh yeah, and apple-picking, too.

Bishop Farms – 500 So Meriden Road in Cheshire #(203) 272-8243

Bishop’s Orchards – 1355 Boston Post Road (US Rte 1, I-95 Exit 57) in Guilford, CT #(203) 458-7425

• We’ve only picked strawberries here and had a pleasant experience, with the exception of the llamas and alpacas.  They just seemed sorta isolated…and sad.

Bishop’s Orchards – 1920 Middletown Ave (Rte 17, 3 miles N of Rte 22) in Northford #(203) 458-PICK

Drazen Orchards – 251 Wallingford Road in Cheshire #(203) 272-7985

Gotta’s Farm - 661 Glastonbury Turnpike in Portland (near Middletown) #(860) 342-1844

Hickory Hill Orchard – 351 South Meriden Road in Cheshire #(203) 272-0181

• Hickory Hill might just be our favorite for now.  A gentle country setting complete with horses in the pasture, we enjoyed sauntering along the rows of pear, peach, nectarine and apple trees.  It felt like a walk in the country, with the bonus of ripe, delicious fruit marking our path.  It’s hard to say which was better, the apples or peaches, because both were darn good.  The pears were no slouch either, though.  Their country store is worth a walk around.  Careful though.  Some of their sweet treats might just call out your name.

High Hill Orchard, organic – 170 Fleming Road in Meriden #(203) 294-0276.

Lyman Orchards – Jct. Routes 147 and 157 in Middlefield #(860) 349-6015

• indoor market, corn maze, sunflower maze, golf course

Norton Brothers Fruit Farm – 450-466 Academy Road in Cheshire #(203) 272-8418

Rose Orchards – 33 Route 139 in North Branford #(203) 488-7996

Silverman’s Farm – 451 Sport Hill Road in Easton #(203) 261-3306

• This is a place I want to like, but don’t really.  My major qualm is that they are very strict about how they sell their bags for picking your own fruit.  The petting zoo, while pretty decent, is across a busy road.  Last season they gave the kiddos a ticket for a free bakery treat with the purchase of petting zoo ticket.  This year, no free treat.  Petty, I know.  But it was the straw that broke the camels back.

Visit Pick Your Own.org online for more specific info about these and other pick your own farms in Connecticut and beyond.  And always, ALWAYS call ahead before going to a pick your own farm.