Pick-your-own big apples and great pumpkins await in not-so-far-upstate New York!
ORANGE COUNTY, N.Y. (October 7, 2019) – Come for the leaf peeping; stay for the apple and pumpkin picking! Orchards and patches all over Orange County, N.Y. are popping with bounty and color, welcoming visitors from all over the northeast back to our popular, friends-and-family-friendly “pick-your-own” season. Just an hour’s travel north from New York City, Orange County is home to a multitude of farms offering countless fall activities for all ages.
“Sure, you can pick apples and pumpkins grown who knows where off of some grocery store shelf, or you can pick them right off their branches and vines. Which ones do you think will make better pies,” asks Amanda Dana, Director of Orange County Tourism. “Bring your family to one of our many family-run farms. Start a new tradition, where agritourism meets small town hospitality for a memorable experience you just can’t get anywhere else.”
Local “u-pick” farms in Orange County, N.Y. include:
- •Manza Family Farm, 730 State Route 211, Montgomery: Plenty of pickable pumpkins grown on-site! Autumn abounds at Manza Family Farm during its Fall Festival weekends. With more than twenty acres of farmland to explore, visitors are invited to enjoy a tractor-drawn hayride, mount up for a pony ride, find their way through the maize maze, visit with some farm animal friends and more. Open weekends through October. Details at manzafamilyfarm.net.
- •Penning’s Orchard and Farm Market, 169 Route 94, Warwick: Apple (and peach) picking is open now and continues daily through October. Penning’s market is open year-round, offering local produce and a full-service bar and grill. Relax in the Beer Garden or visit the cidery just a quick climb up the hill. Hey, kids! There’s a petting zoo and play area, too. Follow your picking with a cider tasting – 21 and older only, please! More at penningsfarmmarket.com
- •Soons Orchard, 23 Soons Circle, New Hampton: Tree-fresh apples are the star at Soons, but there’s plenty more going on for your whole crew: autumn activities and shopping in the farm store; fresh baked apple pies and cider doughnuts; fresh-pressed apple cider, and more! Adults are welcome to sip hand-crafted hard ciders in the Orchard Hill Cidery tasting room. One of the area’s longest standing u-pick orchards and farm stores, Soons hopes to see you… soon! More to know at soonsorchards.com.
- •Wright Family Farm 329 Kings Highway, Warwick: Autumn is chock full of fun and old-fashioned harvest traditions here. A relaxing hayride delivers you at Wright’s nine-acre pumpkin patch, full of perfect pumpkins priced by the pound. Get lost – and found again – in the five-acre corn maze. Kids can dig in the crunchy corn box and race rubber duckies. Take a turn in the pedal carts, board the cow train, take a pony ride, try the tube slide, run in the human-size hamster wheel, and do not miss the firing of the Candy Cannon! All the fun, including the pumpkin patch, is open now! For more information, visit wrightfamilyfarm.com.
- •Apple Dave’s Orchard, 82 Four Corners Road, Warwick: U-pick apples and pumpkins at this Warwick autumn hot-spot. Not only does Apple Dave grow 11 varieties of the crispest, juiciest apples you’ve ever had, but he turns them into some of the county’s tastiest ciders – including adult and all-ages – too! Grab a bushel of your own choosing and grab a gourd, too. The adults are welcome to sample the latest creations from Apple Dave’s distillery. Climb in for a wagon ride or just kick back and relax by the orchard’s pond and rose garden. Of course, the farm store is open, too. Operating daily now through late October. appledavesorchards.com
There are plenty more pumpkin patches and apple orchards to explore, all listed on the Orange County Tourism website. Groups are encouraged to call ahead for special arrangements. Visit www.OrangeTourism.org for a full list of lodging, activities, and attractions. Orange County Tourism’s Facebook page: Orange County Tourism NY is a fabulous guide to up-to-the-minute postings of area events and activities, great times, and memorable experiences available to visitors.
About Orange County Tourism
Orange County Tourism, based in Goshen, N.Y., is the county’s tourism headquarters and a participant in the I LOVE NY program. A comprehensive listing of area attractions, lodging, and events can be found at www.OrangeTourism.org. For a free copy of the Orange County Travel Guide, e-mail tourism@orangecountygov.com or call 845-615-3860.
