2024 Hartford and Surrounding Connecticut Apple U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Apple U-Pick Orchards in Hartford and Surrounding Connecticut in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for apples that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a state have apples orchards that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!

Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!

PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.

New! As inflation remains high, see this page for reliable (tested) brands of generic canning lids at lower costs, and cost-saving measures for getting fruit and vegetables and home canning.
 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

New! Road tripping and camping is a great way to have a fun, safe and inexpensive family trip. The national and state parks and monuments are open, and campgrounds usually cost between $10 and $40 per night. September to November is the best camping weather.  See our new website Road Tripping and Camping.com for tips, tricks, guides, checklists and info about parks, monuments and other places to visit.

New! We just went live with our latest website, FunFactoryTours.com - As they name implies, you can find a fun factory tour, including chocolate, automobiles, historical forts and sites, famous buildings, Active Federal facilities even fun geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

Hartford County

• Appleberry Farm - PYO apples, peaches, pears, pumpkins, raspberries.
  749 North Stone Street, West Suffield, CT 06093. Phone: (860) 668-7252. Open: 1 - 5 pm. Click here for a map and directions. Fax: (860) 668-7013. UPDATE for 2021, They must have closed; I cannot find anything current about them except of the copycat website who copy my work and then never update their pages (like the copycatters at .farm) Does anyone have current information, are they still offering pick your own or are even open? If so, please write me, their last reported hours were Call for availability. Salesroom open Seasonal.
• Belltown Hill Orchards - apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, nectarines, pears, peaches, plums, pumpkins, Other fruit or veg, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, picnic area
  483 Matson Hill Road, South Glastonbury, CT 06073. Phone: 860-633-2789. Email: belltownorchards@snet.net. Open: mid-June to late October, Varies on varieties, please call ahead or check our website. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Belltown Hill Orchards Facebook page. We offer many varieties of stone fruits like peaches, nectarines and plums, and berries, apples, pears, and of course a full pumpkin patch for your Pick-Your-Own needs. We are also one of the only farms in Connecticut to offer Pick-Your-Own cherries. Typical seasons are apples (August through October); blueberries (July and August); sweet cherries (mid-June to early July); tart cherries (July); nectarines (mid-July to mid-September); peaches (mid-July to early September); pears (mid-July to mid-September); plums (July and early September); pumpkins (mid-September through October); raspberries (mid-August to mid-September).A visitor writes on November 14, 2014: "They have PYO apples, pears, peaches, cherries and more. The kids love the tractor ride around the farm. It's fantastic."
• Berruti's Harvest House - PYO apples, pumpkins & flowers.
  1098 Main Street, South Glastonbury, CT 06073. Phone: 860-657-8158. Email: mberruti1950@yahoo.com. Open: daily, from 8 am to 7 pm. Click here for a map and directions. Our nostalgic farm stand also has baked goods, fruits, & veggies, local honey, & maple syrup.
• Bushy Hill Orchard at Clark Farms - apples, raspberries, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), prepicked produce, snacks and refreshment stand, school tours
  29 Bushy Hill Road, Granby, CT 06035. Phone: 860-653-4022. Email: clarkfarm29@att.net.. Open: Blueberries and peaches picking times are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check.
  Bushy Hill Orchard at Clark Farms Facebook page. . m. to 4 pm. Apple picking hours to be announced, but season starts in late August. Check conditions on the 24-hour information line or email questionsCrops are usually available in September, OctoberOver twenty different and unusual apple varieties on trellised trees (easy to reach, lots of fruit). Also have blueberries for sale in July and delicious, juicy old peach varieties in August and September. Clark Farms at Bushy Hill Orchard Facebook pageU-Pick raspberries in September. Fresh cider. Amazing cider doughnuts. Bakery with fresh made pies and tea breads. Open from August through end of November.
• Dondero Orchards, LLC - Rhubarb, apples, peaches, plums, blueberries, black raspberries & strawberries, pears, flowers, pumpkins, tomatoes & lettuce.
  529 Woodland Street, South Glastonbury, CT 06073. Phone: (860) 659-0294. Email: DonderoOrchards@cox.net. Open: see their website for dates, hours and availability. Click here for a map and directions.
  Dondero Orchards, LLC Facebook page. . Alternate phone: (860) 633-2375Dondero Orchards Facebook page. During the season, we offer pick your own Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Peaches, Apples, Pears, Plums, Lettuce, Peas and more! We also grow more fruit, vegetables & herbs. Their bakery was voted BEST in CT for our Arugula Pesto, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Bread and Butter Pickles, Green Tomato Relish! CT Specialty Food Association held the competition. We're celebrating 101 years! Follow us for more info about our farm dinners in the summer and family events throughout the year, plus specials on our produce and products.
• Dondero Orchards, LLC Mountain View Farms - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, apples, pears, peppers, eggplant and tomatoes
  3582 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury, CT 06033. Phone: 860-430-2122. Email: DonderoOrchards@cox.net. Open: see their website for dates, hours and availability. Click here for a map and directions.
  Dondero Orchards, LLC Mountain View Farms Facebook page. We also grow more fruit, vegetables & herbs. Hebron Avenue farm is 3 years strong this year and growing in leaps and bounds! Dondero Orchards Facebook page. During the season, we will offer pick your own strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, MacIntosh, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Macoun and Cortland Apples, Bartlett and Bosc Pears, Peppers, Egg Plant and Tomatoes.
• Draghi Farm - PYO peaches, plums, nectarines, apples, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, vegetables, Farm stand
  379 Scantic Road, East Windsor, CT 06088. Phone: 860-282-9063. Open: July thru October from 8 am to 6 pm daily. Click here for a map and directions. fresh picked available at our farm stand. Homemade pies, local honey.
• Easy Pickin's Orchard - PYO Apples, peaches, plums, raspberries, blueberries, vegetables, flowers & pumpkins. Wagon rides
  46 Bailey Road, Enfield, CT 06082. Phone: (860) 763-FARM. Email: farmerb@easypickinsorchard.com. Open: Mid-July thru October: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9am to 12noon; Friday thru Sunday 9am to 5pm; Closed Tuesdays; Labor Day and Columbus Day: 9am to 5pm ; For "off season" hours, see our website. Directions: See their website for directions. EASY PICKIN\'s is a unique farm in a quiet corner of Enfield, Connecticut. Not only do we grow over 100 different varieties of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs, we offer you the opportunity to pick these treasures from our gardens and groves. The kids will enjoy an outing at the farm with all the sites and activities, but don't miss the chance to teach them about the garden. Easy Pickin\'s has expanded its operations to include apples, peaches, plu - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Easy Pickin's Orchard Facebook page. /763-3276 See their website for directions. EASY PICKIN's is a unique farm in a quiet corner of Enfield, Connecticut. Not only do we grow over 100 different varieties of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs, we offer you the opportunity to pick these treasures from our gardens and groves. The kids will enjoy an outing at the farm with all the sites and activities, but don't miss the chance to teach them about the garden. Easy Pickin's has expanded its operations to include apples, peaches, plums, pears, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, vegetables, flowers, herbs, and much, much more. Our goal is to provide fresh produce to our customers while providing them with an enjoyable experience. Customers can simply come and enjoy the outdoors or they can participate in the other activities we offer such as wagon rides, scarecrow making, and our very popular annual Gourd Hunt. We also have a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program; see the details on our website
  Comments from a visitor on September 20, 2010: "A friend had a birthday party there for her son and now I am a regular, great place"
• Karabin Farms - apples and pumpkins
  894 Andrews Street, Southington, CT 06489. Phone: (860) 620-0194. Email: farmingct@cox.net. Open: daily from 9am to 5pm April-Dec; PYO weekends September and October. Click here for a map and directions. Fax: (860) 621-2058Scenic wagon rides to our orchard and pumpkin field. Numerous farm animals on working family farm. Farm stand open early August until late October. All apple varieties both heirloom and new are grown on dwarf kid friendly trees. Pick your own begins with Zestar in mid August and ends with Cameo and Red Delicious in October. All PYO include a free wagon ride to our scenic orchard Friday - Monday 9:30 AM to 4 Pm. Visitors are encouraged to sample the apples before they pick. All bags are sold in the store prior to boarding the wagons
• Lost Acres Orchard - apples
  130 Lost Acres Road, North Granby, CT 06060. Phone: (860) 653-6600. Email: ginny@lostacres.com. Open: all year with apples, cider, pies, breads, soups, jams, mums, quilts and gifts. Click here for a map and directions.
  Lost Acres Orchard Facebook page. . This is a family farm with a bakery and farm store. PYO, free wagon rides on weekends in September & October. Farm store open Great family fun!
• Rogers Orchards Shuttlemeadow Farm - apples, pumpkins
  336 Long Bottom Road, Southington, CT 06489. Phone: (860) 229-4240. Email: info@rogersorchards.com. Open: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, September and October; 10am - 5 pm, weather permitting. Click here for a map and directions.
  Rogers Orchards Shuttlemeadow Farm Facebook page. PYO apples. Children welcome. Fun for the whole family - children welcome. PYO is adjacent to our salesroom, featuring Farm Bakery, our own fruits and vegetables. Also rabbits for the kids. Rogers Orchards Facebook page. Apple varieties include McIntosh, Jonamac, Golden Delicious, Ida Reds, Cortland, Macoun, Empire, Red Delicious, and Mutsu
• Rogers Orchards Sunnymount Farm - apples
  2876 Meriden-Waterbury Road, Route 322, Southington, CT 06489. Phone: (203) 879-1206. Email: info@rogersorchards.com. Open: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, September and October; from 10am - 5 pm, weather permitting. Click here for a map and directions.
  Rogers Orchards Sunnymount Farm Facebook page. PYO . Children welcome. Fun for the whole family - children welcome. PYO is adjacent to our salesroom, featuring Farm Bakery, our own fruits and vegetables. Also rabbits for the kids. Rogers Orchards Facebook pageApple varieties include McIntosh, Jonamac, Golden Delicious, Ida Reds, Cortland, Macoun, Empire, Red Delicious, and MutsuAlso ducks and rabbits for the kids
• Rose's Berry Farm LLC - Uses integrated pest management practices, apples, blackberries, blueberries, pears, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (Autumn, yellow), strawberries, U-pick and already picked, farm market, gift shop, picnic area, school tours, Christmas Trees
  295 Matson Hill Rd, S. Glastonbury, CT 06073. Phone: 860-633-7467. Email: rosesblues@cox.net. Open: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays 8 am to 5 pm, Thursdays 8 am to 8 pm and Sundays 9 am to 5 pm; Breakfast with a View on Sundays only 8:30 am to 1 pm, hours of operation are ALWAYS subject to change due to weather conditions and crop availability. Directions: From Route 2 East take exit 7. This is Route 17 South. Follow 17S for 4 miles. At the third light take a left. Follow Hopewell Rd for about a mile till the road forks. Bear Right onto Matson Hill Road. The farm is on the left at the top of the hill. Directions from other areas available on our website . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Rose's Berry Farm LLC Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 860-657-3119Fax: 860-657-3062Picking updates: Click here for picking updatesWe use integrated pest management practicesPick-Your-Own Blueberries- (July-August)Pick-Your-Own Raspberries- (1st Season June-July) (2nd Season Mid August- Mid September)Apples- (September-October).
• Scott's Orchard and Nursery - Pick your own peaches, apples, pears and plums in season, Hay maze, horse-drawn hay rides on weekends in the Fall
  1838 New London Turnpike, Glastonbury, CT 06033. Phone: 860-633-8681. Email: woody@scottsorchardandnursery.com. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: cash, check, Mastercard & Visa accepted.
  Scott's Orchard and Nursery Facebook page. . .Hay Maze & Seminars seasonallysee their website; Sept/October Hours vary, currently Monday to Friday 8-6, Sun 8-5 Closed for the Winter. Plenty of family fun. Facebook page.

Tolland County

• Irish Bend Farm Orchard - apples, peaches, prepicked produce
  Pioneer Heights Road, Somers, CT 06071. Phone: 860-698-6429. Open: August, Friday through Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check.
  Irish Bend Farm Orchard Facebook page. Crops are usually available in August, September, October. Our trees are readily accessible without too much walking to the orchard. Our land is level and handicap accessible. Tree ripened peaches, apples, Asian pears, and nectarines hang from our trees ready to be picked and enjoyed by you and your family. Pull wagons will be available to place your picking containers in to make your experience easier. Our picking areas are marked so you will know where to pick the ripest fruit. We provide the picking containers and your fruit will be weighed and sold by the pound at our farm stand. We also offer kid sized containers so kids can hold their own fruit​JOIN US FOR PEACH PICKING IN AUGUST. PICK YOUR OWN OR PRE-PICKED AT OUR FARMSTAND.
• Johnny Appleseed's Farm - Pumpkins, apples, peaches, tractor rides, pumpkins
  13 Schoolhouse Road, Ellington, CT 06029. Phone: (860) 875-1000. Open: Because we have several picking locations and because crop ripening depends heavily on weather conditions, we strongly advise you call us for the current picking conditions, times, and locations, see our website. Click here for a map and directions.
  Johnny Appleseed's Farm Facebook page. Facebook page. PYO peaches & apples from easy-to-reach dwarf trees. Free tractor rides on weekends. PYO pumpkins in the Fall. Fruits & vegetables also available at our stands on Rte 83 in Ellington & Tolland on Rte 195, just south of I-84. Peach picking usually begins in early August and goes thru early to mid September, depending on the season. Peaches sometimes require extra time to ripen between pickings; therefore, we do not always have u-pick peaches on a daily basis. U-pick apples usually begin in early August and go thru the end of October. Our apple trees are all dwarfs, which means no ladders or climbing; all the fruit is easy to reach from the ground. We offer free tractor rides on the weekends and all containers are provided. The orchards are handicap accessible. On Mondays and Tuesdays, we offer a 10% discount to seniors at our u-pick locations. Free tractor rides on weekends. PYO pumpkins in the Fall. Fruits & veggies at our stand on Route 83 in Ellington & in Tolland on Route 30. School groups by appointment.
• Johnny Appleseed's Farm Somers Road - Pumpkins, apples, tractor rides, pumpkins
  231 Somers Road, Ellington, CT 06029. Phone: 860-875-1000. Open: Because we have several picking locations and because crop ripening depends heavily on weather conditions, we strongly advise you call us for the current picking conditions, times, and locations, see our website. Click here for a map and directions.
  Johnny Appleseed's Farm Somers Road Facebook page. Johnny Appleseed's Farm Facebook page. PYO apples and pumpkins, corn maze, free tractor rides on weekends in the fall. Fresh produce at our stands at 185 West Road (Rte 83) in Ellington and 244 Hartford Turnpike (Rte 30) in Tolland. School groups by appointment. U-pick apples usually begin in early August and go thru the end of October. Our apple trees are all dwarfs, which means no ladders or climbing; all the fruit is easy to reach from the ground. Once the apple orchard opens for the season, we are usually open everyday unless the weather is bad.
• Wright's Orchard and Dried Flower Farm - No pesticides are used, blueberries, raspberries, apples, pumpkins, vegetables, flowers
  271 South River Road, Tolland, CT 06084. Phone: (860) 872-1665. Email: wtjwright@sbcglobal.net. Open: August 1 - Dec. Click here for a map and directions. . PYO blueberries, raspberries, apples, pumpkins, mums and dried flowers. Open 24, Thurs. - Tuesday from 1 pm to 5:30 pm. Closed Wednesday. Visit our 19th century basket and flower barn

 

Apple

Apple Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Apples ripen from the outside of the tree towards the center, so the apples out the outside of the tree will ripen first.  Once they are picked, they stop ripening. Picking apples directly from a tree is easy. Roll the apple upwards off the branch and give a little twist; don't pull straight away from the tree. If two apples are joined together at the top, both will come away at the same time. Don't shake the trees or branches.  If the apple you are trying to pick drops, (or others on the tree) go ahead and pick it up. They're perfectly fine! But do wash them before you eat them! More info: How to tell when apples are ripe

• Once picked, don't throw the apples into the baskets, place them in gently, or they will bruise and go bad more quickly.
• Don't wash apples until just before using to prevent spoilage.
• For an explanation of why apple slices turn brown and how to stop it, see this page!
• Keep apples cool after picking to increase shelf life.  A cool basement is ideal, but the fruit/vegetable drawer of a refrigerator will work, too.  A refrigerator is fine for small quantities of apples. Boxed apples need to be kept in a cool, dark spot where they won't freeze. Freezing ruptures all of an apple's cells, turning it into one large bruise overnight. The usual solution is to store apples in a root cellar. But root cellars often have potatoes in them: apples and potatoes should never be stored in the same room because, as they age, potatoes release an otherwise ethylene gas, which makes apples spoil faster. If you can keep the gas away from your apples, they will keep just fine. Just don't store them right next to potatoes.
  Prevent contact between apples stored for the winter by wrapping them individually in sheets of newspaper. The easiest way to do this is to unfold a section of newspaper all the way and tear it into quarters. Then stack the wrapped apples. See more here: How to store apples at home
• Apples don't improve or "ripen" after being picked - this is an urban myth - see this page for the truth - with references!

Which apple variety is best?

There are tens of thousands of varieties of apples, developed over centuries. They vary in sugar, acoidity, flavors, storing, crispness and many other attributes. See our guides to apple varieties:

• Summary table of many apple varieties and their characteristics
• Detailed descriptions of each apple variety with detailed characteristics
• Apple varieties, sorted by the order in which they typically ripe
• Apple varieties that don't turn brown when they are cut
• Why are some apples brown or spotted inside when you first cut them open?

Canning apples - fully illustrated, with step-by-step instructions

• How to make applesauce
• How to make apple butter 
• How to make apple jelly
• How to make apple pie filling (canned)
• How to can apples
• Home canned apple juice

New!As inflation remains high, see this page for reliable (tested) brands of generic canning lids at lower costs, and cost-saving measures for getting fruit and vegetables and home canning.
 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

Recipes, illustrated with step by step instructions

• Apple pie recipe and directions and illustrated! I can say, with, ahem, no bias at all, that this is the best apple pie recipe in the world! (Alright, I did have an apple strudel in Vienna once at that place listed in Fodors that was REALLY good, but that wasn't a pie, was it? And since this was the recipe my grandmother used, it must be great!)
• How to make applesauce for a single meal (not canning it) with NO special equipment
• Apple cobbler
• Apple crunch - best of all! Moist, low sugar and using oats!
• Apple crisp - ever-popular, low sugar and using oats!
• Apple, blackberry, cherry, and/or peach cobbler
• Apple-blackberry, crumble - a English favorite (or favourite)

Using fresh apples and miscellaneous

• How to stop cut apples from browning
• Apple festivals - find one near you!
• Apple facts
• Apple seeds and cyanide

 

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Local Honey Finder
• Local Meat, Milk and Eggs
• Venues: Farms, Wineries, Orchards for your event, wedding or party
• Easter egg hunts
• Children"s consignment sales
• Fruit and vegetable festivals
• Winery tours and wine tastings
• Horse rides, stables, lessons, trails
• Maple Syrup farms and sugarworks
• Bed & Breakfasts on Farms, Wineries, Ranches and Orchards
• Pumpkin patches
• Corn mazes
• Zombie Paintball venues
• Christmas Tree Farms & lots
• Environmental resources
• Consumer fraud information
• Wholesale food sources
• Resources for Farmers