Kseniya K.
Yelp
I've been becoming quite an apple orchard aficionado, so was very excited for this visit, especially considering solid reviews. A simple two hour drive from Brooklyn on a Saturday afternoon brought us to a bustling orchard & farm space.
Free parking. Upon entering, you see a store stocked with locally made goodies. A wide variety of delicious produce is available for purchase. Hot and cold apple cider, dumplings, all sorts of pies, muffins, cakes, and baked goods, jellies, jams, maple syrup, caramel spreads, and even household goods such as home-made soap. Really great selection, so if you have money to spare, you can enjoy a very satisfying shopping spree. You can sample some of the goodies along with the cider, which we really enjoyed. I was surprised how delicious the sweet breads and caramels were--definitely recommend trying!
Fresh apple cider doughnuts are sold in huge quantities due to nonstop demand. Pippin' hot doughnuts from the doughnut making machine are fried in front of you, dipped in sugar and sold for $.70 per doughnut, $7 for a dozen. Enjoyed the hot, fresh, fluffy dough. Very light, grainy consistency, mildly sweet, none of that saccharine, chemical sugary after-taste. A great treat for all ages, wouldn't feel bad about treating a child to a quality baked good.
There's a fun pumpkin shed located on the premises. Decorated with ghouls just in time for Halloween. A great place to play with little kids, jumping on hey stacks and enjoying all sorts and calibers (decorative & edible) of pumpkins, available for purchase.
Pumpkin picking is also an alternative to those who want something besides apples. Small Pumpkins for picking are $1.75 per pumpkin. Large pumpkins, 50 cents per pound, are also available, but only for store purchase, not for picking on your own. Hayrides are $2.00 per child and $3.00 per adult.
For apple picking, you have two options: either purchase a small bag for $15 or a large bag for $24. The small bag is really tiny, even though its advertised to hold 10-15 lbs, there's no way it does so in reality. Suggest choosing the large bag, around 20-25lbs, so you can at least bring a decent amount of apples home.
Around 13-15 apple varieties are available for picking. You should schedule your visit depending on the apple sort that you like, as some ripen early September and some wait until the very end of October. Usually, early to mid October is the busiest season, as most apples are ripe for picking and it's right in the middle of Fall holiday season, so families are planning their Fall entertainment.
Group trips are also available (schools, community groups, etc.). Call in advance to schedule those (available only during weekdays).
The orchard is a gorgeous place for photos and picnics. Even though there are eating and seating areas on the farm, before you enter the orchard, recommend taking your picnic basket with you and enjoying a scenic bite amid the lush vegetation of the orchard. We spent the entire day there, exploring and taking beautiful photos of the colorful Autumn landscape. The orchard closes at sunset. Allow yourself a full day for this experience, so you can enjoy every aspect without rushing.
Overall, enjoyed my experience, do recommend this orchard and will be back!