Despite a late May frost that devastated some orchards, others say they are thriving this season.
Beak & Skiff in Lafayette is one of dozens of farms across the Empire State offering their u-pick this season for visitors.
“We have a few varieties like Gala that have marks on them from the frost, but as we’re moving into McIntosh this weekend and Honeycrisp next week, those apples really look good,” said Peter Fleckenstein, a partner and general manager at Beak & Skiff.
The orchard did sustain some damage, but it was not in the u-pick area of the field. Fleckenstein said marks on apples do not impact the quality or flavor of the apples.
Fleckenstein shared a couple of tips for those planning to participate in u-pick apples.
“Come in the morning. It’s not as busy then and also wear appropriate footwear because the grass is wet early in the morning,” he said.
Special note about your pets: New York state law does not allow dogs in or around anywhere that grows food, including u-pick apple areas.
CENTRAL NEW YORK
Abbott Farms – Baldwinsville
Location: 3275 Cold Spring Rd., Baldwinsville
Hours: Monday, Thursday, Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Apple varieties: Currently picking Sanza, Zestar, Paula Red, Ginger Gold, and JonaMac. Visit their website to see how it changes throughout the season.
Price: Half peck (5 pounds) $9; 1 peck (10 pounds) $15, half bushel (20+ pounds) $25
Other notes: Abbott Farms has a farm store and wine and cider bar. Call ahead of time if you are looking for a specific variety.
Adam’s Acres – Jamesville
Location: 7047 Sevier Rd., Jamesville
Hours: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Apple varieties: Dayton, Honeycrisp, Spartan, Florina, Northern Spy
Price: $1.90/pound
Other notes: They are a certified organic farm.
Beak & Skiff – Lafayette
Location: 2708 Lords Hill Rd., Lafayette
Hours: Open Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Apple varieties: McIntosh, Ginger Gold, Paula Red, Gala, Jonamac, Honeycrisp, SnapDragon, Cortland, Macoun, Empire, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Fuji, Ruby Frost, Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, Evercrisp, Ida Red, Wealthy.
Price: $1.70/pound
Other notes: They have a tasting room, distillery, bakery, ice cream, and much more. Check their picking schedule to see what is currently being picked.
Burrell’s Navarino Orchard – Syracuse
Location: 3655 Cherry Valley Turnpike, Syracuse
Hours: Weekdays 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Apple varieties: Mcintosh, Gala, Honeycrisp, Ginger Gold, Paula Red, Zestar, Fuji, Snapdragon, Crispin, Fortune, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Fuji, Northern Spy, Ruby Frost, Braeburn, Granny Smith.
Price: $1.40/pound
Other notes: Check their Facebook page or call for current picking schedule. They have u-pick tomatoes and pumpkins as well. Hot cider and apple fritters are available and popular among guests. You can visit their café for a meal too.
Critz Farms – Cazenovia (Due to crop loss, they will not have u-pick but will still have apples available for purchase)
Location: 3232 Rippleton Rd., Cazenovia
Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Apple varieties: Cortland, Empire, McIntosh, Gala, Honeycrisp, Macoun and Liberty.
Price: No u-pick this season.
Other notes: They make hard cider and have a tasting room. Visitors can enjoy a corn maze, farm animals, Critz café, gift shop, wagon rides to the orchard, apple cider, cider-making demonstrations and playgrounds. They will host their Fall Harvest Celebration Sept. 16 through Oct. 22.
Deer Run Farms – Layfayette
Location: 2695 Route 11A, Lafayette
Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Apple varieties: Paula Reds, Jonamacs, Gala, McIntosh, Red Cortland, Braeburn, Cameo, Cortland, Crispin, Empire, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Ida Red, Jonagold, and Red Delicious.
Price: Not available
Other notes: They offer u-pick apples and in-store apples along with apple fritters, pies, country crafts, honey, bread, and unpasteurized cider.
O’Neill’s Orchard – Layfayette
Location: 4872 Route 20, LaFayette
Hours: Open Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Apple varieties: Zestar, Paula Red, Ginger Gold, Jonamac, McIntosh, Pink Luster, Gala, Crimson Crisp, Honeycrisp, Cortland, Mccoun, Greening, Firecracker, Empire, Jonagold, Cordera, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Northern Spy, Crispin, Ida Red
Price: $1.40/pound
Other notes: View the exact picking schedule on their website or their Facebook page for updates.
Ontario Orchards – Oswego
Location: 7735 State Route 104, Oswego
Hours: Open daily 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Apple varieties: Honeycrisp, Cortland, Gala, McIntosh, Sweet Maia
Price: $8.00/peck, $15/half bushel.
Other notes: U-pick will begin Sept. 16 during their Fall Jamboree. They supply bags to visitors. They sell jams, sauces, cider, baked goods and other produce in their farm store as well.
Owen Orchards Cider Mill and Farm Market – Weedsport (Not yet open for u-pick)
Location: 8174 Grant Ave., Weedsport
Hours: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Apple varieties: McIntosh, Gala, Jonamac, Pink Luster, Honeycrisp, Blondies, Ginger Gold, Sansa, Cortland, Crimson Crisp, Snapdragon, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Macoun, Fortune, Empire, Northern Spy, Jondagold, Ida Red, Fuji.
Price: $1.30/pound for under 10 pounds, over 10 pounds are $1.20/pound; Pink Luster and Honeycrisp are $1.70/pound
Other notes: They sell hard cider and donuts. In their farm store, they have homemade pies, fresh pressed apple cider, and locally grown and produced vegetables, condiments, cheese and preserves.
Indian Creek Orchards – Ithaca
Location: 1408 Trumansburg Rd., Ithaca
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Apple varieties: McIntosh, Cortland, Northern Spy, Rome Beauty, Red Delicious, Mutsu
Price: $2.50/pound
Other notes: Sign up for their fresh crop alerts here.
WESTERN NEW YORK
Baker Farm – Ransomville
Location: 2100 Youngstown Lockport Rd., Ransomville
Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Apple varieties: Ginger Golds, Gala, Cortland, Golden Supreme, McIntosh and more
Price: $25 for two adults and their children for a half bushel of apples.
Other notes: Check the u-pick calendar to see what varieties they are picking each day. They sell fresh fruits and vegetables, jams, salsa, jellies, apple butter, pumpkin butter, honey and fresh apple cider.
Becker Farms – Gasport
Location: 3724 Quaker Rd., Gasport
Hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Apple varieties: Ginger gold, Gala, Cortland, McIntosh, Macoun, Empire, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Crispin, Ida Red, Snap Dragon, Ruby Frost
Price: 4 quarts $6.75 per person; half bushel $20; 1 bushel $30. Admission tickets required on weekends and holidays.
Other notes: There is a brew pub, farm market, country market, playground and petting zoo. They sell homemade fudge, honey, maple syrup, fresh milk, jams, jelly and preserves, soaps, and popcorn.
Blackman Homestead Farm – Lockport
Location: 4472 Thrall Rd., Lockport
Hours: Friday – Monday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (U-pick begins Sept. 15)
Apple varieties: McIntosh, Jonamac, Gala, Cortland, Macoun, Spartan, Empire, Red Delicious, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Crispin, Ida Red, Honeycrisp.
Price: Not available
Other notes: They require reservations for Saturdays, Sundays and Columbus Day Monday, which can be made online. View their picking schedule here. They produce cider, natural fruit juices, fruit butters, sauces and fillings.
Meadows Farm – Forestville
Location: 10459 Prospect Rd., Forestville
Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Apple varieties: Gala, Cortland, McIntosh, 20-ounce Pippin, Macoun, Ida Red, Fuji, Empire, Jonamac, Crispin, Northern Spy.
Price: Not available
Other notes: They have maple, honey and apple cider. Check their Facebook page to see what they are picking that day.
HUDSON VALLEY
Dubois Farms – Highland
Location: 209 Perkinsville Rd., Highland
Hours: Open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Apple varieties: Honeycrisp, Snapdragon, Crimson Crisp, and Gala.
Price: Not available
Other notes: They also have a tavern with local hard cider, craft beer and wine. They have a pizzeria, bakery, ice cream shop and farm market.
Fishkill Farms - Hopewell Junction
Location: 9 Fishkill Farm Rd., Hopewell Junction
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., reservations required.
Apple varieties: Earligold, Ginger Gold, Gala, McIntosh, Fuji, Cortland, Macoun, Spartan, Empire, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Liberty, Mutsu, Goldrush, Crimson Crisp, Rome, Winsap, Pink Lady, Granny Smith
Price: Weekend pick your own $58/group for 1-5 people; weekday pick your won $48/group for 1-5 people.
Other notes: In addition to apple picking, they offer pick-your-own pears. There is a cider bar, farm store and grill.
Rose Hill Farm – Red Hook
Location: 19 Rose Hill Farm, Red Hook
Hours: Thursday and Friday 3 p.m. – dusk; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Apple varieties: Ginger Gold, Fluford Gala, Jonamac, Gale Gala, Honeycrisp, Pioneer McIntosh, Early Fuji, Empire, Cortland, Jonagold, Shizuka, Macoun, Jonagold, Royal Court, Royal Empire, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Mutsu, Twenty Oz, NY 428, Cameo, Fortune, Winecrisp Lady apple, Cripps Pink AKA Pink Lady, Granny Smith.
Price: Not available
Other notes: You can find the exact dates for certain types of apples by looking at their fruit schedule.
CAPITAL REGION
Bowman Orchards - Rexford
Location: 147 Sugarhill Rd., Rexford
Hours: Open Daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. with the last entrance beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Apple varieties: 20 ounce, Autumn Crisp, Cortland, Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Jonamac, McIntosh, Radiant Runkle, Shamrock, Shizuka, Ambrosia, Blondee, Braeburn, Cameo, Crispin, Empire, Evercrisp, Fortune, Ginger Gold, Golden Delicious, Golden Supreme, Granny Smith, Greening, H- 103, Ida Red, Jersey Mac, Jonagold, Macoun, Mutsu, Northern Spy, Paula Red, Pinova, Pixie Crunch, Pristine, Red Delicious, Rome, Ruby Frost, Ruby John, Sansa, Snapdragon, Snow Sweet, Spigold, Sun Crisp, Tydeman, Zestar.
Price: Entrance fee of $3 online, $5 at the gate. One peck at $18, half bushel $34 or two for $52. Minimum requirement of one peck bag per two people.
Other notes: Check their picking schedule for updates on varieties. In addition to u-pick apples, they have a farm store, ice cream, and a pumpkin patch.
Indian Ladder - Altamont
Location: 342 Altamont Rd., Altamont
Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Apple varieties: Jonamac, McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Gala, Autumn Crisp, Macoun, Cortland, Acey Mac, September Wonder Fuji, Snapdragon, Kendall, Empire, Cameo, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Ida Red, Mutsu, Fuji, and Rome.
Price: $25 for more than 1 bag, $29 for 1 bag (half-bushel bags)
Other notes: See their website or online map for their picking schedule. In addition to apple picking, they have a farm market, cidery, brewery and a nature trail.
Saratoga Apple - Schuylerville
Location: 1174 Route 39, Schuylerville
Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Apple varieties: Sansa, William’s Pride, Ginger Gold, Paula Red, Tydeman’s Red, Zestar, Blondie, Jonamac, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Cortland, Golden Supreme, Empire, Jonagold, Macoun, Fortune, Crispin, Fuji, Delicious, Ida Red, Suncrisp, Northern Spy, Spy Gold, Baeburn, Granny Smith.
Price: $10 per adult for one peck, $7 per child ages 4-12 for half l-peck bag, $20 for half-bushel bag (covers two adults or three kids)
Other notes: They serve beer, hard cider in their tasting room, and they sell baked goods, produce, and apple varieties in their orchard store.
