Apple Picking Orchards in Westchester County, NY
Fall is the best season for apple picking, and for those of us who live in Westchester, we are lucky to live in the apple capital of the world. One of my favorite activities growing up was apple picking and thankfully, you don’t have to travel very far for some great apple picking orchards in Westchester County NY as well as some nearby orchards.
Apples are a healthy snack as they are rich in antioxidants, flavanoids and dietary fiber. The phytonutrients in apples can help reduce the risk of many diseases (so I guess Benjamin Franklin was on to something…he lived to rip old age of 84, which in those days was truly spectacular. Of course, they are tasty, too and they provide a fun texture and crunch in each bite.
One of the other great things about apple picking is that you can savor the wholesome goodness and the family time for weeks to come. At the end of this article check out some great apple recipes, including homemade apple sauce.
Please note that this article may have affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.
Apple Picking Orchards in Westchester County:
Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard (North Salem)
130 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem (914) 485-1210harvestmoonfarmandorchard.com
Apple picking season starts the weekend after Labor Day and will continue every weekend in September and October as well as Columbus Day Monday from 10am-5pm.
The farm also offers homemade doughnuts, cider, produce, fresh eggs and many other goodies. The farm is family run (1st generation) where they have an apple orchard, variety of vegetables and fruits. They raise antibiotic and hormone free, organic animals. Year round, they stock their own farm-raised meats and sell their own hard cider (called Hardscrabble Cider) and local honey and maple syrup.
And, don’t forget their famous apple cider donuts. These are available every day!
On the weekends, they host their fall festival with hayrides around the farm, a pumpkin patch, a bounce ride, farm animals, pony rides, face painting, games and live music.
Please note that you need to purchase a bag before entering the orchard to pick apples.
Outhouse Orchards (Croton Falls)
139 Hardscrabble Road, Croton Falls (914) 277-3188 outhouseorchardsny.com
Outhouse Orchards is family owned and operated. The orchard was founded in the late 1800’s and began as a dairy farm. In the 1940’s, they expanded to growing plums, peaches and vegetables. At that time, they also started making donuts and pies.
Opening Day is September 1st, 2018. They will have apple picking as well as peaches and pears! They have apples for both cooking and eating as well as local honey and maple syrup. And, enjoy their brand new corn maze. Make it an unforgettable day and a start of a family tradition.
Stuart’s Fruit Farm (Granite Springs)
62 Granite Springs Road, Granite Springs (914) 245-2584 stuartsfarm.com
Stuart Farms is the oldest farm in Westchester County. It’s family operated and they’ve been around since 1828. The farm originated as a cattle farm and then evolved to an agricultural farm. The original barn now serves as a fruit and produce stand.
Autumn is a special time of year at Stuart’s Fruit farm. They offer nine different apple varieties as well as pumpkin fields. On the weekends, they also offer hayrides and you can visit the farm stand to buy fresh produce and the bakery for tasty apple cider, doughnuts and homemade pies that are baked daily. And, you can enjoy a picnic while enjoying the beautiful fall foliage. The views are gorgeous.
Apple picking and weekend hayrides start early in September from 10am-5pm. You can also pick your own pumpkins right from the vine through November. Check out the details on the apple varieties and other items here.
Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm (Yorktown)
1335 White Hill Road, Yorktown Heights (914) 245-5111 wilkensfarm.com
Believe it or not, this year, they are celebrating their 101st harvest! Wilkens Fruit and Fir farm offers a dozen varieties of apples, available at different times of the year. Check out the calendar here where you can find the apple varieties available each week.
The farm opens mid August, and last year, Apple picking appears to start on Friday, Sept 1st, 2017, but check out their calendar on their website to confirm (as dates may shift a bit based on the weather). They have check in at the Red Pavilion where you can get bags, basket and picking poles. (There is a small renting fee and deposit).
While you’re there, enjoy a hay wagon ride on the way to the picking orchard and then another one on the way back where you’ll pay for your fruit and return the picking poles.
And, don’t forget about the bake shop where they serve freshly baked goods such as pies, doughnuts, apple cider, cookies, strudel sticks and other seasonal gifts and crafts.
Bonus: In early October, they also offer pumpkin picking and starting the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the farm also offers Christmas trees.
Apple Picking Orchards near Westchester County NY
I’ve also included some orchards and farms that are near Westchester County (including Putnam and Dutchess). Please check out their websites for more details. Not all of them have apple picking orchards, but they certainly have farm fresh fruit and vegetables as well as cider and other treats for the fall season.
Putnam County
- Salinger Orchard (Brewster) – (845) 277 3521
Dutchess County
- Barton Orchards (Poughquag) – 845-471-2879
- Greig Farm (Red Hook) – apple picking (Sept/Oct) and blackberry and blueberry picking (August)
- Fishkill Farms (Hopewell Junction) – (845) 897-4377
- Meadowbrook Farm Market (Wappinger Falls) – (845) 297-3002
How to make fresh homemade apple sauce with your freshly cooked apples
It’s always great to savor the tradition of apple picking by making your own fresh apple sauce. It always tastes better this way, and the aroma from the slow cooker and the cinnamon is irresistable. So, I turned to my friend and fellow blogger Tina DiLeo, also known as Cheftini (yes, she has her own cooking show and she’s been featured on TV!).
I hope you enjoy her recipe (you can find her full blog post on apple sauce here)
Ingredients:
- 10 Small Apples (McIntosh, Crispin, Jonagold or Cortland…or a combo) cut into 3/4″ pieces
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cups of water
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (or more if you’re a big cinnamon lover like I am)
Useful tools:
- Crock pot (If you don’t have one yet, here’s one I recommend on Amazon)
- Mason Jars (the apple sauce seems to taste better and last longer in glass jars rather than plastic containers as it seals in the flavor better)
- Apple peeler and corer (this will save you a LOT of time)
Directions:
Wash, peel, core and cut apples into 3/4″ pieces. Add the apples to the slow cooker. Add the water, cinnamon, brown sugar and stir. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Let cool and store or serve. Voila!
Notes:
`If you don’t have an apple corer just slice the washed apple in half and make a small “v” in the center and pull out the core and seeds. You may find this apple peeler and corer comes in super handy.
Tina’s tips:
The most time consuming part of the process was peeling, coring and cutting the apples. Once that was done all I did was put the apples into the slow cooker. I then added the water, cinnamon and brown sugar. I gave them a stir and covered the pot.
I let the the apples cook for about 7 hours, stirring them a few times in between . When cooked I used a potato masher and pressed down on the apples until I achieved my desired consistency.
Then I let the applesauce cool down another 1/2 hour and placed it in a mason jar (2 – 8 oz mason jars).
The recipe said it would yield 3 cups but I only got about 16 oz. I enjoyed the final product, it was very tasty, and not too sweet. You can always double the recipe to make more.
I hope you enjoy you apple picking and your homemade apple sauce. Here are are some more apple recipes. This one is from another local food blogger, Ashley Covelli, the owner of Big Flavors from a tiny kitchen.
Other apple recipes:
- Baked apple spice donuts with maple frosting and pumpkin granola – talk about Fall to the max. Yummy.
https://bigflavorstinykitchen.com/baked-apple-spice-donuts-with-maple-frosting-pumpkin-granola/
- Cheesy Bacon and Apple Croissants – an interesting combo that leads to an extraordinary taste…and it’s easy to make.
https://bigflavorstinykitchen.com/cheesy-bacon-apple-croissants/
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