Apple U-Pick Orchards in Northwest Michigan 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 any state, nor even every 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.
Antrim County
- Farmer White's - Sweet and tart cherries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, pears, plums, 30 varieties of apples, pumpkins, gourds
11373 U.S. 31, Williamsburg, MI 49690. Phone: 231-632-1500. Email: farmerwhite624@hotmail.com. Open: Staffed farm stand 8 am to 8 p. Directions: 11373 US 31, two miles south of Elk Rapids on the east side of the road. . Click here for a map and directions.
Farmer White's Facebook page. or 231-264-5313. Email . Also, frozen pitted tart cherries including new varieties Gingergold and Honeycrisp, sweet corn, garden vegetables, pumpkins, gourds, dried cherries, cherry concentrate, jams, jellies, and unpasteurized apple cider. Integrated Pest Mgmt. m. July-Aug.; 9 am.-6 p.m. Sept.-November 1. Some u-pick; call ahead for availability. - Friske Orchards Farm Market - U-pick strawberries, cherries, peaches, and apples
10743 N. US-31, Ellsworth, MI 49729. Phone: 231-599-2604. Email: info@friske.com. Open: Staffed farm market open 8 am to 6 p. Directions: 10743 N US-31 at Atwood, 10 miles south of Charlevoix just north of C-48 intersection. Cafe, bakery, old fashioned general store, climate-controlled fruit stand, . Click here for a map and directions.
Friske Orchards Farm Market Facebook page. . Email . m. Monday to Saturday, year round. 8 am to 7 p.m. July-Labor Day. Christmas room, Country Haus gift and home December or shop. Orchard playland and barnyard animals. Monthly special events. Also prepicked Asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, sweet and tart cherries, peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, raspberries, apples, cider, cherry juice and concentrate, dried fruits, jams, jellies, butters, syrups, and honey. U-PICK APPLES Starts Saturday in mid September; Macintosh and Honeycrisp only; then Gala and Ida Red to start later towards end of September.Integrated Pest Mgmt. (UPDATED: September 20, 2019, JBS) - Good Nature Farms - cherries, peaches and apples
Creswell and Mclachlan Road, Kewadin, MI . Phone: 231-264-5300. Open: July-October, 8 am to 8 pm. Click here for a map and directions. . U-pick . Take US-31 N out of Traverse City. Go N past Elk Rapids. From the stop light in Elk Rapids, we are 8.5 miles on US-31 across from green road sign saying Creswell and Mclachlan Road. We are on the left. - King Orchards - sweet and tart cherries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, apricots, nectarines, apples
4620 N M-88, Central Lake, MI . Phone: 877-937-5464. Click here for a map and directions. . U-pick sweet and tart cherries (we pit too.) U-pick peaches, apricots, nectarines, apples, tart cherry juice concentrate, sweet corn, fruits and vegetables in season and unpasteurized cider. Opening with strawberries in June, Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 6 p.m. Sun. 12-6 p.m. through Thanksgiving. 2 locations: 1) 9 miles N of Elk Rapids on US-31 and 2) 3-1/2 miles NW of Central Lake on M-88. Our harvest season begins with cherry u-pick and raspberries at the beginning of July and ends with u-pick apples in the fall. We strive to provide the best orchard u-pick experience possible, offering a wide range of u-pick fruit throughout the summer and fall months. At King Orchards, we strive to make a fantastic apple picking experience for everyone. We grow dwarf apple trees and prune them specifically for u-pick apples to make it easy for people of all ages to pick. As of 9/19/14, we have Gingerold, McIntosh, Gala, and Honeycrisp apples to pick at our M-88 market. We will have many more varieties as we move into fall. We also have all these apples as well as Bartlett pears and Castelton plums available in both of our farm markets. Our 2nds on apples are slowly coming in and will be abundant in the next few weeks. We also will have Stanley prune plums coming soon. U-pick raspberries are at their peak in the fall. Both of our markets offer pick your own raspberries. They are great for freezing this time of the year- just lay out on a cookie sheet or put in a baggy in a single layer for individually frozen raspberries. - Royal Farms Inc. - apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, pumpkins, and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, school tours, winery
10445 N. US 31, Ellsworth\/ Atwood, MI 49729. Phone: 231 599-3222. Email: royalfarms@torchlake.com. Open: May 4th to Memorial Day weekend: Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 9am to 5pm Memorial weekend to Labor Day weekend: Monday to Saturday 8am 7pm and Sunday 8am to 6pm Labor Day weekend to October 31st: Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm Sunday 9am to 5pm November to December 24th: Monday 9am to 6pm CLOSED Tuesday and Wednesday Thursday to Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 9am to 5pm. Directions: Royal Farms is located on US 31, approximately 10 miles south of Charlevoix. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
Royal Farms Inc. Facebook page. . . . Call for picking dates on fruit, corn maze is open September-October. Welcome to our environmentally friendly Farm! Royal Farms is a boutique like farm market that specializes in fresh quality fruit, vegetables, cherry products, Montmorency and Balaton Cherry juice concentrate, flowers, gifts and more. They feature an in house pastry chef, with lots of pastries, pies and goodies to choose from. Royal Farms is verified with the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP). (UPDATED: May 01, 2018)
Benzie County
- Nugent Orchards - Minimizes chemical and pesticide use, apples, pumpkins, concessions \\/ refreshment stand, porta-potties, picnic area, picnic area you may bring your own food, school tours, group reservations
3801 Crawford Road, Frankfort, MI 49635. Phone: (231) 383-3702. Email: nugentorchards@gmail.com. Open: Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm from September 19 to November 1; Groups call for appointment. Directions: From the Benzonia Wesco go 1 mile south on US-31, turn right onto Demerly Road go 2.5 miles, turn left on to Crawford Road and go 0.3 miles to market driveway. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. . We minimize use of pesticides and other chemicals. (ADDED: September 08, 2020)
Grand Traverse County (including Old Mission Peninsula)
- Buchan's Blueberry Hill - apples, blueberries, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, restrooms, picnic area, school tours
1472 Nelson Road, Traverse City, MI 49686. Phone: 231-223-4846. Email: Lbuc246@aol.com. Open: see their Facebook page or their website for current conditions, crop availability, dates and hours. Directions: 7 miles out Peninsula Drive to Nelson road; right on Nelson road for 1 block. Farm is located on the right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check.
Buchan's Blueberry Hill Facebook page. . Fax: 231-941-9909. . Market typically opens for blueberries late July, peaches late August and apples mid September call for picking availability; Ice cream and pastries are made fresh. Each year (in their seasons!) U-pick blueberries and Apples. Homemade artisan ice cream made right here at the farm. In the Fall we make our own Apple cider, and during the summer months we always have fresh homemade ice cream made with our own fruit. We also have fresh baked pies and pastries, as well as jams and jellies. (UPDATED: July 19, 2020 JBS) - Jacob's Corn Maze, Fruit/Vegetable Market & U-Pick - apples, pears, peaches, peppers, pumpkins, raspberries (red), saskatoons, winter squash, tomatoes, concessions \\/ refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, picnic area, birthday parties, school tours
7100 E. Traverse highway (m-72 West), Traverse City, MI 49684. Phone: 231-632-6293. Email: jacobs.corn.maze@charter.net. Open: Saturday, July 16 through Sunday, October 29, 2011 Hours Sunday 1 pm to 7 pm Mondays 10 am to 6 pm Tuesday 10 am to 6 pm Wednesday 10 am to 6 pm Thursday 10 am to 6 pm Friday 10 am to 6 pm Saturday 10 am to 6 pm Self serve before and after these hours. Directions: We are located 3.5 miles from West Grand Traverse Bay on West M-72. Our farm is on the left, has a big silo, and is 3/4 of a mile past the big windmill. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
Jacob's Corn Maze, Fruit/Vegetable Market & U-Pick Facebook page. . Saskatoons available for U-Pick Saturday, July 9 through Sunday, July 17; Frozen Saskatoons available after that until they sell out; Raspberries available for U-Pick Tuesday, July 12 through mid-August, 2011; Frozen Raspberries available after that until they sell out. We have our very own Horticulturist/Educator on-site. He is available to teach to any group. School groups love him!. - Nomad Farm Market - apples
6620 M 72 E, Williamsburg, MI 49690. Phone: . Email: info@nomadcidery.com. Open: U-Pick Apples available starting the last Saturday in September from 11 am to 5 pm. Directions: Our roadside farm market is located in Williamsburg, Michigan on M-72. . Click here for a map and directions.
Nomad Farm Market Facebook page. - Orchard Hill Farms - apples, cherries, pumpkins
6578 M-72 E, Williamsburg, MI 49690. Phone: 231-267-9087. Email: dhoxsie@charter.net. Open: July-Oct, daily 9 am to 6pm. Directions: Exit @ Grayling from I-75 go W to Kalkaska and continue 14 mi. to our market. Operating for 40 years, our freshly baked pies daily. Autumn brings u-pick apples & pumpkins along with wagon rides to the orchard Fri-Sun during the months of Sep & Oct. . Click here for a map and directions. . - Rennie Orchards - apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, pears, pumpkins, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, U-pick and already picked, farm market, porta-potties are available, picnic area, petting zoo, birthday parties
11221 Munro Rd, Williamsburg, MI 49690. Phone: 231-264-8387. Email: Rennieorchards@charter.net. Open: 7days a week 8am to 8pm. Directions: From Traverse City: 12 mi. N on US-31 to Angell Road; turn right - 2 mi. to Munro Road. Left on Munro Road 1 mi. Farm on left. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Discover.
Rennie Orchards Facebook page. . Cherries July thru August 10am to 8 pm. 15 varieties of apples, honeycrisp, gala, jonagold. Other Fruits and Vegetables; U-Pick or We Pick: Apricots from the last weekend of July to August 6th. Peaches-from September 7th to September 16th. Pears Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou September 12th; we pick the pears then store them in the cooler until gone.generally through mid-October. Gourds and squash; during October. Pumpkins -we offer great pumpkins in all shapes and sizes during October. Other Fruits and Vegetables U-Pick or We Pick: Apricots from the last weekend of July to August 6th; Peaches from September 7th to September 16th; Pears: Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou:September 12th; we pick the pears then store them in the cooler until gone, generally through mid-October; Gourds and squash-during October; Pumpkins: we offer great pumpkins in all shapes and sizes during October. - Shangri-la Too - apples, cherries, raspberries (red),
12602 Center Road, Traverse City, MI 49686. Phone: 231-499-0106. Email: santucci.louis@gmail.com. Open: UPDATE for 2021, There are reports they have closed; 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 every day during the harvest from 9 am until dark. Directions: Located on center road which is M37 north. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . We are . We are 7 miles down the peninsula. Right after Chateau grand Traverse winery we are the first big white house on the right if going north. We have a large fruit stand out front with two cherries on each side. Strawberries are sold from mid June to mid July; Raspberries are from Mid July through August; Apples from October through November; Check on all fruit. pick your own cherries, raspberries and apples.
Manistee County
- Agles Fruit - blueberries, peaches, plums, pears, nectarines, apricots and apples
12596 Northwood Hwy, Bear Lake, MI 49614. Phone: (231) 889-5563. Open: August, September, October, daily from 9 am to 6 pm. Click here for a map and directions. . 4 miles north of Onekama on M-22, west side of the road.We have U-pick blueberries, and pre-picked or pick your own peaches, plums, pears, nectarines, apricots and several varieties of apples. (ADDED: June 30, 2016, JBS)
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!
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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
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