2024 Western Connecticut Apple And Pumpkin U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

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Apple And Pumpkin U-Pick Orchards in Western Connecticut in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for apples and pumpkins that we know of in this area. Not all areas of any state, nor even every state, have apples and pumpkins 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.

Fairfield County

  • Blue Jay Orchards - apples, pumpkins, Honey from hives on the farm, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, school tours
    125 Plumtrees Road, Bethel, CT 06801. Phone: 203-748-0119. Open: August to Thanksgiving 7 days a week from 9 am to 5:30 pm Pick Your Own Hours are 7 days a week from 9 am to 5 pm After Thanksgiving thru December 24th open Thursday thru Sunday 10 to 5:30 Pick your own apples is from late August to early November (based on picking conditions) Pumpkins start the last weekend of September and run through the month of October. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover. Hayrides to the pumpkin patch are weekends only Crops are usually available in August, September, October, November.

Litchfield County

  • March Farm - apples, blueberries, cherries, nectarines, peaches, plums, pumpkins, Fresh eggs, corn maze, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, snacks and refreshment stand, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
    160 Munger Lane, Bethlehem, CT 06751. Phone: (203) 266-7721. Email: marchfarms@marchfarms.com. Open: Thursday to Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm; closed on Monday to Wednesday; See our website for hours in November and December. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, WIC Vouchers.
    March Farm Facebook page. . Fax: (203) 266-6076. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Hayloft Playscape, Animal Yard: May 25 to October 31; Corn Maze and Hayrides: September 4 to October 31; Pick Your Own Blueberries: July to September; Pick Your Own Peaches: Mid July to October; Pick Your Own Apples: September to November; Pick Your Own Pumpkins: October. Market & Bakery, Outings & Events, Weddings is a fourth generation family farm destination offering seasonal Pick Your Own berries & fruit along with family friendly activities. The Farm Store & Bakery is stocked with regional food specialties and fresh baked goods - everything you need to compliment your next meal or dessert. Facebook page. The rustically beautiful Pond Side Pines & Hill Top Orchard event spaces are perfect to host your next special occasion, outing or party no matter how small or large. Join us for our next Summer Concert and other special events
    Comments from a visitor on September 18, 2008: "Just wanted to write to tell you how much our family loves this farm! The family that runs it is wonderful! They also have a great play area for the children complete with giant pumpkins (great Fall photo opportunity), playhouse and pedal tractors/trikes and a track to ride on. Our kids love to come here and pick all of their wonderful produce and then take some time to play. Last year they had a informative corn maze as well. As you went through you learned about their family run farm. Great stuff!!!!"
  • Tonn's Orchard - PYO apples, pumpkins, peaches, Christmas trees
    270 Preston Road, Terryville, CT 06786. Phone: (860) 585-1372. Open: weekends & holidays & by appointment on weekdays. Click here for a map and directions. ask for Peter. PYO on Saturdays and Sundays, August - October, 12 noon 'til 5 pm. PYO apples & peaches in August to October. PYO pumpkins in October. Cut Your Own Christmas trees in Dec. Open

Apple picking tips:

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:

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

Recipes, illustrated with step by step instructions

Using fresh apples and miscellaneous

Pumpkin recipes

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

McSunley Stainless Steel 21QT Canner, Any Stovetop

Pressure Canners for all stovetops

Looking for canning equipment and supplies?

Water bath canner with a jar rack

Electric pressure canner

Pressure canners for gas, electric and induction stoves: Presto 23Qt or T-fal 22Qt

Canning scoop (this one is PERFECT)

Ball Blue book (most recent version)

8oz canning jars for jams

Regular canning lids

Wide mouth canning lids

 


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Find other types of farms:

Highly rated canning supplies:

McSunley Stainless Steel 21QT Canner, Any Stovetop

Pressure Canners for all stovetops