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Apple And Pumpkin U-Pick Orchards in Cincinnati, Dayton and southwestern Ohio 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.

Brown County

  • A & M Farms - apples, pumpkins, blueberries, tractor-pulled hayride
    22141 State Route 251, Midland, OH 45148. Phone: 513-875-2500. Email: adaeh@cinc.tds.net. Open: January-February, June and August- December, Monday to Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. Click here for a map and directions. A & M Farms Fax: 513-875-2420. . Wagon rides Saturday and Sunday afternoons late September-early October. You pick blueberries in July and you pick apples in September In SOME years (last was 2018) they have strawberries. A visitor writes on October 05, 2013: "We just returned from picking apples at A and M farm today and I had to leave feedback for others to read. My wife and I took 6 kids on an hour and 10 minute car ride to A and M and it was well worth the trip. There was a tractor ride to the orchards which my small boys enjoyed and their trees were literally loaded with beautiful, healthy apples of many varieties. It rained on us the entire time but even my teenage daughters enjoyed themselves. The family that runs the farm was very kind and helpful. We will make this a yearly excursion and I am encouraging my family and friends to go there on an apple picking adventure."
    Comments from a visitor on September 17, 2011: "This farm is well maintained and the family had a wonderful time!! There were many treasures here - Pumpkins and Apples were the highights (pick your own at that!), but they had cider, plums, various squashes, gourds, etc. as well. The kids also enjoyed the tractor ride to and from the fields! Well worth the hour+ travel time!"
    Comments from a visitor on September 19, 2008: "If you want an experience that is less commercialized and away from the big crowds, try A & M Farm. This is not the big crowd draw that some places are..that is why we love it!! A terrific family runs this Pick-Your-Own apples and pumpkins farm. We go every year and enjoy the cider, hay ride to the fields, following the maps to the apples we like to pick. I always feel like I belong there, like I am not just a visitor.As I mentioned above, I feel so welcome there every year. The members of the family are friendly and offer a laid back, country setting that makes everyone enjoy the feast of Fall, both young and old. They have a small barn/shop with squash, apples, cider,and old fashioned candies for sale. "

Darke County

  • Brumbaugh Fruit Farm - apples, cherries, pumpkins, strawberries, 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, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, events at your location (call for info)
    6420 Arcanum-Hollansburg Road, Arcanum, OH 45304. Phone: 937-692-8084. Email: scottc1962@hotmail.com. Open: June - call for hours; then 7 days a week from September thru October for hayrides and activities. Directions: From Dayton: take 70 West to 49 North to Alt 49 West and follow signs. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard.
    Brumbaugh Fruit Farm Facebook page. . . Bakery and Market open year round from 6AM to 6PM, Monday thru Saturday. Crops are usually available in July, August, September, October. Festival-like atmosphere September and October. Pre-picked peaches in season. Facebook page.

Greene County

  • Peifer Orchards - pumpkins, apples
    4590 U.S. 68 N, Yellow Springs, Yellow Springs, OH 45387. Phone: 937-767-2208. Open: July- December, Monday to Friday from 10 am to 7 pm; Saturday 9 am to 7 pm and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm U-Pick Apples 2019 has been CANCELED For more info see their website. Click here for a map and directions. . Petting zoo. Prepicked: apples, blackberries, eggplant, peaches, peppers, ,red raspberries, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes. Locally grown produce, 25 varieties of apples, baked goods, local honey, Ohio maple syrup, fresh pressed apple cider, Orchard House gift shop. We offer a variety of canned items including jams and preserves. We also have delicious local baked goods, local honey and Ohio maple syrup. Our Orchard House Gift Shop features unique gifts handcrafted by local artisans. Our fresh apple cider is a seasonal favorite. During the fall, cider is pressed twice a week to keep up with its demand. It is made with only the freshest apple varieties available at the time, making each batch unique. (UPDATED: October 20, 2019, JBS)

Highland County

  • Karnes Orchard - apples, cherries, pears, peaches, pumpkins, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises
    8200 Worley Mill Road, Hillsboro, OH 45133. Phone: 740-239-3007. Email: steve@karnesorchard.com. Open: early September, then Saturdays only to November 22, 2014. Directions: From Hillsboro, take US-50 east 9 miles to Worley Mill Road. Turn left (north) on Worley mill. The market is two miles on your right at 8145 Worley Mill Road, Hillsboro, OH. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
    Karnes Orchard Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 913-638-8282. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. .

Montgomery County

  • Pudgy Cardinal Farm - apples, asparagus, beans, beets, blackberries, carrots, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplant, melons, onions, pears, peas, peppers, pumpkins, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, walnuts, Fresh eggs, farm animals
    10424 Frederick Pike, Vandalia, OH 45377. Phone: 937-387-6240. Email: pudgycardinalfarm@yahoo.com. Open: See our website for current hours. Directions: Take I-70 to the Dayton International Airport Access Road, Exit 32, toward Vandalia. Then take the first exit off the Access Road, US 40 to Englewood/Vandalia. Turn left onto 40W, National Road. Proceed to Frederick Pike and turn right. You will see our barn on the right after the big curve. The driveway is just past the barn on the right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard. Pudgy Cardinal Farm .
  • Tuken's Orchard & Farm Market - Strawberries, apples, plums, peaches, Asian pears, cherries, and pumpkins, Honey from hives on the farm, gift shop, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, school tours, events at your location (call for info)
    15725 Eaton Pike, W. Alexandria, OH 45381. Phone: (937) 687-3848. Email: tukensfarmmarket@AOL.com. Open: Monday to Saturday, from 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday, from 11 am to 5 pm, April 25 to December 24. Directions: west of Dayton on US Rte. 35, midway between New Lebanon and West Alexandria. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
    Tuken's Orchard & Farm Market Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 937 603 9865. Fax: 937 687 1540. . Our orchard is designed as a u-pick destination for families. The pyo crops offered are 32 varieties of apples from July to November, strawberries, sweet & sour cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, blackberries, pumpkins, tomatoes, and green beans. Large petting zoo with picnic tables and large lake with natural grassy areas for relaxation. Orchard is 15 acres of fruit trees ready to pick from June to November. Ample parking and clean, inside rest rooms. Covered porch with ample tables/chairs for relaxation. Fruit hangs low to the ground and is easily accessible to small children. Natural pond, petting zoo, and upscale farm market are in close proximity to the orchard. We also offer fresh apple cider and our annual Farm Tour in October. Tuken's homemade ice cream uses many of our natural fruits. The ONLY pyo crops offered are Strawberries, apples, plums, peaches, Asian pears, cherries, and pumpkins. (UPDATED: January 29, 2019) See comments about this farm here! (UPDATED: March 15, 2021)

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)