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Apple And Pumpkin U-Pick Orchards in Southeastern South Dakota 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.

Lincoln County

  • Country Apple Orchard - apples, pumpkins, gift shop,
    27249 SD Highway 115, Harrisburg, SD 57032. Phone: 605-743-2424. Open: Fall Hours, Monday to Friday: 10am to 6pm, Saturday: 10am to 5pm, Sunday: 12pm to 5pm. Directions: The orchard is located 5 miles south of Sioux Falls, on Minnesota Avenue. . Click here for a map and directions. . click here for their contact form. click here for a map. The orchard was established in 1984 on 78 acres. We have approximately 6,000 trees with thirteen varieties to satisfy everyone's tastes. We also plant seven acres of pumpkins. Harvesting begins in Mid-August, and continues into late October. Please come out and enjoy a day in the country! We have many exciting fall events and new attractions planned. Veda's Homemade Apple Pie, Also available Apple Wood Chips, Pony Rides & Train Rides (Weekends Only)And we have festivals:Apple Festival a weekend in September, includes apple picking, homemade pies, horse drawn hayrides, pony rides, train rides, art & craft booth. All American Gymnastic Inflatable playground, food & bushels of fun for everyone.Harvest Festival, a weekend in early October, enjoy a day in the country picking apples & pumpkins. Come out and meet Sneakers the live scarecrow. Enjoy horse drawn hayrides, pony rides, inflatable playground, train rides, homemade apple and pumpkin pie, an lost of fun.Great South Dakota Weigh Off (SD Giant Pumpkin Growers Association): Come and see the incredible 500 lb. pumpkins. Weigh-in and winner announced after 11a.m. Call for details.Pumpkin Festival on a weekend in mid October: Enjoy the country with a horse-drawn hayride to one of the many pumpkin patches, pony rides, food, inflatable playground, train rides, Kettle-Korn, face painting, Children's Barn & lots of fun.

Yankton County

  • Garritys' Prairie Gardens LLC - Apples, cherries, plums, pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries, Pony Rides & Train Rides
    30661 444th Avenue, Mission Hill, SD 57046. Phone: 605-665-2806. Email: garrity@iw.net. Open: June, July, August, September, October. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. . . Click here for a map to our farm. We are open Our hours are: Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm Sunday 1pm to 5pm Apple Fest celebrated every weekend in September and October.

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)