September and October are the perfect months for apple picking! Below are some great local farms to pick your own apples, buy fresh produce and enjoy some delicious baked goods!
A. Casola Farms
178 Highway 34, Holmdel, NJ, 732-332-1533. Garden center, fall fest and Halloween events, Winter Wonderland, Fox Hollow Vineyards.Alstede Farms
84 Rt. 513 (Old Rt. 24), Chester, 908-879-7189. Open daily for family farm activities and pick your own fruits, vegetables and flowers May-Oct.; Harvest Club; summer farm camp; group tours; birthday parties; many special events throughout the season.Brookhollows Barnyard
301 Rockaway Valley Rd., Boonton Twp., NJ 07005, 201-400-44505. Petting farm open spring to fall. Train rides, tractor rides, buckets of feed available for purchase. Summer camps; birthday parties.
Apr 30-Oct 30Dapple Hill Farm
Minutes from I-78, Bedminster, 201-725-0047. An exceptional equestrian facility, Dapple Hill Farm offers lesson programs tailored to suit your specific needs in a safe, relaxed, fun and family atmosphere that everyone can enjoy. Lesson packages for children and adults, Summer Camp, leasing options for students, showing opportunities, boarding, indoor arena with viewing area.Demarest Farms
244 Wierimus Rd., Hillsdale, 201-666-0472. Pick-your-own peaches, apples and pumpkins; farm store; seasonal garden center.Four Sisters Winery at Matarazzo Farms
783 County Rt. 519, Belvidere, 908-475-3671. Wine tasting, wine cellar tours and hosts grape stomping, murder mystery dinners, fall harvest festivals and other special events.Fresh & Fancy Farms
575 River Rd., New Milford, 201-483-9494. Farm dinners, cooking and crafting classes, scout and school programs, summer farm camp.Green Meadows Farms
Middle Rd. & Green Acres Dr., Hazlet, 732-335-5589. Open seasonally in spring and fall. General admission $13, 2 and under free. Discount coupon online. Hands-on experience with several hundred domesticated farm animals, farm activities, hayrides, pumpkins in October.
Oct 1-Nov 4Heaven Hill Farm
451 Rte. 94, Vernon, 973-764-5144. Summer Action Fun Farm activities and fall pick your own pumpkins. Farm market, garden center, outdoor furniture and Christmas trees.Hillview Farms
223 Meyersville Rd., Gillette, 908-647-0957. Daily 10-6. Pick your own blueberries, tomatoes, zinnias, apples, and pumpkins in season. Be sure to call first for availability. Shop in our store for Jersey-fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, fresh baked pies and much more. School tours.Howell Farm Corn Maze
Valley Rd., 1 mi. west of Howell Living History Farm, Titusville (off Rt. 29 2 mi. south of Lambertville), 609-397-2555; 609-737-3299. Open weekends mid-Sept.-Nov. plus Columbus Day. Seven-foot tall, walk-through puzzle cut into 3-acre cornfield is annual fundraiser to restore 200-yr.-old barn at Howell Farm.
Mid-Sep-NovJersey Fresh Farmers Markets
Farmers Markets, open summer-fall, bring New Jersey’s freshest fruits, vegetables, breads, cheeses, baked goods and desserts, pickles and specialty foods weekly right to our communities. Visit website link for all locations.Liberty Farm
Field address and opening dates vary, Sussex County, NJ. Sunflower maze opens for Aug. and Sept. Pick-your-own sunflowers (Aug.), kids scavenger hunt, self-guided bug safari, build-your-own scarecrow contest, photo contest.
Aug-SepLongmeadow Farm
561 Blairstown Rd. (Rt. 521), Hope, 908-459-5351. Open weekends and Mon. holidays 9-5 starting Labor Day weekend. Berry picking starts late July. No admission fees or membership required. Free parking. Schools and groups scheduled by appointment. Call first for availability.
Pick your own raspberries, blackberries, apples and pumpkins. 14 great apple varieties on easy pick dwarf trees. Take a spooky hayride to the pumpkin patch. Farmstand features our own honey, a huge selection of jams and jellies and no- sugar-added fruit spreads and fruit butters.Melick’s Town Farm
Cider Mill & Orchards: 19 King St., Oldwick, 908-439-3888.
Oldwick Farm Market: 170 Oldwick Rd., Oldwick, 908-439-2955.
Bridgewater Market: 351 Rt. 28, Bridgewater, 908-725-0225.
Califon Farm Market & Orchards: 472 County Rd. 513, Califon, 908-832-2905.Norz Hill Dairy Farm & Market
116 South Branch Rd., Hillsborough, 908-371-COWS. Summer farm stand, hayrides to the animals. Pumpkin patch, farm tours, corn maze, and pony rides late Sept. thru Oct. Scare Farm haunted trail open Oct. weekends. School tours.Oasis Family Farm
2 Circle Dr., Robbinsville, NJ, 609-259-7031. Kids fun zone, honey bees, and special events; farm market.Riamede Farm
122 Oakdale Rd., Chester, NJ, 908-879-5353. Open Sept. and Oct. only. Daily 9-4:30.
Pick your own apples in a scenic old orchard. Pick your own pumpkins, some still on the vine, in our pumpkin patch. Cider, honey, jellies, ripe tomatoes, gourds, warm cider donuts and more. Free hayrides on weekends. 36 varieties of traditional, heirloom and modern apples, sold by the pound. Enjoy the fall colors on our 68-acre old farm, kept simple, authentic and without the carnival. School trips.Sun High Orchards
19 Canfield Ave., Randolph, NJ 07869, 973-584-4734. Farm animals, pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, farm market.Terhune Orchards
330 Cold Soil Rd., Princeton, 609-924-2310. Pick-your-own May to Oct. from berries, flowers, apples and pumpkins. Read and Explore and Read and Pickprograms for preschoolers and parents are held year-round. Educational workshops for older students and adults are also offered. Farm store, farm yard and farm trail open to the public daily all year. School and group tours by appointment April-Oct.; barnyard birthday parties; summer camp; annual farm festivals; vineyard and winery.
Selected Special Events
Jun 26
FIrefly Festival, 4-9pm. Music, wagon rides, crafts, more. Free admission, $5 for crafts.
Jul 9-10
Blueberry Bash, 10-5. Pick your own, wagon ride, music, kids activities, blueberry treats, blueberry bake-off for children and adults. $5 ages 3 & up.
Jul 30
Pam’s Freezing & Canning Class, 10am. Free, call to reserve.
Jul 30-31
Peach Festival, 10-5pm. Peachy wine, peach treats, farm-to-fork tasting area, music, children’s activities. 10-5. Ages 3 & up $5.
Aug 6-28
Sangria Weekends, sangria and wine tasting Sat. & Sun. 12-5. $5.
Sep 17-18
Apple Day, 10-5. Music, wagon rides, pony rides, pumpkin painting, pick your own apples, pumpkins, corn maze, music. $5, under 3 free.
Sep 24-Oct 30
Fall Family Fun Weekends, pick your own apples and pumpkins, pony and wagon rides, corn maze, farm animals, live music 10-5. Ages 3 & up $5. No admission to farm store, winery or pick-your-own orchard.
Read and Pick Children’s Program
Children’s program combines picking fruit or other farm activities and listening to a themed story. For ages preschool to 8 yrs. with adult. 9:30 and 11am. $7 per child, pre-registration requested.
Jun 21
Cherries.
Jul 5
Monarchs, Swallowtails & Honeybees, Oh My!
Jul 19
Blueberries.
Aug 2
Flowers.
Aug 16
Pears.
Aug 30
Apples.
Sep 13
Chickens.
Sep 27
Tractors.
Oct 4
Pumpkins.Valley Shepherd Creamery
50 Fairmount Rd., Long Valley, 908-876-3200. Visitors can learn about sheep dairy farming as practiced in Europe for the last 4,000 years. 11⁄2 hr. creamery tours are given spring, summer and fall. Cheesemaking workshops are offered on the 3rd Sun. of the month. Participants return 3 mos. later to pick up aged cheese. Farm parties; special events; Sheep Shoppe.
Selected Special Events
Apr-Nov
Cheesemaking Classes, book online.
Apr
Shearing Tours, on select Sat. & Sun. Reservations required.
May-Jun
Lambing Tours, walk-in 1.5-hr. tour is offered on weekends.
Jul-Aug
Summer Tours, walk-in tour focuses on seasonal farm activity.
Sep-mid Nov
Fall Harvest Tours, walk-in 1.5-hr. tour is offered on weekends early Sept. to mid-Nov.Well-Sweep Herb Farm
205 Mt. Bethel Rd., Port Murray, 908-852-5390. Mon.-Sat. 9-5. Call first Jan.-March. Garden paths lead through a formal herb garden and display gardens including butterfly, medicinal, perennial and rock gardens. Visitors are welcome to picnic and visit farm animals. Group tours; guest speaker program; special events; adult craft/horticulture/herb workshops are offered. Gift shop.Wightman’s Farms
Route 202 (5 mi. south of Morristown/exit 30B Rt. 287), Morristown, 973-425-9819.
Store open every day 8am-6pm featuring all varieties of apples, fruits and vegetables, fresh baked pies, donuts, gourmet foods and fresh apple cider made in our own mill. Starting weekends Aug. 1, pick your own apples thru Oct., pick your own peaches thru peach season (9am-5pm, family membership required) and explore the mazes beginning Aug. 1. Starting Sept. 10, bring the family for a scenic hayride and pick your own pumpkin. Sat. & Sun. 10am-5pm. No reservations required. Suitable for all ages. Weekend mazes and kiddie corn pit. Group & organization hayrides by appointment only during weekdays beginning Sept. 9. If inclement weather, please call first.Williams Nursery & The Gift House
524 Springfield Ave., Westfield, 908-232-4076. Experts in perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees and new and unusual plants. Gift shop complete with everything from Yankee Candles to Christopher Radko Ornaments.
Hayrides and pick your own pumpkins in Oct. Call for times and to book your school now.