It’s almost time to say goodbye to summer and welcome the fall, and what better way to do it than with fresh cider, fresh cider doughnuts, nutmeg-laden pastries and, of course, fresh picked apples right off the tree. Lucky for us, Long Island is chock full of apple orchards carrying dozens of varieties of apples to best suit your taste. And if you don’t feel like picking, buy pre-picked. Because you know what they say, an apple a day…
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RICHTER’S ORCHARD
Pulaski Road, Northport. 631-261-1980. Daily, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
This place has the best peaches you’ll ever sink your teeth into (we should mention here that Richter’s is a peach farm in August and they are delicious). But peach season is almost over and their apples are just as amazing. They’ve been in business for more than a century and they also carry fresh-brewed cider.
FORT SALONGA FARM
30 Meadow Glen Rd, Northport. 631-269-9666. www.fortsalongafarm.com
The Fort Salonga Farm features dwarfed apple trees, so no worrying about finagling those big long apple pickers over your head. Apples begin at only 18 inches from the ground, so this u-pick farm is perfect for small children. They even sell fresh honey on the premises.
MILK PAIL FARM & ORCHARD
1346 Montauk Hwy, Water Mill. 631-537-2565. www.milk-pail.com
Not sure what kind of apple your into? Want to try one you’ve never heard of? This is the place to do it. With more than 20 varieties of apples Milk Pail will also wow you with their selection of cider, pies and doughnuts.
HANK’S PUMPKIN FARM
240 Montauk Hwy, Watermill. 631-726-4667. www.hankspumpkintown.com
Maybe you don’t just want to pick apples, maybe you want to make a day of it. Well, consider Hank’s. With corn mazes, wagon rides, tractor train rides, calf roping, cow milking, 50-foot tube slide, pedal cart race track, sand box, corn swing, duck races and fresh roasted popcorn, you can squeeze a whole day of fun in before or after you hit the orchard.
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SEVEN PONDS ORCHARD
Seven Ponds Road, Water Mill. 631-726-8015.
You can not only pick your own apples at Seven Ponds, you can picnic on the grounds too…and eat all sorts of homemade goodies. Don’t miss out on the 5-acre corn maze, hay rides, homemade pies, jams, bread & butter pickles, candy apples…yes, we said candy apples, and popcorn at their farm market.
LEWIN FARMS
Sound Avenue, Baiting Hollow. 631-929-4327. www.lewinfarms.com
Lewin Farms was the first pick-your-own farm on Long Island and they have dozens of apple varieties to choose from. They also carry a full line of farm fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables at their huge farm stand, which long ago outgrew that title and has turned into a huge indoor marketplace.
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DAVIS PEACH FARM
Hulse Landing Road, Wading River. 631-929-1115. www.davispeachfarm.com
The Davis Peach Farm isn’t just peaches, although we feel it is very necessary to mention that they sell 70 varieties of peaches, including donut peaches, those flat little guys you see at the supermarket sometimes. But come September, it’s all about the apples and Davis has 10 delicious varieties to choose from.
WICKHAM’S FRUIT FARM
Route 25, Cutchogue. 631-734-6441. www.wickhamsfruitfarm.com
Wickham’s not only offers apples, it offers beautiful scenery on their historic grounds. The orchard is waterfront and is featured in the book Heaven and Earth: The Last Farmers of the North Fork. U-pick is only available on Saturdays and is membership only , but it’s worth adjusting your schedule to get there, even if it’s to buy a pre-picked roadside.
*Many orchards temporarily close when there is no ripe fruit for picking, so call before you leave.
