Apple picking is one of the go-to fall activities for NYC families. And with New York ranked as the second biggest apple-producing state (behind Washington), there are plenty of places ripe for the pickin’ in the region (including New Jersey!).

Below is a list of orchards where you can grab some great golden delicious and granny smiths (plus a whole lot more) over the next month. But take note: A spring frost has resulted in an apple shortage this fall, so call ahead to make sure the trees still have fruit left for your brood to gather. (A number of farm owners and workers we spoke with predicted Columbus Day weekend would be the last for apple picking in 2012.)  

Applewood Orchards & Winery
Located 55 miles northwest of New York City in Warwick, New York, Applewood Orchards & Winery offers pumpkin picking, wagon rides, puppet shows and live music . As the name indicates, this place is also a winery (bonus!). The farm store sells fresh-pressed apple cider, jams, herbs, vinegars, fresh apple donuts, pies and chrysanthemums. Apple Orchards & Winery, 82 Four Corners Rd, Warwick NY 10990 , 845-986-1684, open daily – 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. through late October. $28 for a full half-bushel bag, $14 for a full quarter-bushel bag. If you’re in Warwick on Sunday, October 14th, check out “Warwick Applefest,” with more than 200 craft and food vendors, children’s carnival, farmer’s market and apple-pie baking contest (slices for sale).

Dr. Davies Farm
This farm has ties to explorers Lewis and Clark! (The property’s farmhouse was built by Lewis’s relative and her husband.) Family-run since 1891, Dr.Davies Farm has 4,000 apple trees spanning 35 acres. In addition to apple picking, it offers pumpkin picking and trailer rides. Dr. Davies Farm, 306 Route 304, Congers, NY 10920, 845-268-7020, open daily- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $37 for a half-bushel bag.
*No credit cards accepted

Harvest Moon Farm & Orchards
At Harvest Moon Farm & Orchards in Westchester County, every weekend in October is fall festival with hay rides, pony rides, a bouncy castle, farm animals, cider doughnuts, face painting and live music. Check out the country store for cider doughnuts, fresh-baked pies and maple syrup. Harvest Moon Farm & Orchards, 130 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem, NY 10560, 914-485-1210, open daily –  10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $25 for a half-bushel bag.

The Orchards of Concklin
This Rockland County orchard has been around for 300 years! After picking apples, kids can check out the haunted house, bounce slide and “Jurassic Adventure.” You can stock up on baked goods made from centuries-old recipes, gourmet cheese and teas. And don’t forget to sample the cider doughnuts.
The Orchards of Concklin, 2 South Mountain Rd, Pomona, NY 10970, 845-354-036, open Saturday and Sunday –  10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  $18 for a 14-pound bag.

Terhune Orchards
Head to Princeton for pony rides, pumpkin picking, wagon rides, a corn stalk maze, a barnyard of farm animals and, yes, apple picking. There’s also a winery tasting room for you (talk about your cross-generational appeal!). The Mount family owns and operates the orchards, which grow 35 crops – including 30 varieties of apples. Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, NJ 08540, 609-924-2310, open daily- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  $1.45 per pound of apples up to $20 and then over $20 dollars is $1.35 per pound.
*Important directions note: The main orchard is located on Cold Soil Road, but apple picking is on Van Kirk Road, with no address.  Use the address “22 Van Kirk Road” for your GPS. That’s the house across the street from the apple picking.

Hank’s Pumpkintown
Those of you who are Hamptons-bound on Columbus Day weekend can do your apple picking at Hank’s Pumpkintown in Watermill. Pumpkintown boasts that it has “Long Island’s best corn maze.” Other activities include cow milking, pumpkin picking, wagon rides and face painting. Unfortunately, Hank’s famous farmstand is closed for the season. But you can visit Hank’s Roasted Corn Shack for some of the farm’s signature roasted corn, hot apple cider, pies and candy apples. Hank’s Pumpkintown,  240 Montauk Highway, Watermill, NY, 11976, apple picking available on Saturdays and Sundays, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.  $18 for a one-peck bag (about 10 pounds).  Limit of 4 people per bag.

If you want even more options, check out this comprehensive guide to New York state apple picking from the New York Apple Association. The Association also offers a free app called “Them Apples” available through iTunes, which is an “index of the most popular and available apples and their best uses.”

And before you end up with an entire bushel of apples (a bushel = about 90 apples!), consider the storage situation in your apartment and keep in mind that apples stored at room temperature deteriorate 10 times faster than those stored in the fridge.

SHARED By: Leigh Goldman, Gymtime Mom
Leigh Goldman was the former New York editor of UrbanBaby.com and spent years working as a television producer covering parenting topics. She is the co-author of the book “The Journey to Parenthood: Myths, Reality and What Really Matters.” Leigh currently runs the corporate website for a Fortune 500 beauty company and lives with her two children in New York City.

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