There’s nothing like a fresh-picked apple – especially when you’ve picked it yourself. And this week and next is peak season.
Here are some pick-your-own farms within easy driving distance from the city. Call ahead for hours and directions:
MASKER ORCHARD
Ball Road, Warwick, (845) 986-1058, http://www.maskers.com
About an hour from the city, this 225-acre farm has 14 varieties of apples to choose from.
Macintosh, Red Delicious, Cortlands, Empire, Jonagold, Granny Smith and Ida Reds are all ripe for the picking at $14.95 a half-bushel. Drive in, pick a tree (there are 30,000 there), spread your blanket and have a picnic.
There’s also a pumpkin patch, horse and wagon ponyrides, face painting, and a petting zoo. Just get there early: After noon the traffic slows dramatically all the way up Route 17A.
SOONS ORCHARD
24 Soons Circle, New Hampton, (845) 374-5471, http://www.soonsorchards.com
Since 1910, this family-owned and operated farm, also an hour from the city, has been a favorite with kids – since the trees are so low, there’s no need for a pole for the picking.
Take a hayride down to the pumpkin patch and choose , where the pumpkins are actually growing on a vine (free for kids).
Available now are Empires, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and Red Cortlands at $13.95 a half-bushel. There’s also a pumpkin patch (free to kids), a hay maze and a bakery brimming with candy apples and fudge.
DR. DAVIES FARM
Route 304, Congers, (845-268-7020), http://www.drdaviesfarm.com
Probably one of the closest apple farms in the New York area – only 25 minutes from the George Washington Bridge – Dr. Davies is easy for quick picking. This weekend, Empires and Cortlands are available at $18 a half-bushel, but call ahead to make sure they’re not picked out.
Beware weekdays when school buses of children pile out onto the 40-acre farm, which has picnic grounds, hayrides and a pick-your-own pumpkin field.
WEED ORCHARD
43 Mount Zion Road, Marlboro, (845) 236-2684, http://www.weedorchards.com
Less busy than many other pick-your-owns, this 140-acre farm – about an hour and a half from the city – is at the base of the Marlboro mountains.
Varieties include Cortlands, Empires, Galas, Macouns, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Fuji, Rome, Janagold, Wine Saps and Macintosh apples at $12 a half-bushel.
There’s also pumpkins for the picking, Swiss alpine goats for the petting, face paingint, sand art, a bakery and free hayrides on the weekends. Bring in this article and they’ll give you a 10 percent discount.
WICKHAM’S FRUIT FARM
Rt. 25, Cutchogue, Long Island, (631) 734-6441, http://www.wickhamsfruitfarm.com
About two hours from the city, this 300-acre farm has been cultivated since before the arrival of the first English settlers.
Pick Red Delicious, Janagold, Mutsu, Fuji and Empire apples for $19.50 a half bushel. Or hop on a hayride, go pumpkin picking and lose yourself in the 7-acre corn maze. Or join a farm tour to learn about Long Island farm life.
