Best Apple-Picking Orchards In New Jersey

The unofficial start of fall is now here! The following are New Jersey orchards and farms now open for apple picking:

Bergen County:

Demarest Farms: Apple-picking season begins September 2-3, 2017! Pick you own apples and enjoy a hayride. 244 Wierimus Rd., Hillsdale 201-666-0472, demarestfarms.com

Burlington County:

Russo's Orchard Lane Farm: All their fall farm activities: Picking Russo's Delicious Apples, Fall Farm Scenic Hayride, Challenging 7-Acre Corn Maze, Visiting Our Big Pumpkin Patch, Riding On The Straw/Wooden Head Horses, Milking Our Wooden Cow, Playing In The Big Sandbox 310 Extonville Rd., Chesterfield, NJ 609-259-3684, russosorchard.com. Hayrides/corn maze from Sept. 24 till Oct. 27 Every Weekend including Columbus Day.

Hunterdon County:

Melick's Town Farm: 472 Rte. 513, Califon 908-439-3888; melickstownfarm.com At Melick's Town Farm, we are the largest fruit growers in New Jersey with more than 20,000 apple trees! By planting lots of trees and a wide varieties, we have tasty, crisp apples from mid-July clear through December. Our You Pick Apples are available through the 2nd week of November.

Mercer County:

Terhune Orchards: For September and October, Terhune Orchards' pick-your-own farm on Van Kirk Road, just around the block from their home farm, is open everyday. 330 Cold Soil Rd., Princeton 609-924-2310, terhuneorchards.com

Lee Turkey Farm: Not just turkeys! September/October- Apples, Pears, Raspberries 201 Hickory Corner Rd., East Windsor 609-448-0629, leeturkeyfarm.com

Middlesex County:

Giamarese Farm: 155 Fresh Ponds Rd., East Brunswick 732-821-9494, giamaresefarm.com

Pick your own apples, peaches and nectarines Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Closed Mondays Arrive at least one hour before closing. Please stop in the farm market before heading out to the field. Subject to availability due to weather and other factors outside our control.

Monmouth County:

Battleview Orchards: Open Monday, Sept. 4 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and all following fall weekends. Pick your own Yellow Freestone Peaches ($1.40 lb) and Apples, Gingergold, Gala and Jonamac ($1.40 lb.) Please note the orchard is cash only. 732-462-0756 91 Wemrock Road, Freehold NJ 07728 http://www.battlevieworchards....

Morris County:

Wightman's Farms: 1111 Mt. Kemble Ave. (Rte 202) Morristown, New Jersey Market Phone: 973-425-9819 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pick your own. Pick your own apples this Labor Day weekend! 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. May through October. With a market decked out with Indian corn and all sorts of painted pumpkins, there is cider and giant pumpkins great for taking pictures. You can pick your own apples and peaches and also enjoy hay rides (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and a huge corn maze. http://wightmanfarms.com/index...

Passaic County:

Farms View: 945 Black Oak Ridge Road, Wayne, New Jersey Phone: 973-839-1212 Pick your own pumpkins beginning the last weekend of September and throughout October. Hayrides are offered on Saturdays (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sundays (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). No reservations are needed for hayrides. For more information, go here.

Somerset County:

Ripple Hill Farm: 181 Mountain Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 Apple season is late August – late October

Sussex County:

Beemerville Orchard: We will open for "U-Pick Apples" on Saturday, Sept 9th. And then for the remainder of the season U-Pick Apples will be available during our normal hours. Mon -Sat. 9-6 , Closed on Sunday. 73 Lusscroft Rd., Sussex 973-875-1029 https://www.facebook.com/Beeme...

Warren County:

Race Farm: 87 Belcher Rd., Blairstown 908-362-8151 https://www.racefarmllc.com/ Our pick your own opens in July (with blueberries!) and runs till October 31st. We have a wide variety of fruits and veggies for picking, through the growing season. Crops available can differ week to week, so be sure to give us a call to see what we are picking on the day you visit. At Race Farm there is never any admission fee! Free hayrides are available on weekends in the fall and you are also welcome to pack a picnic and relax in our beautiful picnic area! Nothing makes us happier than seeing folks harvesting their own food, out in nature, and enjoying this beautiful place we call home :-)

Longmeadow Farm: 561 Hope Blairstown Rd., Hope 908-459-5351, longmeadowfarmnj.com Here's their guide to which apples are ripe during which weeks in September and October: http://longmeadowfarmnj.com/ap...

Photo via Wikimedia Commons/Sept. 7, 2009/Source: Own work/Author: Julian Colton