By AML Publisher
Photos courtesy of Belle Vie Photography

Fall Apple Picking in the Delaware Valley

AML sent staff photographer Heather Berkenstock of Belle Vie Photography on an apple-picking assignment at Linvilla Orchards, a Delaware Valley fall family tradition for the region. The goal: take her daughters and one of her best friends (and her kiddos) along for a wonderful afternoon filled with hay rides, apple cider, a hay bale maze, apple slinging, cider donuts and most importantly, an adventure in apple picking. “I definitely felt like we needed a whole day there. There is so much to do at Linvillla- my girls loved it. They have everything so well organized with all the activities. We will be going back to pick out our pumpkins,” enthused Berkenstock.

Want to plan a fun fall day out with family and friends? Check out AML’s apple picking guide 2009 below. It’s a great time of year to enjoy all the wonderful orchards and farms the Delaware Valley has to offer and support our fine local businesses that enrich our community.

Linvilla Orchards, Media, PA

linvillaorchards.com
Twitter: twitter.com/ILoveThatPlace
137 W. Knowlton Road
Phone: 610-876-8796
Email: apples@linvilla.com
Details: Linvilla Orchard’s Pumpkinland Harvest Festival runs through November 8th. Larger than life figures and scarecrows illustrate the legends and lure of the harvest season, local history and some of the many stories of pumpkins and apples. Group programs are available for school and camp tours, evening hayrides with campfires and birthday parties.

Hop on a tractor at Linvilla for a harvest hay ride and enjoy a scenic and fun tour of their fields and orchards.

Hayride Hours
Harvest Hayrides: Enjoy a hayride through Linvilla’s scenic fields and orchards with their friendly hayride escort. Every day October 1 thru November 8, Monday-Friday 12:30-4p.m; Saturdays & Sundays 10am-5pm $6 per person

Autumn Moon Hayrides: Hayride followed by a bonfire, marshmallow roasting and apple cider. Oct 2nd thru the 4th; 9 thru 11 & 16 thru Oct 30th; Nov 1st. Weekdays 6 & 7pm Fri, Sat. & Sun. 6-8pm $7 per person

Hayrides to the Witches House: October 9 thru 11 & 16 thru 30 5:30-8pm (Fri. & Sat. in Oct. until 8:30pm)This Hayride visits the friendly Witches House in the woods. She tells stories, jokes and gives all of the kids a treat, followed by a bonfire with marshmallows to roast & apple cider. $8 per person

October Activity Hours at Linvilla

Farm Market & Pumpkinland: Sunday-Thursday 9am-8pm; Friday & Saturday 9am-9pm

Pick Your Own Fall Apples: Open 9am-6pm everyday

Linvilla Orchards Pumpkin Land

Train Rides: Monday-Friday 12:30-4p.m; Saturdays and Sundays 12-5pm; $3 per person

Pony Rides: Saturdays & Sundays 12-5pm; $6 per person

Face Painting: Monday-Friday 10am-3:30p.m; Saturdays & Sundays 10am-6pm; $6 & up

Straw Bale & Corn Mazes: Saturdays and Sundays 10am-5pm; $4 per person, both mazes $6 per person

Apple Sling: Saturdays & Sundays 10am-5pm

Bucks County

Shady Brook Farm,
Yardley, PA
www.shadybrookfarm.com
931 Stony Hill Road
Phone: 215-968-1670
Email: familyfun@shadybrookfarm.com
Hours: Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm, Sunday from 8 am to 5 pm.
Details: Shady Brook Farm has tons of family fun for the fall season-a Haunted Attraction featuring the Hayride of Horror, Barn of Horror, Deadtime Stories–Corn Maze in the Dark, and Alien Invasion. We also have a daytime attraction, PumpkinFest, featuring hayrides to the pumpkin patch to pick-your-own, as well as many other festival activities.

Snipes Farm, Nursery and Golf, Morrisville, PA
www.snipesfarm.com
890 W. Bridge Street
Phone: 215-295-1138
Email: info8@snipesfarm.com
Hours: Open Daily 9am to 4pm
Details: Sister and brother team, Susan Snipes-Wells and Jonathan Snipes, manage the family farm. They hold a vision that Snipes Farm is a green jewel in congested lower Bucks County. A love of the land and a spirit of peace guide the Snipes family, and the many dedicated Snipes employees, as they work to keep the farm a beautiful and welcoming place for the public. A lot has changed since James and Joan Moon arrived in Bucks County in 1682, but 323 years later Snipes Farm’s 150 acres of recreation, fruit orchards and ancient trees still welcome visitors. Apple picking is available through Oct. 31st.

Solebury Orchards, New Hope, PA
www.soleburyorchards.com
3325 Creamery Road
Phone: 215-297-8079
Email: mail@soleburyorchards.com
Hours: Thurs to Sunday 9am to 6pm
Details: Solebury Orchards, located in the center of scenic Bucks County, grows peaches, apples, blueberries, raspberries and other fruits. The farm is well known for its high quality fruits which are available from summer through winter at the Solebury Orchards Market. Increasingly popular at the orchard is pick your own, where customers can enjoy themselves surrounded by beautiful fields of berries and orchards. Apple picking is available through Nov. 5th.

Chester County

Milky Way Farm, Chester Springs, PA
www.milkywayfarm.com
521 E. Uwchlan Ave. (Rte. 113)
Phone: 610-363-8500
Email: farmer@milkywayfarm.com
Hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday 1-9 p.m.
Details: A family owned and operated dairy farm for over a century, Milky Way Farm can play host to 4,000 visitors on a busy weekend. It’s run by Sam and Melba Matthews, who reside in the charming 1823 farmhouse on the 103 acre property. The farm’s creamery with a delicious selection of ice cream is a popular part of a day at Milky Way.

Highland Orchards, West Chester, PA
www.highlandorchards.net
11000 Marshallton-Thorndale Road
Phone: 610-269-3494
Email: events@highlandorchards.net
Hours: Saturday 9am to 6pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm, picking registration ends daily at 5pm.
Details: With over 200 acres of growing crops, Highland boasts twenty varieties of apples. And, you can bet there is plenty of activity this time of year on the farm-from hayrides, a kid korral, scarecrow building and more. Check the orchard blog on their website for daily updates on available apples and upcoming events.

Lehigh County

County Line Orchard, Kempton, PA
www.clorchard.com
9200 Kings Highway
Phone: 610-756-6411
Email: todds@enter.net
Hours: July through October: Fri., Sat. and Sun. 10am to 6pm; November: Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm
Details: Apple picking at County Line runs from September through mid November. Varieties still available for picking include: Melrose, Rome, Ida Red, Suncrisp and Goldrush.

Strawberry Acres, Coplay, PA
www.strawberryacres.com
1767 Clearview Road
Phone: 610-262-8484
Email: upikfruit@verizon.net
Hours: Monday through Friday 9a.m. to 7p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5p.m.; Sunday from 11a.m. to 5 p.m.
Details: Strawberry Acres provides picking containers and rides to the field. No ladders are needed to pick your own fruit. On weekends during the fall, they offer a hayride through the orchard during operating hours. It’s a fifteen minute ride with a beautiful view of Lehigh Gap and the Blue Mountain. They also offer kids crafting events for fun fall crafts to bring home to mom and dad. This takes place at 11 a.m. on Saturdays in September and October in the Johnny Appleseed Schoolhouse. A different craft each weekend – so visitors can come for one or all craft days. Recommended for children ages 5 to 10. Reservation not needed, but preferred for supply purchasing. Minimal fee. Pony Rides: Available to all riders, weekends only! Riders are led by experienced handlers.

For a complete list of locales and times for apple picking across the region, visit: www.pickyourown.org/PAeast.htm