Apple Picking and More in Vermont
Each year, autumn brings plenty of food- and farm-related activities and many of them involve one of our favorite locally grown fruits -- apples! Trees in Vermont orchards are filling up with ripening fruit, beckoning families to pick their own and discover a myriad of ways to enjoy crisp, tart apples.
1. Apple Picking
Head to your favorite orchard or check out a new one. Click here for a list of pick-your-own orchards. Many also serve fresh apple cider, cider donuts, and more to complete your Vermont fall day.
2. Party Time
There are tons of fun harvest festivals throughout the state. Check out the list below to find one (or several!) near you:
Harvest Festival 2022 | Sept. 3 | Wellwood Orchards
Chester Festival on the Green| September 17th - 18th | Chester
Harvest Festival | September 17th | Merck Forest & Farmland Center
Shoreham Apple Fest | September 18th | Shoreham
Bristol Harvest Festival | September 24th | Bristol
Annual Wine and Harvest Festival |September 24th & 25th | Mount Snow
Harvest Celebration | October 8th | Billings Farm & Museum
Annual Vermont Apple Festival and Craft Show | October 8th | Springfield
Heirloom Apple Day| October 9th | Scott Farm Orchard
Apples & Crafts Fair & Food Truck Festival 2022 | October 8th & 9th | Woodstock
View the calendar to see more upcoming events and experience Vermont’s Top 10 Fall Events.
3. Learn About Apple Growers
From orchard history and how they got into farming to what makes their job both rewarding and challenging, let's learn from the folks who bring these delicious fruits to our table. Check out DigInVT's Meet the Grower series on their blog.
Burtt's Apple Orchard
Champlain Orchards
The Farm at 84
The Farm Between
Sunrise Orchards
Woodman Hill Orchard
Yates Family Orchard
4. Add Cheese
Apples and Vermont cheese make a magnificent match. Explore the Vermont Cheese Trail and pick up some cheddar to serve alongside your apple pie.
See Dig In Vermont’s blog post, Cider & Cheese Pairings for the Season, for some complementary combinations!
5. Don't Forget About Cider
Many orchards serve up their own fresh-pressed apple cider during the harvest season and some of them also brew their own hard cider! Check out the Vermont Cider Trail to start you on a journey tasting your way through Vermont. September is prime apple season.
6. Make a Run For It!
The Cider Shuffle 5k Walk/Run in September on the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail makes for a fun and healthy way to enjoy the cool, crisp air, and the tasty cider and donuts that await you at the finish line.
7. Enjoy Seasonal Dishes
Vermont eateries are known for their farm-to-table dishes that celebrate local ingredients (and this includes apples!), so indulge in the bounty of the season by dining out.
8. Apple Treats
Cider donuts have to be one of the best fall treats. Some of our favorites come from Boyer's Orchard, Champlain Orchards, and Happy Valley Orchard, but we're always looking to try new ones. You really can't go wrong. We love the idea of this cider donut bread pudding from Champlain Orchards! Follow the recipe here.
Have you tried Stowe Cider's Cider Donut cider? Full of warming spices, this cider was release as part of their 9th anniversary. And if you really want to go to the next level try it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Hard Cider Floats? We say yes!
The Dreamee™ at Yates Family Orchard is well worth the trip - it combines maple creemee and fresh cider donuts. What could be better?!
For apple pie, we recommend checking out Sunrise Orchards' famous recipe on their blog!
See King Arthur Baking Company's Pie Baking Guide, King Arthur Baking School (lots of autumn classes), and 245+ apple recipes!
1. Apple Picking
Head to your favorite orchard or check out a new one. Click here for a list of pick-your-own orchards. Many also serve fresh apple cider, cider donuts, and more to complete your Vermont fall day.
2. Party Time
There are tons of fun harvest festivals throughout the state. Check out the list below to find one (or several!) near you:
Harvest Festival 2022 | Sept. 3 | Wellwood Orchards
Chester Festival on the Green| September 17th - 18th | Chester
Harvest Festival | September 17th | Merck Forest & Farmland Center
Shoreham Apple Fest | September 18th | Shoreham
Bristol Harvest Festival | September 24th | Bristol
Annual Wine and Harvest Festival |September 24th & 25th | Mount Snow
Harvest Celebration | October 8th | Billings Farm & Museum
Annual Vermont Apple Festival and Craft Show | October 8th | Springfield
Heirloom Apple Day| October 9th | Scott Farm Orchard
Apples & Crafts Fair & Food Truck Festival 2022 | October 8th & 9th | Woodstock
View the calendar to see more upcoming events and experience Vermont’s Top 10 Fall Events.
3. Learn About Apple Growers
From orchard history and how they got into farming to what makes their job both rewarding and challenging, let's learn from the folks who bring these delicious fruits to our table. Check out DigInVT's Meet the Grower series on their blog.
Burtt's Apple Orchard
Champlain Orchards
The Farm at 84
The Farm Between
Sunrise Orchards
Woodman Hill Orchard
Yates Family Orchard
4. Add Cheese
Apples and Vermont cheese make a magnificent match. Explore the Vermont Cheese Trail and pick up some cheddar to serve alongside your apple pie.
See Dig In Vermont’s blog post, Cider & Cheese Pairings for the Season, for some complementary combinations!
5. Don't Forget About Cider
Many orchards serve up their own fresh-pressed apple cider during the harvest season and some of them also brew their own hard cider! Check out the Vermont Cider Trail to start you on a journey tasting your way through Vermont. September is prime apple season.
6. Make a Run For It!
The Cider Shuffle 5k Walk/Run in September on the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail makes for a fun and healthy way to enjoy the cool, crisp air, and the tasty cider and donuts that await you at the finish line.
7. Enjoy Seasonal Dishes
Vermont eateries are known for their farm-to-table dishes that celebrate local ingredients (and this includes apples!), so indulge in the bounty of the season by dining out.
8. Apple Treats
Cider donuts have to be one of the best fall treats. Some of our favorites come from Boyer's Orchard, Champlain Orchards, and Happy Valley Orchard, but we're always looking to try new ones. You really can't go wrong. We love the idea of this cider donut bread pudding from Champlain Orchards! Follow the recipe here.
Have you tried Stowe Cider's Cider Donut cider? Full of warming spices, this cider was release as part of their 9th anniversary. And if you really want to go to the next level try it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Hard Cider Floats? We say yes!
The Dreamee™ at Yates Family Orchard is well worth the trip - it combines maple creemee and fresh cider donuts. What could be better?!
For apple pie, we recommend checking out Sunrise Orchards' famous recipe on their blog!
See King Arthur Baking Company's Pie Baking Guide, King Arthur Baking School (lots of autumn classes), and 245+ apple recipes!
