September and October are Apple Picking Time in Connecticut

 Apple picking and fall foliage go together. It is the time of year when the nights are cool and the days are warm, making it the perfect season for apples.  The Litchfield Hills has so many beautiful apple orchards where folks can get out in the fresh air and pick their own apples. Orchards are quite large making social distancing easy. Here are four of the most scenic apple orchards to be found anywhere.

Averill Farm located on 250 Calhoun Street in Washington Connecticut is a scenic hilltop farm that has been farmed by the same family for ten generations. Here you can pick your own apples - Macintosh, Macoun, Spartan, Liberty, Redcort, and Cortland. There are also pies, apple cider, apple cider donuts, and a farm stand that offers produce, gourds, pumpkins, honey, homemade jam, garlic, and much more.

March Farm is located on 160 Munger Lane in Bethlehem and is offering pyo apples and pumpkins in their orchard. There are hiking trails, a picnic area, corn maze, and a hayloft playscape, and pony rides for the kids. This year the theme of the corn maze is the Wizard of Oz. PYO apple varieties in the Farm Store Orchard include Cortland, Gala, Honey Crisp, and Macintosh. The Hill Top Orchard PYO offers  Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Jonagold, Macintosh, Macoun, Mutsu, Red Delicious & Rome. The farm store sells pies and seasonal produce.

Ellsworth Hill Orchard and Berry Farm located in Sharon offers eight acres and 11 varieties of PYO apples. They have heirlooms apples that include Cortlands, Northern Spys, McIntosh, Macouns, Gala, Empire, Ida Reds, Crispin (Mutsu), Red Delicious, and Yellow Delicious. The property also has a giant corn maze. This year the theme is Dinosaurs. A large Lionel Interactive train display is a highlight for kids of all ages. The farm store sells a variety of seasonal fruit and baked goods.

Blue Jay Orchards located on 125 Plumtrees Road in Bethel offers PYO Macintosh, Cortland, and Macoun apples. Blue Jay also has an amazing pumpkin patch where kids can go and choose their own pumpkins! The farm market offers seasonal produce, pies, apple cider, apple cider donuts, jam, honey, cookies, and much more.