Both being from Vermont, Kyle and I have high standards for the annual tradition of apple picking. We are looking for a somewhat rural area, not too much commercialization, and baked goods at the farm stand, if possible.
We typically head East of the River to the fruit mecca of Glastonbury. One won’t be disappointed by visiting Rose’s Berry Farm, Scott’s Orchards, Dondero Orchards, or Belltown Hill Orchards. But this year we decided to mix it up a little and venture West, ending up at Rogers Orchards in Southington.
What a great place. First we stopped at the Home Farm Salesroom (aka- retail store), curious to see what seasonal items they were offering for both eating and decorating. Score! They had a bakery and we eagerly picked up a bag of apple cider donuts, arguably the best part of autumn apple picking. We also looked around at the various pumpkins, gourds, and squashes. And bushels and bushels of different types of apples. We also picked up some savory jellies that we’ll use with cream cheese for party appetizers later in the year. Yum! We were off to a good start.
Next we headed down Long Bottom Road about a half mile to the Pick Your Own location. Rogers’ is a fairly sizable operation. The orchard is located on both sides the road. For $1 a pound, you can pick to your heart’s content. We grabbed our 1/2 bushel bag and headed towards the Empires, our favorite apple for eating. You could also pick Macs, Macouns, Red Delicious, and Cortland. We ended up doing mix and match and also picked some Macs and Macouns.
The orchard was also sprinkled with pumpkins, which you can also pick on your own. We passed, as squirrels always seem to eat our pumpkins and spread them across our lawn, but you might want to take advantage of it.
We would highly recommend a visit to Rogers Orchards. Prices were reasonable, it was easily accessible, and it wasn’t overly commercialized. Most importantly, the apple cider donuts were fantastic! If you’d like to find a different orchard closer to your home, the Connecticut Apple Marketing Board put together this helpful flyer that gives various options for the different counties in Connecticut.
Happy picking and enjoy the fall foliage!
