Best Orchards for Vermont Apple Picking
September 09, 2024

Vermont apple picking season is here in the Green Mountain State. Orchards are getting ripe with McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Empire and heirloom varieties that are ready for pick-your-own Vermont apple picking.

Vermont apple orchards also host events—including live music, yoga and festivals—and offer farm stands, scenic views and more. Here are eight Vermont apple orchards worth visiting this fall to add to your fall foliage season must-do list.

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Mad Tom Orchard in East Dorset

Mad Tom Orchard was planted in 1940 by the Parson Family. Now operated by Sylvia and Tom Smith, Mad Tom Orchard features 14 varieties, including McIntosh, Cortland, Gala, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious and Ginger Gold. This year, Macintosh and Gala are ripening earlier than usual.

Mad Tom Orchard is a timeless, no-frills orchard with apples, maple syrup, cider and donuts—and some of the best scenic views you’ll find in southern Vermont. The orchard is dog friendly, too. (2615 Mad Tom Road, East Dorset; 802-366-8107; madtomorchard.com)

Hours: The orchard is open between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday.

Burtt’s Apple Orchard in Cabot

Burtt’s Apple Orchard, located on a former dairy and maple farm, has been offering pick-your-own Vermont apple picking since 2009. Featuring over 40 varieties of apples, Burtt’s includes everything from Honeycrisp to McIntosh to Snowsweet.

Peak flavor for McIntosh is between Sept.15-20, 2024, according to the orchard’s email updates. For Gingergold, it’s around September 10. Also, try some of the orchard’s buttercup and acorn squash at the farmstand.

The orchard’s trees are grown by espalier, the horticultural and ancient agricultural practice of controlling woody plant growth by pruning and tying branches to a frame.

Burtt’s includes cider donuts, a corn maze, activities and a playground flanked by scenic views. (283A Cabot Plains Road, Cabot; 802-917-2614; burttsappleorchard.com)

Hours: Burtt’s is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Yates Family Orchard in Monkton

Yates Family Orchard includes 28 varieties of apples in an orchard originally planted in the 1930s on scenic Monkton Ridge. The orchard, located on a quiet dirt road near the Hinesburg-Monkton town line, was purchased by Jessika Yates and her husband, Steven, in 2008.

The orchard has expanded in recent years, and the property includes a farm stand with cider donuts, specialty products and more. Pick Honeycrisp, Honey Gold, Ozark Golds, Haralson and Northern Spy in the orchard.

Be sure to indulge in the orchard’s signature dessert—the Dreamee—a hot, fresh cider donut topped with Vermont maple soft serve ice cream. (1074 Davis Road, Hinesburg; 802-373-7437; yatesfamilyorchard.com)

Hours: Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Events: Sunday morning yoga at the orchard is offered through Sangha Studio this fall Sept. 15-Oct. 13, 2024 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Starting Sept. 15, 2024, enjoy live music on Sunday afternoons from 1-4 p.m.

Wellwood Orchards in Springfield

Wellwood Orchards in Springfield been owned and operated by Roy Mark since 1981. He and his four daughters run the pick-your-own orchard, which also grows blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, pumpkins and more.

Right now, you’ll find Paula Reds, Ginger Golds, Macintosh, Cortlands, and Honeycrisp ripe for picking.

Stop by the orchard’s country store and grab some maple syrup and cider donuts, take your kids to the on-site petting zoo, or enjoy a weekend tractor-pulled wagon ride at the orchard. (529 Wellwood Orchard Rd., 802-263-5200; Springfield; wellwoodorchards.com)

Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Champlain Orchards in Shoreham

Champlain Orchards features over 220 acres of fruit trees that includes over 115 varieties of apples. Located in Addison County, the orchard harvests over 100,000 bushels of ecologically grown apples in a season. Champlain Orchards also produces hard cider, apple butter and maple syrup. (3597 VT-74 West, Shoreham; 802-897-2777: champlainorchards.com)

Hours: Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Sunday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Events: Bird Mountain String Band performs bluegrass music on Sept. 21, 2024 from 3-6 p.m.; Indigenous Stories with Vermont Native American author and story-teller Randy Kritkausky on Sept 22, 2024, from noon to 1 p.m. and 2-3 p.m.; Habeas Porpoise Band performs rock and funk on Sept. 28, 2024 from 3-6 p.m.

Happy Valley Orchard in Middlebury

At Happy Valley Orchard, visitors can find apples, cider donuts, sweet corn, pumpkins, tomatoes and Mountain Mac Hard Cider.  The orchard grows McIntosh, Empire, Cortland, Red Delicious apples, heirlooms and lesser-known varieties. (217 Quarry Road, Middlebury; 802-388-2411; facebook.com/happyvalleyvermont)

Hours: The orchard is open Wednesday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m; Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Events: Happy Valley Orchard hosts free live music events, including Atom & the Orbitz featuring Noah Hahn on Sept. 14, 2024 from 4-7 p.m.; Deb Brisson & Mark Pelletier on Sept. 20, 2024 from  4-7 p.m.; Electrostatic Cats on Sept. 27, 2024 from 4-7 p.m.; The Morning Dudes on Oct. 5, 2024 from 3-6 p.m.; Sister Speak on Oct. 12, 2024 from 3-6 p.m.; Bloodroot Gap (pictured) on Oct. 18, 2024 from 3-6 p.m.; and Scarlet Annie on Oct. 25, 2024 from 3-6 p.m.

Scott Farm Orchard in Dummerston

Located on the iconic Kipling Road in southeastern Vermont, Scott Farm Orchard grows more than 130 varieties of heirloom apples.

Scott Farm Orchard is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been in active cultivation since 1791. The orchard is owned by The Landmark Trust USA, which also owns Rudyard Kipling’s house, Naulakha, next door. (707 Kipling Road, Dummerston; 802-579-1720; scottfarmvermont.com)

Hours: The Farm Market is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pippin’s Cafe is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, serving sandwiches, hard cider, cider and farm baked goods.

Events: Crêpe Night on Sept. 11, 2024 and the Heirloom Apple Day Festival on Oct. 13, 2024.

Shelburne Orchards

Shelburne Orchards is a family-owned enterprise led by the legendary Nick Cowles, who was born on the property in 1950. The orchard, which his father purchased 70 years ago, began with 500 trees. It grew from 2,000 trees in the 1970s to over 8,000 trees today.

Pick-your-own varieties include Honey Crisp, Gala, McIntosh and more. The orchard’s farm store sells apples, donuts and Nick’s own Dead Bird apple brandy. (216 Orchard Road, Shelburne; 802-985-2753; shelburneorchards.com)

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday-Sunday.

Events: Live in the Orchard Concert Series includes Charlie Scram on Sept. 14, 2024; Queen City Cut Ups on Sept. 21-22, 2024; Rowan on Sept. 28 and Oct. 13, 2024; Brett Hughes Trio on Sept. 29, 2024; Hot Pickin’ Party on Oct. 6, 2024; and others.

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-Nick Cowles, owner of Shelburne Orchards in Shelburne, Vermont. 

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Happy Vermont Podcast

Nick Cowles has spent most of his life at Shelburne Orchards, which his father purchased in the 1950s. Nick loved growing up at the orchard, but he didn’t expect to run the orchard as an adult.

In this 2023 podcast episode of Happy Vermont, host Erica Houskeeper chats with Nick about apples, apple brandy, and how running the orchard changed his life for the better.

Listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find podcasts.

This story was originally published in 2023 and updated for 2024.