North Star Orchards, Madison, Maine (Russell Steven Powell photo)
THE ORCHARD is a beautiful place in all seasons. October is an especially good time to visit — there are late-season apples on the trees at most orchards, and the surrounding fall foliage is at its peak.
In addition to apples, many orchards and farm stands sell pumpkins, fresh and hard cider, pies and cider donuts, cheeses, honey, maple syrup, and other locally made products long after the last fresh apple is picked. Some orchard stores remain open through the holidays, some are open all year.
To find apple varieties, products, contact information, and directions to New England’s finest orchards, visit Find An Apple Orchard.
Here are some recent images from a few of them.
Spencer apples, Brookfield Orchards, North Brookfield, Massachusetts (Russell Steven Powell photo)
Brookfield Orchards, North Brookfield, Massachusetts (Russell Steven Powell photo)
Brookfield Orchards, North Brookfield, Massachusetts (Russell Steven Powell photo)
Late afternoon in Lapsley Orchard, Pomfret Center, Connecticut (Bar Lois Weeks photo)
A sudden cloudburst, then a rainbow, Lapsley Orchard, Pomfret Center, Connecticut (Bar Lois Weeks photo)
Last blast of sun glow, Lapsley Orchard, Pomfret Center, Connecticut (Bar Lois Weeks)
North Star Orchards, Madison, Maine (Russell Steven Powell photo)
North Star Orchards, Madison, Maine (Russell Steven Powell photo)
Golden Delicious triplets, Lanni Orchards, Lunenburg, Massachusetts (Bar Lois Weeks)
Golden Delicious apples, Lanni Orchards, Lunenburg, Massachusetts (Bar Lois Weeks)
Gala apples, Boothby’s Orchard and Farm, Livermore, Maine (Russell Steven Powell photo)
Cortland apples, Boothby’s Orchard and Farm, Livermore, Maine (Bar Lois Weeks photo)
Honeycrisp apple, Boothby’s Orchard and Farm, Livermore, Maine (Bar Lois Weeks photo)
Honeycrisp apples, Boothby’s Orchard and Farm, Livermore, Maine (Bar Lois Weeks photo)
Ricker Hill Orchards, Turner, Maine (Russell Steven Powell photo)
Better than Honeycrisp! Suncrisp apples, Ricker Hill Orchards, Turner, Maine (Bar Lois Weeks photo)
Wallingford’s Fruit House, Auburn, Maine (Russell Steven Powell photo)
Stukas Farms, Lewiston, Maine (Russell Steven Powell photo)
Stukas Farms, Lewiston, Maine (Russell Steven Powell photo)
Crab apples, planted primarily for pollination purposes, Ragged Hill Orchard, West Brookfield, Massachusetts (Russell Steven Powell photo)
Ragged Hill Orchard, West Brookfield, Massachusetts (Russell Steven Powell photo)
New England Apples 