Happy Fall everyone! Now that it is officially fall, let’s
start thinking apple orchards! Apple season is in full swing, but picking
becomes most popular in the next month or so. Indiana is ripe (cringy pun
intended) with great apple orchards that are worth a visit.
1. Hainlen Orchard (Converse)
Hainlen Orchard is one of the few
area orchards that can boast that they’ve been around for over 100 years. They’re
most known for their award-winning apple cider. People aren’t allowed to
actually go out and pick apples here, but they have a massive selection of
apples inside of their store. That store contains apples, cider, baked goods,
and a host of other jams and jellies. One interesting product they sell is cherry
cider. Once Halloween gets closer, Hainlen Orchard also gets a stock of
pumpkins and gourds. They’re open from 9am-5pm from Mon-Sat and from noon-5pm
on Sunday.
2. Phil’s U-Pick Orchard
Phil’s is an orchard started back
in the 70’s by a teacher who was tired of being inside all of the time. Home to
over 10,000 apple trees, Phil’s grows all kinds of apples, including some
interesting hybrids that are pretty new to market, such as Evercrisp and Sun
Crisp. Apart from apples, you can also buy apple cider made in Denver, IN,
maple syrup from Huntington, concord grapes and plums from northern Indiana, corn
stalks, decorative corn, pumpkins, gourds, and other miscellaneous items. There
is no indoor area to Phil’s, as all items sold are under a large tent on the
property. Phil’s is open 7 days a week right now from 11am-6pm.
3. Apple of His Eye Orchard (Anderson)
This orchard is part of the
ministry of the couple who owns it. They opened their orchard in the early 2000’s
and have been producing their own apple butter, apple sauce, and apple pie
filling. Their apple cinnamon doughnuts are also a treat because they are made
with apple butter and were made with in conjunction with Pillsbury. As far as apples
go, they have over 800 trees that produce 27 types of apples. Throughout the
year, they also get other products like peaches, blueberries, strawberries, and
tomatoes. They are open Monday-Saturday from 10-6.
4. Tuttle Orchard (Greenfield)
While the first few on this list
have been smaller, orchard-focused locations, Tuttle Orchards has a whole
operation that brings people in. They have a corn maze (4 acres), pumpkin
patch (20 acres), tractor rides, kiddie play area, and the orchard (8,000
trees). Across the street, you will find a grill area where they make food on
Saturdays, a café and sweet shop open all week, a farm store that is open year-round,
and a bee hive observation. The farm store sells over 200 Indiana products and
all kinds of fruits, veggies, baked goods, and products for your home. Tuttle
Orchards is open from 9am-7pm Mon-Sat and the grill is open Saturdays until Oct.
28th from 10:30am-5:30pm.
5. McClure’s Orchard (Peru)
This 20-year-old orchard/winery
currently is selling pears, pumpkins, squash, and 15 different types of apples.
Some of the apples there are in-store only, while others are allowed to be
picked by guests. They offer an extensive list of wines and hard ciders to
taste, with flights, howlers, and growlers available. The first two samples are
free! McClure’s also does horse rides, trolley rides, and live music (Saturdays
only). The orchard, gift shops, and restaurants are open 7 days a week from
10am-6pm.
6. Jacobs’ Family Orchard (New Castle)
The farm at Jacobs’ Family Orchard
has been around for 80 years, but the orchard itself wasn’t added until 2002. The
farm not only contains the 35-acre orchard, but also contains a 20-acre pumpkin
patch, an 8-acre sweet corn field, and 4 acres where other produce is grown. Apart
from a kiddie play area, the farm contains a corn maze and a sunflower maze. There
are around 30 different types of apples grown here. There is a store on the
premises to sell all sorts of goodies, but the two most popular items are the
apple cinnamon donuts and the apple cider slushies. They are open 8am-6pm
Mon-Sat and 1pm-6pm on Sundays.
7. Stuckey Farms (Sheridan)
Stuckey Farms offers 27 varieties
of apples and 4,000 trees available for picking. The farm sits on 40 acres, 25
of which are devoted to just apple trees. The store on-site also offers
peaches, sweet corn, tomatoes, baked goods (including doughnuts), cider, and
more! The farm prides itself on being a place that families can come to and
enjoy, so on weekends from Sept. 15-Oct. 21 they offer a Harvest Festival that
involves hay rides, a corn maze, a play area, pig races, and apple cannons.
Admission for the festival is $12.50. Stuckey Farms is open Mon-Thu from
9am-6pm, Fri+Sat from 9am-8pm, and Sundays from 1pm-5pm.
8. Appleworks (Trafalgar)
Appleworks does a great job of
sustainability, making a conscious effort to not be wasteful in watering (with
several retention ponds), with soil, and with the trees themselves. They pride themselves
in having over 50 varieties of apples, which is almost double what many other
orchards have. However, this is not a u-pick for apples (it is for pumpkins,
though). Apart from apples, they have plenty of other fruits and veggies that
they grow on the premises. Their store contains many of the usual items that
orchard stores have: jams/jellies, baked goods, salsas, baking mixes, etc.
Apart from orchards, Appleworks also has a kid play area, farm animal exhibit,
bamboo maze, picnic area w/waterfall, live music, and greenhouses. The hours
are 7 days a week from 9am-7pm.
9. Huber’s Orchard (Starlight)
This is another orchard that also
contains a winery. It is over 150 years old and is a total of 600 acres. Like
Appleworks, Huber’s makes an effort to practice sustainable agriculture for
everything grown on the property, which is quite a lot. They offer about a
dozen varieties of apples on site, which are available to pick in the orchard.
Their store offers all kinds of fruits and vegetables of their own, and they
even have a bakery and a cheese shop. There is also a large play area for kids
and a hall for weddings/receptions/meetings. Huber’s is open Sun-Fri from
9am-6pm and 9am-8pm on Saturday.
10. County Line Orchard (Hobart)
This orchard boasts an impressive
red barn-type building that stores its many wonderful products. They do u-pick
for apples( over 30 varieties), pumpkins, and sunflowers. Other activities on
the property is the kid’s area, bee area, outdoor music area, and corn maze. A
lot of activities here do have a small cost, even the u-pick, so be aware of
that. Come hungry and take advantage of the bakery, sweet shop, and restaurant.
They are well known for the apple cinnamon and pumpkin donuts The hours are
8am-6pm daily, though many of the attractions don’t open until 9am. The grill
(weekends) and restaurant (daily) hours are 11am-5pm.
