Apple picking is a fall tradition that I look forward to every year. For my family, it is as traditional as fireworks on July 4 and parades on Memorial Day.
What is especially nice about apple picking season is that it lasts so long! Unlike berries with picking seasons -- if we're lucky -- that last a few weeks, apple picking season lasts well into October! Just check your local farm for when your favorite variety is picking!
5 Spots to Pick Apples and Pumpkins this Fall in Washington County and Southwestern PA
We've put together different spots across Washington County (we've got some them in the Canonsburg - Cecil area, Peters Township, Eighty Four, Washington PA beyond) and into the South Hills - all in one spot for your convenience.
Featured Pick Your Own
Fall 2023
Simmons Farm170 Simmons Rd |  |
What we love: Apple picking at Simmons Farm makes for a great experience, and is the best way to get fresh fruit. Apples in their market are always picked fresh, but nothing beats picked fresh from the tree.
Did you know that most apples in the grocery stores (not local farm markets) are up to 10 months old before you buy them? They also are usually gassed with a chemical prior to shipment to keep them fresh longer. This can all be avoided by picking your own!
Varieties change throughout the season so call ahead if you are interested in a specific variety.
*Times/variety dependent on availability and weather. Call 724-941-1490 to confirm.
Triple B Farms823 Berry Lane Monongahela, PA 15063 |  |
What we love: Regenerative farming is the latest trend in agriculture, but the Beinlichs have been practicing it since Farmer Ron bought the land over a half century ago. Regenerative principles include preserving natural resources, building soil health, integrating animals onto agricultural land, and building community relationships with the land.
Both the farmers and outside crop consultants monitor Triple B crops for disease or insects. They’re looking for harmful pests, but they’re also looking for beneficial insects that are natural enemies of the “bad” insects. Vigilance and early detection help the farmers to use as few pesticides as possible, which both prevents resistance buildup and respects the environment.
As a member of the PA Association of Sustainable Agriculture, Triple B believes in sustainable farming for a healthier life.
Just 15 miles from downtown Pittsburgh, Triple B Farms has welcomed families and guests to their farmstead since 1985. Enjoy fresh country air and inspiring natural fun, while you explore and shop for local professionally-grown fruits and vegetables, fresh baked goods, home made fudge, and gift baskets. Pop’s Farmyard is perfect for family memories – animals, learning and acres of fun. Worth the Drive since 1985!
Apple picking is Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-3pm. Check the picking schedule to see variety, availability, and any updated times due to weather/crop conditions. triplebfarms.com/picking.html
The SpringHouse1531 Route 136 |  |
What we love: In 1975, the Sam and Bev Minor family, complete with five children twelve and under, started milking cows, processing and bottling the HORMONE FREE milk, and running the country store that is the original part of today’s SpringHouse Country Store, Creamery and Eatery. We grow corn, hay and pumpkins ~ and lots of Minor grandchildren ~ on 420 acres of land in North Strabane Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania. Over the years, the business has grown to include a buffet style restaurant and Sun Porch, a from-scratch bakery, a larger kitchen where our cooks create family-recipe meals, a smokehouse for old-fashioned hickory smoked hams, classy catering… ice cream concoctions galore, and of course farm fresh milk and famous rich chocolate milk…all in an old-time country setting. We have the Creamiest, BEST Chocolate Milk anywhere. Kids just can’t get enough of it! Come on out to the farm for a step back in time with old-fashioned eating, service and fun. Let us share a little of our farm with you!
For FALL 2023...coming soon! Check back soon!
Half Crown Hill Orchard
The orchard is planted with dwarf apple trees utilizing a high density growing system. Apples are within reach of even the smallest child, which makes for a fun and safe picking experience.
There is never an entry fee at Half Crown Hill Orchard. You simply pay for the apples you pick. No need to bring a bag, they provide them for you.
Trax Farms
Annual Fall Festival on 150-year-old farm is a tradition for many families in the South Hills and greater Pittsburgh area. There’s something for everyone from grandparents to grandkids. Enjoy a hayride to the pumpkin patch to pick-your-own pumpkin or see if you can find your way through the giant, 3-acre corn maze!
Hayride ticket required for access to corn maze and pumpkin patch.* *Pumpkins are not included in hayride ticket.
ADVANCED TICKETS REQUIRED – PURCHASE ONLINE PRIOR TO EVENT – LIMITED AMOUNT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN-PERSON –
5 Tips for Apple Picking with Kids by Victoria Robillard, Publisher of Macaroni Kid Plymouth, Mass.
 Making memories in an apple orchard. |
Here are five tips to make the most of your apple-picking experience and the apples that you bring home:
1. Teach your kids to search out the best apples.
Show your kids how to look at and handle the apples before picking to make sure they pick ones that are ripe and bruise- and bug-free. Colors, of course, can vary based on the apple species, so talk to the people who run your local orchard about what to look for in the apples that are grown there. Some orchards will even have resources on their websites.
2. Teach your kids to handle the apples gently after picking!
Now that they know how to spot the best apples, don't let the kids ruin them by treating them roughly once they're in their grasp! Tossing or throwing them into the basket will bruise apples and make their shelf life shorter.
3. Make it educational.
Take your kids to talk with the local orchard owner or farmer. They are experts about their orchards and growing apples. You can learn a lot from them!
4. Don't wash the apples until you're ready to eat them.
Often rough handing, washing, and scrubbing can quicken the time until the apples go bad, so wait until you're ready to eat or cook them to wash them.
5. Experiment!
There are so many ways to enjoy apples! Encourage your kids to find different recipes ... you can help them make pies and desserts, butter, or applesauce ... the list is endless! Check the Apple Varieties Guide from PickYourOwn.org to find out the best uses for your types of apples.
Victoria Robillard is the publisher of Macaroni Kid Plymouth, Mass.
