It’s 10:30 a.m. on a sunny fall Saturday, and an unbroken line of minivans and SUVs snakes up the unpaved Apple Tree Lane in upstate Poughquag, about 15 miles southeast of Poughkeepsie. More than 225 cars already fill the upper quarter of the grassy lot at Barton Orchards — and by noon, visitors will be lucky if they manage to snag a spot within range of the alluring aroma of fried dough.
“Can we do the corn maze?” shouts an excited child.
“After we pick apples,” says his mother.
“There’s apples here?!” exclaims the boy.
Once the primary attraction at almost any orchard, apples — and the trees that grow them — must now compete with DJs, live bands, petting zoos, homemade treats and hayrides for attention. If your idea of pastoral includes a cow-shaped bouncy castle, you’ve come to the right place.
“It’s more about recreation now,” concedes Peter Barton, who owns the 122-acre family farm that boasts a 5-acre corn maze.
And recreation is exactly why people go: DJs spin on midweek school holidays, while live bands take the stage on weekends. Last Saturday, barefoot toddlers were spotted busting a move on the gravel dance floor in front of the stage, swaying to a cover of “Soul Man,” while men and women clad in concert tees scarfed down mozzarella sticks. Music here is just another aspect of the fun, with Barton seeking out little-known local bands and DJs who play all ages music, such as classic rock.
“In the city, you get overwhelmed with wildlife being rats and pigeons,” says John Socas, visiting with his wife and 3-year-old daughter from the Upper West Side.
“People don’t realize [nature] is this close,” adds the 40-year-old professor as he gazes out at the rows of apple trees and a football-field-sized vineless pumpkin patch.
No orchard anywhere for miles draws the crowds Barton attracts. With some 5,000 visitors flocking there on Saturdays in the fall (even more make the trip on Sundays and holidays, although Barton is open daily), it hosts 10 times more visitors than anyone else: Nearby Montgomery Place Orchards and Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard, for example, each attract just a few hundred apple-pickers per day.
Beyond the massive garden, with its rows of colorful hot and sweet peppers and past the Family Theme Park — peddling go-karts, obstacle courses and a trio of bouncy castles — a 60-acre orchard beckons, bearing Cortland, Empire, Macintosh and Red Delicious apples.
Barton typically boasts more than a dozen varieties of the state fruit, but this year, supply is unusually low: At 590 million pounds, New York’s supply is down by more than half of last year’s crop, thanks to a late spring frost, according to a US Department of Agriculture report released in August. And the hot summer had survivors ripening earlier than usual, meaning the season is now drawing to an early close.
In light of this, Barton put everything in apple-pie order: “We made sure everyone had a chance to get something,” says Nick Covino, Barton’s son-in-law and business partner. This year, pickers must limit their loot to one bag, which fits about two dozen apples.
But a short supply and ballooning crowds haven’t fazed visitors such as the one family, who made the trek all the way from Canarsie, Brooklyn.
“We got lost,” says Jackie McMillian, 26. “Twice.” Her 4-year-old daughter has been begging to pick apples since she first heard of the activity in school. “It’s good to get them outside the normal [routine], to learn about all this. And it’s a good way to get them to eat vegetables,” adds the scientist.
Her 10-year-old son, Dasean, runs over to present his latest pick. “This is the biggest cucumber I have ever seen in my life,” declares McMillian, provoking a wide grin from the proud little farmer.
Venture beyond the first few rows of trees or look above arm’s reach and you’ll find plenty of fruit. Here, it’s far less crowded — most visitors stick to the front, focusing on the kid-friendly activities and eagerly snapping photos, instead of trekking all the way to the back.
To reach the higher branches, $5 poles with a basket atop — resembling a lacrosse stick — will help you pluck the best fruit (outside aids are prohibited).
“The best fruit will release easily, with the stem attached,” Barton says. “Take the fruit and twist upward, like a flip over the branch.”
Stacey Russo of White Plains and her friend Lisa Bon Giovi, of Middle Village, Queens, tried their luck with the pole.
“It’s hard,” laughs Russo, a product developer, arms outstretched to the sky as Bon Giovi’s 3-year-old circles the fallen fruit.
Is apple-picking not enough of a heart-racer for you? Check out the on-site haunted house, a spooky spot cloaked in darkness and scary enough for pre-teens, as parents queue for 75-cent apple cider doughnuts nearby. Barton sells about 1,000 of the sugary confections every weekend day — and there’s always a line.
But visitors who have been to other orchards don’t mind. “You’re not on top of one another here,” says McMillian. “It’s large enough for everyone.”
And for the Gershman family, a trip to Barton is nearly a 7-year-old tradition.
Jaqueline, 14, lugs over a monstrous pumpkin before asking, “Can I get a bigger one?”
Lissa, her mother, laughs. “That’s a lot of pie, and soup, and bread,” says the 60-year-old Chelsea resident.
“If we just wanted apple picking we wouldn’t need to drive so far. It’s not just an orchard …,” Lissa adds. “It’s an outing.”
Barton Orchards, 63 Apple Tree Lane, Poughquag; 845-227-2306, bartonorchards.com. Open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. till the end of October. Admission $3 (free for kids under 6). Includes hayrides, petting zoo and playground access.
Appetizing apple eats: From spiked cider to baked goods, fruity fun abounds in NYC and upstate orchards
NYC & Hudson Valley Cider Week through Oct. 21, ciderweekny.com
If DIY (or getting out of the city) isn’t your thing, 120 local restaurants and bars are participating in the second annual Cider Week. Besides hard-cider specials and free tastings, look for special events such as “A Cider Revival,” in which the fermented apple juice beverage will be paired with hors d’oeuvres at the New Amsterdam Market (South Street Seaport; 212-766-8688) tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and “Jane Appleseed: Women in Cider and Cheese” at Murray’s (254 Bleecker St.; e-mail classes@murrayscheese.com, $75), Tuesday, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Beak & Skiff’s Apple Hill Orchards, Winery and Distillery 4472 Cherry Valley Turnpike, Lafayette; 315-677-5105
Beak & Skiff’s is appealing even before you know it makes vodka and ciders from apples, raspberries and blueberries: Try the apple butter ($3.95), apple salsa ($6.50) and local cheddar cheese (prices vary) here, too. Sure, it’s up near Syracuse — but the point is a day in the country, right? The pick-your-own farm, winery and distillery are open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while pony rides and live music add to the fun.
Applewood Orchards 82 Four Corners Road, Warwick; 845-986-1684
Until the end of the month, stop by Applewood Orchards 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily for cider, honey, jams, pies, herbs from its garden and, of course, apple picking. Weekend highlights at the orchard, which has offered pick-your-own for the past 40 years, include free live music, face-painting, hayrides and puppet shows. Go hungry: There’s plenty to eat at the country store — apple-cider doughnuts, soup, chili and hot dogs among them.
Warwick Valley 114 Little York Road, Warwick; 845-258-4858
Apple-picking season has already ended here, but there’s still plenty of reasons to pile into the car (and designate a driver): Live music keeps the winery rocking on weekends, and Warwick was the Hudson Valley’s first distillery since Prohibition, opening in 1994. Every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. fruit liqueurs, hard ciders, gin and wine are available for tippling (and the $5 tasting includes a take-home glass). Afterward, stop by the on-site cafe for a sausage-and-sage pizza, $13, or a grilled steak sandwich, $12. — Sara Pepitone