Near Syracuse, NY in Onondaga County there are many opportunities for family fun, picking your own fruit and vegetables this fall.
One of the most family friendly of them all is Abbott Farms. Open year around, their hours are usually 10 AM-6PM Monday through Saturday. From Labor Day through Halloween they are open also on Sundays noon-6pm. On the weekends between Labor Day and Halloween, they have a fall festival on the farm with activities for the whole family. It is located at 3275 Cold Springs Rd. in Baldwinsville NY only 20 minutes away from Syracuse. They offer asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries, sweet cherries, sweet corn, potatoes, apples, and Italian prune plums. Check the website for more details.
Another great pick is Beak and Skiff Apple Farms. They are open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM from late August until late October. This farm offers a wide variety of apples. For the older crowd, this farm also offers hard cider and apple wine and vodka. This farm is located near Lafayette, NY, 20 minutes south of Syracuse. Check their website for more details.
If you do not get your fill of apples at Beak and Skiff, Deer Run Farms offers apples nearby. They are located 2695 Route 11A, Lafayette NY, 13084. For more details, call 315-677-6487.
Navarino Orchard offers apples, strawberries, raspberries and pumpkins. They are open June through October daily from 9 AM-7PM. They have a country store that offers a variety of items. They are also located near Lafayette, NY, 20 minutes south of Syracuse. For more information, go to their website.
One of the most unique you pick farms that Onondaga county has to offer is the Strawberry Fields Hydroponic Farm. On this farm, strawberries are available from May until October because the berries are grown up off the ground. The hours vary considerably and the farm does not have a website, so it is recommended that visitors e-mail [email protected] or call 315-246-5657.
These are only 5 of many harvest farms in the fertile land of central NY. One great resource for finding more is the website pickyourown. They have a listing of farms all over the United States and the world. Always check ahead when going to one of their listed farms, however, because the website is sometimes not up to date. Happy picking!