One Of The Nation's Best Apple Orchards Is Hiding In Connecticut
Although Washington has grown the lion's share of America's apples since the 1920s, there's something quintessentially New England about apple picking in autumn. That said, it's not terribly surprising that one of the best apple orchards in the country is smack dab in the Connecticut River Valley.
If you're looking to wow everyone with your sweet and tart deep dish apple pie recipe this holiday season, you may be on the hunt for the best fruit the nation has to offer. The top choice for apple picking enthusiasts who participated in a USA Today poll is Lyman Orchards, which spans 1,100 acres of Middlefield, Connecticut. The apple orchard alone accounts for 200 acres of that space and is home to 30,000 apple trees.
While the orchard has been in operation since 1741, its pick-your-own-fruit model, which has become Lyman's bread and butter, wasn't instituted until the 1960s. Between the months of August and November, folks flock to the orchard to gather 25 different varieties of eco-certified apples, ranging from Red Delicious and Fuji to Empire, Crispin, and Granny Smith (the best type of apple for baking).
However, you can find more than just apples at Lyman Orchards. You can also find peaches, pears, pumpkins, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, nectarines, honeyberries, and jostaberries, which are a cross between gooseberries and black currants.
There's more to the orchard than meets the eye
Both active in the community and conscious of its needs, Lyman Orchards doesn't just operate to sell fruit. In 1972, the family opened the Apple Barrel, a market that sells an array of locally grown produce and even offers a community supported agriculture program, allowing folks to support local farms by purchasing a share of a their crops at the beginning of the season.
Baked goods, including the orchard's award winning apple crumb pie, are available in its in-house bakery. There are a slew of other apple products to be found, including cider, donuts, and apple butter (Pennsylvania's favorite pairing with cottage cheese). The Apple Barrel also features a deli filled with sandwich options and a creamery.
Other facets of the family business include two popular golf courses and 1741 Pub & Grill, the restaurant at Lyman Orchards Golf Club, which serves signature cocktails as well as burgers, sandwiches, wings, salads, and flatbreads. Bar favorites like jalapeño poppers, nachos, and pretzels with beer cheese are also on the menu. A popular choice with locals for day trips and vacations, the orchard hosts an annual sunflower maze and corn maze in the late summer months into early fall.