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Apple guide: Where to go to pick or purchase
It's apple season in Maine, and along with that come doughnuts, cider and even pumpkins.
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It’s that time of year again when the evenings cool and the apples ripen at orchards across the state.
Fall in Maine brings with it some 100 apple varieties available for pick-your-own excursions or purchases at stands and farm stores. Whether you’re looking for Cortlands, Macs or Paula Reds, there’s a long list of spots where you can get a whole bushel of one variety or just a few of each.
Use our guide to find spots near you. For orchards in Cumberland County with cider and doughnut options choose all three buttons.
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THE APPLE FARM
Details: From the weekend after Labor Day through October, you can pick your own apples. Wagon rides are available for transportation in the orchard. The store has apples, fudge, sweet apple cider, extra sharp cheddar cheese, jams and jellies, Maine maple products, other delicious treats, Maine made crafts and art.
Where: 104 Back Road, Fairfield
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, August to November
Contact: (207) 453-7656, applefarm.us
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APPLEWALD FARM
Details: Family-run operation with more than 20 fruits and vegetables, and many of those have several varieties.
Where: 525 Huntington Hill Road, Litchfield
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Contact: (207) 268-4042, applewaldfarm.com
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AVALON ORCHARD & FARM
Details: Apple orchards plus a wide variety of vegetables.
Where: 234 Dexter Road, St Albans
When: Call for hours
Contact: (207) 938-2501
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BAILEY’S ORCHARD
Details: Owned and operated by the same family for over 60 years. With more than 50 apple varieties. You can pick your own or buy them in the barn, along with apples, crabapples, plums, pears, pumpkins, squash, gourds, honey, fudge and cider pressed at the farm.
Where: 255 North Hunts Meadow Road, Whitefield
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Contact: (207) 549-7680
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BERRY FRUIT FARM
Details: Family-owned since 1900, Berry Fruit Farm offers the classic U-Pick apples, as well as pumpkins in September and October. Fresh raspberries are available from July to October.
Where: 54 Main St., Livermore Falls
When: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays
Contact: (207) 897-4767; berryfruitfarm.com/
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BOND’S ORCHARD
Details: A small family orchard that offers stand service or pick-your-own. Sells pumpkins, fresh cider and honey.
Where: 60 Parks Road, Richmond
When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday
Contact: (207) 557-3771; facebook.com/BondsOrchard
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BOOTHBY’S FARM MARKET & ORCHARD
Details: Pick your own apples starting Sept. 7. Grab some local, seasonal produce or go for a wagon ride while you’re there.
Where: 366 Boothby Road (Route 108), Livermore
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday
Contact: (207) 754-3500; boothbysorchard.com/
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CAYFORD ORCHARD
Details: Sixth-generation family farm that has 1,200 trees on 18 acres. They specialize in heirloom apples, but grow a range of fruit like berries, peaches and pears and also sell cider.
Where: 99 Hilton Hill Road, Skowhegan
When: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, Sept. 1-Thanksgiving
Contact: (207) 474-5200; cayfordorchards.com
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CHICK’S APPLE AND BERRY FARM
Details: Pick-your-own apple orchard operating from September through early November with Macintosh, Macoun and Cortland apples, as well as pick-your-own pumpkins.
Where: 571 Main St., Monmouth
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Contact: (207) 441-6250; facebook.com/chicksappleberry
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CONANT APPLE ORCHARDS
Details: Pick-your-own apples or buy at the store. Also local products like pickles, jams and syrups.
Where: 729 Stage Road, Etna
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Contact: (207) 269-2241; facebook.com/conantappleorchards
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COOPER FARMS
Details: Not in the mood to do the picking? No problem. Pick up a bag of pre-picked apples and maybe a baked good to go.
Where: 27 Bethel Road, West Paris
When: Call for hours.
Contact: (207) 674-2200; cooperfarms.wixsite.com/stand
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COUNTY FAIR FARM
Details: Offers apples and squash at the farm stand through Thanksgiving and meat (beef, pork, chicken) all year.
Where: 423 Augusta Road, Jefferson
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Contact: (207) 549-4793; facebook.com/countyfairfarm/
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FIVE FIELDS FARM
Details: Offers pick-your-own apples or pre-picked. Varieties include Mcintosh, Honeycrisp, Cortland, Macoun, Red Delicious and Golden Delicious. The orchard also offers snowshoe hiking and skiing on its groomed and backcountry trails in the winter.
Where: 720 S. Bridgton Road, Bridgton
When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Contact: (207) 647-2425; facebook.com/fivefieldsfarmmaine/
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GIBSON’S ORCHARD
Details: Offers pick-your-own apples and raspberries. Grab a gallon of fresh-pressed cider while you’re there.
Where: 36 Gibson Road, Bethel
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily starting Sept. 2
Contact: (207) 595-6944
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GREENWOOD ORCHARDS
Details: A family-run farmstand specializing in apples, cider and baked goods.
Where: 174 Auburn Road (Route 4), Turner
When: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Contact: (207) 225-3764
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HAZEL HILL ORCHARD
Details: Reserve a tree to harvest your own apples from, or grab a bag of pre-picked apples. Pick up some maple syrup, apple butter or an apple can cake before heading home.
Where: 59 South Livermore Road, Turner
When: Call for hours
Contact: (207) 500-3886; hazelhillorchard.com/
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KENTS HILL ORCHARD
Details: Pick-your-own orchard with a variety of apple options. You can also purchase home-baked goodies in the apple shed bakery.
Where: 1625 Main Street, Kents Hill
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
Contact: (207) 713-3055; kentshillorchard.com/
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LAKESIDE ORCHARD
Details: Located just 20 minutes from downtown Augusta, Lakeside boasts about 60 acres of apple trees and several additional acres of blueberries, raspberries and honeyberries.
Where: 318 Readfield Road, Manchester
When: Call for hours
Contact: (207) 622-2479; lakesideorchards.com/
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LANE ROAD ORCHARD
Details: Orchard grows apples and aronia berries and has a few dozen pear trees. Also sells aronia jelly and syrup, and other jellies when available.
Where: 258 Lane Road, New Sharon
When: Upick 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday & Sunday through Oct. 29
Contact: (508) 272-7684; laneroadorchard.com/
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LEMIEUX’S ORCHARD
Details: Apples plus homemade doughnuts made fresh daily, apple cider and pies, plus a corn maze.
Where: 210 Priest Hill Road, Vassalboro
When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Contact: (207) 873-4354; facebook.com/lemieuxs.orchards
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MAINE HERITAGE ORCHARD
Details: Orchard is home to more than 300 varieties of apples and pears traditionally grown in Maine, with more being added each year. The collection includes varieties from all 16 counties, dating back as far as 1630.
Where: 294 Crosby Brook Road, Unity
When: Call for hours
Contact: (207) 568-4142; mofga.org
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MORRISON HILL ORCHARD
Details: This 10-acre, 400-plus tree orchard has more than 12 apple varieties and is part of an 65-acre farm with a 150-year history. Also cider for sale, wood-fired pizza and events, including a cornhole tournament.
Where: 272 Morrison Hill Road, Farmington
When: 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, 12 to 7 p.m. Saturday
Contact: (207) 778-4945; morrisonhillorchard.com
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NORTH STAR ORCHARD
Details: Family-run farm located at the foot of the western Maine mountains, overlooking the Kennebec River. The property also houses cold storage, a packing facility, farm store, pick-your-own apples, a maple sugar house, a cider mill and a farm kitchen.
Where: 97 Orchard Road, Madison
When: Call for hours
Contact: (207) 696-5109; northstarorchards.me
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PLEASANT POND ORCHARD
Details: More than 60 varieties of apples, as well as peach, plum, pear and cherry trees. High bush blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and grapes round out the assortment of fruits. The shop features fruits, baked goods and cider and sells fresh vegetables, maple syrup, vinegars, sauces, chocolate, honey and more from Maine farms and producers.
Where: 430 Brunswick Road, Richmond
When: Store is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday & Monday, from July to December
Contact: (907) 317-0888 -
RICKER HILL ORCHARD
Details: Ricker Hill Orchards has been growing Maine apples for more than nine generations in Turner. Pick your own apples, visit the maple sugar shack and country store, then stick around for some disc golf.
Where: 295 Buckfield Road (Route 117), Turner
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, March through December
Contact: (207) 225-5552 or (207) 225-3455; rickerhill.com
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ROCKY RIDGE ORCHARD
Details: Pick your own apples from September through the end of October, or grab a bag of apples from the store. Varieties include Macintosh, Cortland, Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Macoun, Red Free, crabapples and more. Pick up some homemade bread or pastries while you’re there.
Where: 38 Rocky Ridge Lane (Route 201), Bowdoin
When: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Contact: (207) 666-5786; rockyridgeorchard.com/
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ROWE ORCHARDS
Details: Rowe has been growing apples and pears for 50 years with 12 different varieties of apples in large quantities, and 30 more varieties in limited volume. You’ll also find four varieties of pears on 95 acres of trees. The store has a wide variety of farm produce, as well as canned products such as jellies, jams and preserves, dressings and maple syrup. For the sweet tooth, Rowe’s sells fudge, maple sugar candy, doughnuts and pies.
Where: Route 7, Moosehead Trail, Newport
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, August to Dec. 25
Contact: (207) 368-4777; roweorchards.com
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SANDY RIVER APPLE ORCHARD
Details: First established in 1852, the orchard features more than 25 varieties of apples to choose from. The farm’s 200-plus-year-old barn was restored in 2012.
Where: 240 W Sandy River Road, Mercer
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, September through mid-October
Contact: (207) 587-2563; sandyriverapples.com/
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SNELL FAMILY FARM
Details: The orchard at Snell Family Farm is home to several acres of apple trees, as well as peach, pear, plum and tart cherry trees.
Where: 100 River Road, Buxton
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday
Contact: (207) 929-6166; snellfamilyfarm.com/
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SPILLER FARM
Details: Spiller Farm has existed since 1894 and its many acres are home to row crops, hay fields and pastures. On the fruit front there are four acres dedicated to strawberries and another four to several varieties of apples for picking. The farm store offers beef, pork, chicken and eggs as well as pizza, sandwiches, drinks and homemade pet food.
Where: 85 Spiller Farm Lane, Wells
When: Check website for hours and current availability of apples
Contact: (207) 985-2575; spillerfarm.com/
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STUKAS FARM
Details: Pick-your own or take home a bag of pre-picked apples. Produce including pears, plums, squash pumpkins as well as fresh-pressed cider available.
Where: 144 Ferry Rd, Lewiston
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Contact: (207) 786-2639; facebook.com/StukasFarm/
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SWEETSER’S APPLE BARREL ORCHARDS
Details: They don’t offer pick your own but there are still plenty of reasons to visit the farmstand at Sweetser’s Apple Barrel Orchards. There you’ll find many types of apples along with cider and cider doughnuts. You can also pick up things like honey, maple syrup, preserves, baked goods and an array of fresh fruits and vegetables. Once fall is here, you’ll also find plenty of pumpkins.
Where: 19 Blanchard Road, Cumberland
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Contact: (207) 829-6599; maineapple.com/
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THOMPSON’S ORCHARDS
Details: Thompson’s Orchards has been a family affair since 1906. Roam through the orchards to pick Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Macouns, Miltons, Honey Crisp, Jester and several other types of apples. You can also grab a bag of pre-picked apples along with baked goods and doughnuts.
Where: 276 Gloucester Hill Road, New Gloucester
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Contact: (207) 926-4738; maineappleorchard.com/
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WALLINGFORD’S FRUIT HOUSE
Details: With 25 acres of pick-your-own apple trees, there is no shortage of prime picking. Stop by the bakery for fresh-made apple cider, chocolate doughnuts, pies, muffins and more.
Where: 1240 Perkins Ridge Road, Auburn
When: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, June 1 to Dec. 31
Contact: (207) 784-7958; wallingfordsorchard.com/
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WILLOW POND FARM
Details: Willow Pond is a small diversified farm on 35 acres, seven which are MOFGA-certified organic vegetables and berries. Offering pick-your-own apples from Labor Day weekend through October. Visit the animals or shop at the farm stand when you’re done picking.
Where: 395 Middle Road, Sabattus
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Contact: (207) 375-6662; willowpf.com/