Apple Orchards Open for Fall Season in Chicago Suburbs

By Amie Schaenzer

Apple picking season is here.

Patch.com has compiled a list of some of the best apple orchards in the Chicago suburbs. Some offer a little bit of everything for fall fun, including hay rides, apple cider, apple donuts, corn mazes, pumpkin picking and much more. Others stick to the basics and provides their customers with you-pick orchards where they can get the freshest apples.

Be sure to call ahead or check the orchard’s website to clarify hours of operation or to check for availability of apples and other produce.

Lake County

Heinz Orchard

Address: 1050 Crest Road, Green Oaks, IL 60048

Hours of Operation: The orchard will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12 and Saturday, Sept. 13. Check the orchard’s website for more information on hours of operation for the rest of season.

Phone: 847-770-3449

Admission: Free

Details: If you are looking for a “no-frills” apple orchard, and the closest one to the city, Heinz Orchard is your place. The orchard welcomes families to bring their own strollers and wagons into their orchard. The orchard does not offer any extras, such as corn mazes, hay rides or food and drink, but instead specializes in “pure apple picking fun in a beautiful surrounding,” according to the orchard’s website. Information on the type of apples currently available can be found on the orchard’s website.

For more information: http://www.heinzorchard.com/

McHenry County

All Seasons Apple Orchard

Address: 4510 IL Route 176, Woodstock, IL

Hours of Operation: Weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Weekends and Holidays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Phone: (815) 338-5637

Details: This apple orchard offers 12 varieties of apples and pears. The orchard offers pick-your-own Honeycrisp apples and Asian pears andprovides updates on its website on which apples or pears are currently available.

Other Activities: A corn maze offers 3 miles of pathways and a lookout bridge, and there is also a shorter maze. The pumpkin patch will be open through the end of October.

For more information: http://allseasonsorchard.com/

Prairie Sky Orchard

Address: 4914 N. Union Road, Union

Hours of Operation: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

Phone: 815-923-4834

Details: More information on the you-pick crop can be found on Prairie Sky’s website

Other Activities: Prairie Sky also sells apple cider, apple cider donuts, frozen pies and more.

Other Crops/Produce/Trees: Asian pears, pumpkins, squash

For more information: http://www.prairieskyorchard.com/

Royal Oak Farm Orchard

Address: 15908 Hebron Road, Harvard, IL

Hours of Operation: U-Pick apple orchard open on Sept. 1 through Oct. 31 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Thursday; from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. See details on the hours of operation for later in the season on the orchard website.

Phone: 815-648-4141

Details: The orchard has a large variety of apples available. For crop updates, visit the Royal Oak crop website

Other Activities: The entertainment area has no admission fee. Each guest can purchase entertainment tokens for $2.50 per token, which is good for the train, carousel, or orchard tour rides. Royal Oak also has a market/bakery and country restaurant.

Other Crops/Produce/Trees: Raspberries, pumpkins, corn, peaches, gourds and squash.

For more information: http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com/

Pine Acres Apples

Address: 41W651 Powers Road, Huntley, IL

Hours of Operation: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Phone: 847-669-3251

Admission: There is a $5 entrance fee for all vehicles. All apples are $2 per pound.

Details: Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Empire, Red Delicious and Granny Smith apple are available at this you-pick orchard.

Other Crops/Produce/Trees: Christmas tree cutting begins Nov. 28

For more information: http://www.pineapple-acres.com/

More Than Delicious Orchard

Address: 9905 Thompson Road, Woodstock

Hours of Operation: The orchard opens for the season on Sept. 13. The orchard will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays.

Phone: 815-575-9650

Details: Information on the you-pick crop is available on the orchard’s website

For more information: http://morethandelicious.com/

Lang’s Orchard

Address: 17411 Secor Rd Woodstock, IL 60098

Hours of Operation: Opens for the season on Sept. 13. This year, the orchard will only be open on the weekends, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Phone: 815-568-7547

Details: More information on what apples are available can be found on Lang’s website

For more information: http://www.langsorchard.com/

Woodstock Country Orchard

Address: 17015 Garden Valley Rd Woodstock, IL 60098

Hours of Operation: Opening for the fall season on Sept. 13. Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Phone: 815-923-4359

Details: Check out the orchard’s website for updates on what type of apples are available.

For more information: http://www.woodstockcountryorchard.com/

DeKalb County

Honey Hill Orchards

Address: 11747 Waterman Rd, Waterman, IL 60556

Hours of Operation: Open Sept. 2, 4 and 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Starting on Sept. 8, open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Phone: 815-264-3337

Details: More information on the pick-your-own crop is available on the Honey Hill website

For more information: ttp://www.honeyhillorchard.com/

Plank Road Apple Orchard

Address: 50w737 Plank Rd Sycamore, IL 60178

For more information: (815) 899-4020

Jonamac Orchard

Address: 9412 Shabbona Rd Malta, IL 60150

Hours of Operation: Apple orchard is open Aug. 20 through Nov. 26; apple picking is available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Sunday

Phone: (815) 825-2158

Admission: Free

For more information: http://jonamacorchard.com/events/.

Kuipers Family Farm

Address: 1N318 Watson Road, Maple Park

Hours of Operation: Apple picking is available Saturday and Sundays only.

Phone: (815) 827-5200

Admission: Admission to the apple orchard is $9 per person and includes a 1/4 peck bag of apples and a hay ride to the grove.

Details: You can buy apples at the Orchard Shop or pick your own. The orchard’s website has information on apples available and when is the best time to pick. The apple information line at (815) 827-5200 Ext. 1 also has weekly updates on apples available. Besides apple picking, there are plenty of other activities to entertain the family at Kuipers, including a corn maze, pumpkin farm activity area, duck races, pig races and more.

Other Crops/Produce/Trees: Pick-your-own pumpkin field available Sept. 20 through Oct. 31 and cut-your-own Christmas tree harvest begins on Nov. 22.

For more information: http://www.kuipersfamilyfarm.com/

Boone County

Edwards Apple Orchard

Address: 7601 Centerville Road, Poplar Grove, IL 61065

Hours of Operation: In September and October, the orchard is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. In November, the orchard is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Phone: 815-765-2234

Details: A family-owned apple orchard with a mission of providing a farm experience to families. The farm offers crisp apples, warm apple cider donuts and freshly pressed apple cider.

For more information:https://plus.google.com/117692567889780940844/about

Will County

Apples on Oak

Apples on Oak Apple Orchard will not have apples available this season due to last year’s harsh winter. The apple orchard plans to open next August.

For more information: http://www.applesonoak.com/applesonoak.html

Garden Patch Farms and Orchard

Address: 14158 W 159th St. in Homer Glen

Hours of Operation: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

Phone: 708-301-7720

Admission: $5 per person to enter the you-pick fields

Details: More information on the you-pick crop can be found on the Garden Patch Farms website

Other Crops/Produce/Trees: Pears, peppers, pickles, tomatoes, kale and more.

For more information: http://www.pickthefarm.com/

Kendall County

Knutson Harvest

Address: 13550 Townhouse Road, Newark

Hours of Operation: Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Phone: 815-695-5905

Details: More information on the you-pick crop is available on the Knutson website

Other Activities: Knutson’s also sells homemade pies, jams, pickles and syrups.

Other Crops/Produce/Trees: Berries, vegetables, peaches

For more information: http://www.knutsonsharvest.com/

Indiana Orchards

County Line Orchard

Address: 200 S County Line Road, Hobart, IN

Hours of Operation: UPick is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

Phone: 219-947-4477

Admission: Admission ranges from $1 to $10 a person

Details: The 2014 apple crop is expected to be fantastic at County Line Orchard. The apple orchard includes 40 acres of U-Pick apples and over 35 varieties of apples. For updates and crop availability, visit the County Line Orchard website.

Other Activities: There is a corn maze and a kids farm area with a toddler play area, mini maze, chickville, and “Peter the Pumpkin Eating Dino.” There is also a picnic area and outdoor music performances. The bakery sells apple spice and pumpkin spice donuts. The orchard also provides group camp fires and hay rides.

For more information: http://www.countylineorchard.com/

Wisconsin Orchards

Harvest Times Orchard

Address: 36116 128th St., Twin Lakes, WI

Hours of Operation: Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Phone: 262-877-4831

Details: The orchard has pick-your-own apples, pumpkins and cherries. More information on what produce is available can be found on the website. There is also a donut shop and apple cider is made in the cider barn.

Other Crops/Produce/Trees: Cherries, pumpkins

For more information: http://www.myharvesttime.com/cider.html

Apple Barn Orchard and Winery

Address: W6384 Sugar Creek Rd., Elkhorn, WI

Hours of Operation: The pick-your-own season will begin toward the end of September. Check the orchard’s website for hours of operation. http://www.applebarnorchardandwinery.com/index.html

Phone: 262-728-3266

Details: More information on what apples are available can be found onApple Barn’s website.

Other Activities: The winery sells a variety of fruit wines and offers free sampling of the wines. There are also winery tours available.

For more information:http://www.applebarnorchardandwinery.com/index.html

Apple Holler

Address: 5006 S Sylvania Ave., Sturtevant, WI 53177

Hours of Operation: The orchard is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday

Phone: 1-800-238-3629

Details: The 74-acre orchard has a variety of apples available. More information is available on Apple Holler’s website.

Other Activities: Apple Holler also offers its Red Barn Theatre performances, hay rides, sleigh rides, crazy corn maize and a gemstone mining experience.

For more information: http://www.appleholler.com/