Apple Orchard *CLOSED FOR 2024*
Pick your own apples at Von Thun’s this fall! The orchard opens for the season each year in mid-September. Come out early in the season for the best selection. Some varieties may be ready for picking in earlier in the season than others, so it’s always best to call for availability: 732-329-8656. What’s better than Jersey Fresh apples?
Everyone over the age of 2 entering the orchard must pay a $3 entry fee (included in Fall Festival General Admission) and purchase a bag for picking which includes the cost of the apples. No reservations needed. Please note ALL bags, containers, baby strollers, etc. are subject to search by our staff.
1/4 Peck Bag (1-2 people, 3 – 4 lbs): $9
1/2 Peck Bag (2-4 people, 5 – 6 lbs): $15
1 Peck Bag (up to 6 people, 10 – 12 lbs): $25
Orchard Hours: 10 am – 5 pm
Apple Varieties
- AUTUMN GALA apples are crisp & sweet. If you love sweet apples rather than tart ones…the Gala apple is the one for you!
- Everyone knows the GOLDEN DELICIOUS apple! They are semi-sweet & crisp. Golden Delicious apples are on the tart side early in the season and sweeten as they mature.
- MUTSU apples are firm, juicy, & crunchy. They are similar to a Golden Delicious, but are more tart. Mutsu apples are a favorite among our customers.
- NITTANY apples are slightly tart, & very crisp. The Nittany apple variety was developed by a professor at Penn State University…pretty cool, huh?!
- CRIMSON CRISP apples are a crisp, juicy, snacking apple. Sweet with a hint of tart.
- STAYMAN apples are an old time favorite! They are the apple of all apples, being very tart & very firm. To some, these apples are too tart. They are the most tart early in the season, but even when they are fully ripe, they maintain their distinct tartness.
- SUNCRISP apples are sweet & crisp. The Suncrisp apple variety was developed by the staff & students at Rutgers University … now that’s even neater than the Nittany apple story!
- DAYBREAK FUJI apples are a great choice for folks with a sweet tooth as these are very sweet. Early season apple.
- AZTEC FUJI apples are another great choice for folks with a sweet tooth as these are very sweet. Later season apple.
- HONEYCRISP apples are a fan favorite for apple lovers, Honeycrisps are very sweet. Early-season apple.
How to Pick Apples
We have dwarf trees that are very close to the ground. No ladders or poles are needed as most guests finds our apples easy to pick! The apples on the outside of the tree are the first to ripen, so those should be the first apples picked early in the season. Later in the season, apples on the inside of the trees will be ripe and ready for picking. Picking apples is easy: Roll the apple upwards off the branch and give a little twist; don’t pull straight away from the tree, as this will break a branch or tear the stem off your apple – neither of which is good.
Apples with their stems intact will keep & store longer than apples without stems! If two apples are joined together at the top, both will come away at the same time. Don’t shake the trees or branches. If the apple you are trying to pick drops, (or others on the tree drop) please pick them up. They’re perfectly fine!
Take note:
- Once picked, handle the apples gently, or they will bruise and go bad more quickly.
- Don’t wash apples until just before using them to prevent spoilage.
- Keep apples cool/refrigerated after picking to increase shelf life. Kept cool, fresh-picked apples will generally keep weeks, but it DOES depend on the variety. High humidity helps to to keep apples from shriveling. (A wet towel placed nearby helps to maintain humidity.)
We understand your temptation for picking an apple & immediately eating it…but we would appreciate it if you would pay for your apples before you eat them! Could you imagine how many apples we would lose if we allowed each orchard visitor to eat just one apple before they paid for what they picked?Unfortunately, we just can’t afford to do that. So, we hope you’ll understand that as part of our orchard policy, we charge for each apple that is eaten before it is paid for.
