Quick answer: The strongest PYO options are Johnny Appleseed’s Farm, Irish Bend Orchard, Buell’s Orchard, Crookes Orchard, Lapsley Orchard, DeFazio Orchard, Woodstock Orchards, 18th Century Purity Farm and Orchard Products. Kollas Orchard is a great apple stop, but does not offer PYO.
Apple availability can change fast with weather and crowds. Always check the farm’s site or call the day you plan to visit. Some farms open different varieties week by week, and “open” does not always mean every PYO crop is available.
🍏 Tolland County Apple Orchards
For apple picking in Tolland County, start in Ellington and Somers. Tolland itself also has two good grab-and-go apple stops.
Johnny Appleseed’s Farm — Ellington
One of the area’s biggest apple operations, with about 60 acres of dwarf apple trees and 14 varieties. The PYO orchard is on Schoolhouse Road in Ellington, while farm stands in Ellington and Tolland sell already-picked produce. CTvisit lists apple picking from early August into late October, weather permitting.
PYO orchard: 13 Schoolhouse Rd, Ellington
Tolland stand: 244 Hartford Tpke, Tolland
Phone: 860-875-1000
Irish Bend Orchard — Somers
A fifth-generation family farm with U-pick and pre-picked fruit. Its live site currently lists Gala apples, with the broader apple season running September through October. Varieties include Zestar, McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Empire, Early Fuji, Gala, Smokehouse and Cameo.
Hours posted now: Fri 9–3; Sat–Sun 9–5
Address: 90 Pioneer Heights Rd, Somers
Phone: 860-698-6429
Tip: The orchard specifically asks visitors to call before heading over.
Kollas Orchard — Tolland
This small research-oriented orchard is for people who care as much about the apple as the photo op. Kollas does not offer U-pick. They harvest and refrigerate the fruit themselves, then let customers bag apples in the store by weight. The farm grows 20 varieties, including Honeycrisp, Sweet Sixteen, Macoun, Jonagold, Melrose, Esopus Spitzenburg and Winter Moon.
2026 status: The farm says it will reopen with the 2026 crop in September, with the exact opening date still uncertain.
Address: 41 New Rd, Tolland
Phone: 860-871-0120
🍎 Windham County Apple Orchards
Windham County has the deeper bench, from classic family PYO orchards to small heirloom growers and farm-market apple stops.
Buell’s Orchard — Eastford
A five-generation Eastford farm and one of the most complete fall stops in the Quiet Corner. Buell’s has more than a dozen apple varieties, PYO apples, a farm market, its own cider, cider donuts and baked goods. Apple picking usually begins around Labor Day.
Right now: Early apples are already in the farm market. The farm’s summer hours run through Sept. 7; check before assuming PYO apples are open.
Address: 108 Crystal Pond Rd, Eastford
Phone: 860-974-1150
Pets: No pets.
Crookes Orchard — Ashford
Formerly Horse Listeners Orchard, Crookes is a particularly good stop if you want varieties beyond the supermarket standards. PYO apples begin in September, with classics like Honeycrisp, Gala, McIntosh and Cortland plus heirlooms and cider apples such as Roxbury Russet, Arkansas Black and Ashmead’s Kernel.
Hours: Wed–Fri 11–5; Sat–Sun 9–5
Address: 317 Bebbington Rd, Ashford
Phone: 860-477-0251
Good to know: Buy a picking bag before entering; arrive at least 20 minutes before closing; no pets.
Lapsley Orchard — Pomfret
A 200-acre Pomfret farm with a full retail stand and seasonal PYO. Lapsley lists September 1 as the start of apple season and offers a wide range of farm-grown produce. Sunday fall activities and its Columbus Day weekend festival make this a good family outing.
Hours listed: Daily 10–6 in season
Address: 403 Orchard Hill Rd, Pomfret Center
Phone: 860-928-9186
Note: Picking conditions are seasonal, so confirm before driving out.
DeFazio Orchard & Greenhouses — Dayville
A family-run Dayville orchard growing fruit, vegetables and flowers, with seasonal PYO. Regional farm guides list pick-your-own apples, and the farm is also known for fall pumpkins, mums and a corn maze.
Current listed hours: Mon–Fri 9:30–5; Sat 9–5; Sun 9:30–4:30
Address: 1393 North Rd, Dayville
Phone: 860-774-3799
Payment: Cash and credit card listed in the regional farm guide.
Woodstock Orchards — Woodstock
Woodstock Orchards combines an everyday farm store and bakery with seasonal apple picking. PYO runs immediately after Labor Day weekend through mid-October and is sold by the bag. PYO varieties include McIntosh, Cortland, Empire, Macoun, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Ida Red, Fuji, Cameo and Russet.
2026 timing: With Labor Day falling on Sept. 7, look for PYO to begin after the holiday weekend. The store already lists early apple varieties in season.
Store: Daily 9–6
Bakery: Daily 6:30–5
Address: 494 Route 169, Woodstock
Phone: 860-928-2225
18th Century Purity Farm — Plainfield
A small farm worth knowing if you’re interested in heirloom and traditional apple varieties. Current Connecticut listings still identify it for PYO apples, but 2026 picking dates and hours have not been clearly posted yet. The farm has already been bringing early apples to Connecticut farmers markets this summer.
Address: 156 Plainfield Pike, Plainfield
Phone: 860-564-8733
Best move: Call before making a special trip.
Orchard Products — Thompson
One of the easy-to-miss entries. The Town of Thompson’s current business directory lists pick-your-own apples, peaches and blueberries in season at Orchard Products. There isn’t a dependable live picking schedule online, so this is a call-first stop.
Address: 270 Sand Dam Rd, Thompson
Phone: 860-935-5610
Palazzi Orchard & Farm — Danielson
Not every good apple stop requires walking the rows. Palazzi grows a huge range of apples including McIntosh, Gala, Cortland, Macoun, Empire, Mutsu, Northern Spy, Fuji, Winesap, Russet, Honeycrisp and more. Current CT Grown listings show its apples and market network, but do not advertise PYO.
Farm: 322 Mashentuck Rd, Danielson
Phone: 860-774-4363
Where to look: Danielson Farmers Market and other regional markets.
What about self-serve apples?
We found self-serve farm stands in the two-county area, but no currently verified self-serve apple stand we’re comfortable sending you to as of Sept. 5, 2026. If that changes, we’ll update this guide.
🍎 Which Apple Should You Pick?
Our quick picks
🍩 For cider + donuts: Buell’s or Crookes
🌳 For unusual apples: Crookes, Kollas or 18th Century Purity Farm
👨👩👧 For a classic family PYO day: Johnny Appleseed’s, Buell’s or Woodstock Orchards
🛒 For apples without picking: Kollas, Johnny Appleseed’s Tolland stand or Palazzi at a farmers market
Apple Picking FAQ
When is apple picking season in Windham and Tolland counties?
Early varieties can appear in August, but the heart of the season is September through October. Different varieties ripen at different times, so there is no single best weekend for every apple.
Where can I pick my own apples in Tolland County?
Johnny Appleseed’s Farm in Ellington and Irish Bend Orchard in Somers are the clearest current PYO choices. Kollas Orchard in Tolland sells its own apples but does not offer U-pick.
Where can I pick apples in Windham County?
Buell’s Orchard, Crookes Orchard, Lapsley Orchard, DeFazio Orchard, Woodstock Orchards, 18th Century Purity Farm and Orchard Products all have PYO apples listed seasonally. Always verify same-day picking before leaving home.
Which Quiet Corner orchards have cider donuts?
Buell’s Orchard and Crookes Orchard specifically advertise cider donuts. Buell’s also presses its own apple cider.
Do I need a reservation to go apple picking?
Most farms in this guide do not advertise a reservation requirement, but rules can change with crop conditions or events. Check the farm’s current update before visiting.
See something we missed?
Small farm stands can be surprisingly hard to find online. If you know of a Windham or Tolland County orchard, honor-system apple stand or farm selling its own apples that should be here, reply and tell us. We’ll keep the guide updated through the season.
How we checked: Farm websites, CT Grown resources, municipal agriculture listings, the Connecticut Apple Marketing Advisory Board and Grown ConNECTed’s 2026 Northeastern Connecticut farm resources. Information was reviewed Sept. 5, 2026. Crop availability and hours can change without notice.
