Where To Pick Your Own Apples, Pumpkins In Montco Fall 2019

Fall is nearly officially here in southeastern Pennsylvania, and you don't have to travel far to find some premium pumpkin and apple picking opportunities in the area.

Patch has put together a comprehensive list of where to go for U-pick orchards, festivals, and more within the nearby area.

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

Varner Farms, 746 S Trappe Rd, Collegeville

Varner Farms is a local institution that offers everything from pumpkin picking to cutting your own Christmas tree. There are horse and tractor wagon rides out to the pumpkin patch ($4 per person), pumpkin painting, face painting, scarecrow making, a corn maze, and more. You can also pick corn, apples, and strawbales. Other specialties in the store include cider, caramels, and dried flowers. Website here.

Abby's Pumpkins, Corn Maze, and Hayrides, 2471 Little Road, Perkiomenville

Like the name implies, Abby's offers a corn maze, hayride, and pumpkin picking. There's also a pumpkin cannon that launches pumpkins far into the distance.

Merrymead Farm, 2222 S. Valley Forge Road, Lansdale

Known for its dairy, Merrymead hosts a corn maze, moonlight maze, evening hayrides, apple shed, pumpkin corral, and local pressed cider are just some of the highlights. Details here.

Freddy Hill Farms, 1440 Sumneytown Pike, Lansdale

Freddy Hill is attached to a "Family Fun Center" that offers mini golf, batting cages, and a driving range. The farm has a hayride, pumpkin patch, corn maze, pig races, and more. Website here.

Olszanowski Farm Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, 315 Pughtown Road, Spring City

On Friday nights in the fall, there are moonlight hayrides($5), a corn maze ($8), and a public campfire. A hayride to the pumpkin patch is offered during the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

When picking your perfect pumpkin, here are a few tips to keep in mind, according to the folks at Kitchn.

• Know the difference between pumpkins best used for pies and those best for carving. Workers will sometimes label their pumpkins to help you identify which is better for eating and which is better for carving. But if they don't, remember smaller, thicker and rounder pumpkins are generally better for eating. They have more guts on the inside and are more difficult to saw.
• Tap on your pumpkin. By tapping on your prospective pumpkins, you'll be able to compare which feel sturdy and sound hollow. The sturdier, the better, and it should sound hollow.
• Flip it upside down and apply pressure. It might sound odd, but trust us, this is key. Turn your pumpkin upside down and press on it with both thumbs. If it's not sturdy, chances are it'll rot.
• Always carry it from the bottom. Do not carry your pumpkin by its stem, that's the easiest way to test whether your pumpkin can defy gravity. So far, gravity remains undefeated.
• Wait to carve your pumpkin. Ask anyone what happens if you carve too early and you'll hear one of two answers, neither of them good. Either the pumpkin rots before Halloween or it simply becomes dinner for a family of hungry animals.