With apple season underway, there are a number of nearby orchards where you can go apple picking this fall.
At Applewood Farms at 12416 McCowan Rd. in Stouffville several varieties are available for picking, including ambrosia, cortland, and red delicious apples.
Albion Orchards in Caledon is open this weekend, Oct. 2 to 3, with empire and golden delicious varieties available.
Also in Caledon, Downey’s Strawberry & Apple Farm has a number of varieties available for apple picking and an online harvest calendar of when they can be picked.
In Port Perry, Nature's Bounty Farm offers honeycrisp, gala, blondee, cortland, empire, red delicious, spartan, macoun, crimson crisp, and jonagold apples until Oct. 3, though availability may change without notice.
Further into Durham, Archibald Orchards Estate Winery and Watson Farm Ltd., both in Bowmanville, have a variety of apples available for pick your own, with different types expected to come into October as well.
While some farms may have run out of apples for the season, they have other fall offerings.
Brooks Farms at 122 Ashworth Rd. in Mount Albert says on its website that raspberries and sunflowers are still available.
Pine Farms Orchard at 2700 16th Side Rd. in King says online that the apples for the 2021 season have all been picked, but ground apples are available for $1 per pound and ready-picked apples in their market.
Dixie Orchards, which is in Caledon, is in a similar position in not having apples available for picking, however, it has honeycrisp and gala apples available at the market.
“Apple picking is a fun fall activity that makes for a great family outing and is done in the fresh, open air, so it has been deemed safe even during the pandemic,” York Durham Headwaters Tourism said. “Bring a sweater and wear some comfortable boots that you don’t mind getting a little dirty. There will be an abundance of scenic photo opportunities, so don’t forget your camera!”