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Apple U-Pick Orchards in Northern Indiana South Bend-Elkhart in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for apples that we know of in this area. Not all areas of any state, nor even every state, have apples orchards that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!

Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!

PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.

Elkhart County

  • Kercher's Sunrise Orchards Farm Market - apples, pumpkins, gourds, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, school tours
    19498 CR 38 , Goshen, IN 46526. Phone: 574-533-6311. Email: maureen.kercher@gmail.com. Open: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30 pm, Saturday 8:30am to 4pm, open Sundays in September and October 12pm to 5pm. Directions: 1/4 mile west of State Road 15 on CR 38(Kercher Rd)19498 CR 38, Goshen, IN 46526. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard. . Fax: 574-533-1685. . Crops are usually available in May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. Morel mushrooms are available in May. Sweet Cherries and tart cherries mid June to early July. U-Pick Apples- Late August to late October. U-Pick Pumpkins and Hayrides, every weekend from the last weekend of September through the last weekend in October. Harvest festival the first weekend in October. Specializing in homemade and locally grown Indiana products, including fruits and vegetables. The best darn cider and apple butter anywhere..that's what all of our customers tell us anyway!!! Fruit baskets beautifully designed with the best of the years fruits topped off with nuts and candies, little jars of jam or apple butter cheese, fudge and caramel apple dip, wrapped in cellophane and topped off with a festive bow.

La Porte County

  • Garwood Orchards & Farm Markets - apples, blackberries, cherries, pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, pony rides, birthday parties, school tours
    5911 W. 50 South, Laporte, IN 46350. Phone: 219-362-4385. Email: apples@garwoodorchard.com. Open: daily from April thru Christmas; Cherries available for UPick beginning in 2009. Directions: From I94 or I80/90 take highway 421 South towards Westville Indiana, turn east on highway 2 towards LaPorte, Indiana. After about 6 miles, turn left at County Road 500 West. There will be a Gas Station on the corner and you will see a Garwood Sign. Continue on 500 West over the RR tracks to 50 South where you will see another Garwood sign, turn left to our Farm Market and UPick. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
    Garwood Orchards & Farm Markets Facebook page. . Fax: 219-324-4803. . Daily 8 am to 7 pm *CALL FIRST in November/December as closing time May be earlier. Strawberries: June, Blackberries and Raspberries (Red and Black): July and August, Apples, Pumpkins and Fall Raspberries: September and October; Market open click here for picking updates. Garwood Orchards Facebook page.
  • Pavolka Fruit Farm - apples, sweet cherries, tart cherries, raspberries, pears, plums, grapes
    1776 North Wozniak Road, Michigan City, IN . Phone: (219) 874-6056. Email: rsalat@comcast.net. Open: mid-June to October, 7 days a week 9 am to 5 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Pavolka Fruit Farm. . Specializing in over 30 varieties of old and new apples. We have ready-picked and u-pick apples, grapes and cider. (UPDATED: June 25, 2021) A visitor writes on June 25, 2021: "I called their number and they give a clear message on what and when is available. Cherries were available!
  • Radke's Orchards - apples, and prepicked produce
    8999 W. 200 N., Michigan City, IN 46360. Phone: 219-872-3140. Email: info@radkeorchards.com. Open: from 9 am to 6 pm mid-September through October. Directions: From I94: Take exit 34A (421 south), turn left at the second intersection past the exit. This will be County road 200N. We are approximately 1 mile down this road. . Click here for a map and directions.
    Radke's Orchards Facebook page. , Fax: 219-879-0411. U-pick apples. click here for a map and more. Mid-September through October. Radke Orchards Facebook page. Family owned and operated since 1894. Our mission is to provide the authentic orchard experience for you and your family. No admission fee, no parking fees. Pets are welcome. Pick as little or as much as you like. No petting zoo, no carnival, no water park - just great apples in a country atmosphere

St. Joseph County

  • The Apple Patch - apples,
    65681 Sycamore Road, North Liberty, IN 46554. Phone: 574-656-3376. Email: bsapplepatch@embarqmail.com. Open: daily from 9 am to 6 pm during the apple season, September and October. Directions: One (1) mile East of North Liberty, IN and 2 1/2 miles West of Potato Creek State Park to Sycamore Road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . .

 

Apple Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Apples ripen from the outside of the tree towards the center, so the apples out the outside of the tree will ripen first.  Once they are picked, they stop ripening. Picking apples directly from a tree is easy. Roll the apple upwards off the branch and give a little twist; don't pull straight away from the tree. 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) go ahead and pick it up. They're perfectly fine! But do wash them before you eat them! More info: How to tell when apples are ripe

  • Once picked, don't throw the apples into the baskets, place them in gently, or they will bruise and go bad more quickly.
  • Don't wash apples until just before using to prevent spoilage.
  • For an explanation of why apple slices turn brown and how to stop it, see this page!
  • Keep apples cool after picking to increase shelf life.  A cool basement is ideal, but the fruit/vegetable drawer of a refrigerator will work, too.  A refrigerator is fine for small quantities of apples. Boxed apples need to be kept in a cool, dark spot where they won't freeze. Freezing ruptures all of an apple's cells, turning it into one large bruise overnight. The usual solution is to store apples in a root cellar. But root cellars often have potatoes in them: apples and potatoes should never be stored in the same room because, as they age, potatoes release an otherwise ethylene gas, which makes apples spoil faster. If you can keep the gas away from your apples, they will keep just fine. Just don't store them right next to potatoes.
    Prevent contact between apples stored for the winter by wrapping them individually in sheets of newspaper. The easiest way to do this is to unfold a section of newspaper all the way and tear it into quarters. Then stack the wrapped apples . See more here: How to store apples at home
  • Apples don't improve or "ripen" after being picked - this is an urban myth - see this page for the truth - with references!

Which apple variety is best?

There are tens of thousands of varieties of apples, developed over centuries. They vary in sugar, acoidity, flavors, storing, crispness and many other attributes. See our guides to apple varieties:

Canning apples - fully illustrated, with step-by-step instructions

Recipes, illustrated with step by step instructions

Using fresh apples and miscellaneous

 

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)