Traverse City, Michigan, is famous as the Cherry Capital of the World, and its U-pick cherry season wraps up in August. In the fall, farms around town trade those cherries for something else, and you still have a few weeks to catch it.
October is Michigan Agritourism Month, and Traverse City’s orchards and farm markets are at peak harvest. You can pick apples straight from the tree or hunt for a pumpkin at a farm instead of a grocery store.
Michigan’s Apple Season Runs Into November
Michigan apples show up at about 200 farm markets and cider mills around the state. The season isn’t over, either. Growers pick EverCrisp around Oct. 26, and Cripps Pink closes out the season when it arrives Nov. 2.
Pick Your Own Apples at 2 Local Orchards
Traverse City’s apple season typically runs into October. Rennie Orchards in Williamsburg grows 19 apple varieties, including Honeycrisp, and its site lists Sun Fuji for November.
Sandy Rennie said on the orchard’s website, “I won’t pick anything before it’s time.” Call before you drive out to see what’s ripe.
At Wunsch Farms in Traverse City, you check in with staff first and pay by weight for what you pick. The farm’s harvest schedule lists Oct. 24, from 1 to 4 p.m., for its apple U-pick, and it notes that every date is an estimate.
Find Your Pumpkin at the Farm
Jacob’s Farm in Traverse City has pumpkins in all shapes and sizes, and its corn maze is open now. It sells cider and donuts on weekends only.
Farmer White’s in Williamsburg stocks pumpkins, too. Mary Cooper’s family has run the market since 1958, and it’s open until December.
Where to Sip Cider This Fall
For hard cider, head to Sutton’s Bay Ciders, which sources its apples from the Leelanau Peninsula. You can drink yours in one of its two heated igloos.
Gallagher’s Farm Market pairs fresh-pressed cider with donuts, and it’s open through October.
Farm Club in Leelanau County runs a farm, brewery, restaurant and market about 7 miles from downtown Traverse City. It grows 90% of the vegetables on its menu on its own land, and its brewery has a growing cider program. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so just show up.
Plan a Full Day Around the Harvest
Start the morning at an orchard, take a scenic drive through fall color, stop for a farm-fresh meal, and finish with some downtown shopping. Several of these farms close at least one day a week, and ripe varieties can change week to week, so check hours online before you head out.