Apple orchards that offer fresh apple picking are hard to find in Texas, but they do exist. It’s well worth the drive to come away with a few bushels of apples that are sweet, ripe and fresh off the tree. Be sure to contact the farms ahead of time for availability and directions.
North Texas: Tarrant County
Henrietta Creek Orchard, located at 14255 Old Denton Road, in Roanoke, Texas, is only about a half-hour drive from both Dallas and Fort Worth. The orchard offers excellent apple picking and peach picking. Also offered are black-eyed peas, okra, squash, plums, seasonal vegetables and tomatoes. They have 700 hybrid dwarf apple trees in 10 varieties and 200 peach trees in six varieties. Phone: (817) 439-3202. Email: [email protected].
North Texas: Ellis County
Windy Acres Farm is located at 388 Harrington Road, in Waxahachie, Texas, about 30 minutes south of the Dallas and Fort Worth metroplex. The farm provides organic produce to the public. However, they haven’t yet been certified organic. The Windy Acres Farm offers fruit picking on Saturdays and Sundays. Crops are usually available from May through November, and include apples, peaches, pumpkins, sweet corn, summer squash, winter squash, melons, onions, blackberries and tomatoes. Phone: (972) 757-0554. Email: [email protected].
East Texas: Angelina County
Ridgeview Farms, located at 5471 W Hwy 7 in Pollok, Texas, is about three hours east of Dallas. This farm is conveniently located near Nacodoches and Lufkin, Texas. They specialize in peaches but also offer apples, blackberries, blueberries, nectarines and muscadine grapes. Picking your own is not always an available option. Phone: (936) 853-3286.
Panhandle Plains Region: Lubbock County
Apple Country Orchards, located on Rt. 2 in Idalou, Texas, was designed specifically for produce picking. Apple Country Orchards is about five hours west of Dallas and Fort Worth, and about an hour and a half south of Amarillo. The orchard has more than 6,000 apple trees with 30 different varieties of apples. Apple Country Orchards also has a gift shop, country cafe, bakery, cider mill, waterfall and fountain. Pumpkins are also available at the orchard, which holds a Pumpkin Fest in October. Phone: (806) 892-2961. Email: [email protected].
Gallagher’s Apple Orchard, located in Lubbock, Texas, offers fresh produce picking from August through Dec. 1. They produce apples, peaches, nectarines, strawberries and blackberries. Phone: (806) 763-0096.
These apple orchards don’t appear to allow people to do their own picking, but they do offer a bounty of freshly picked produce.
South Central Texas: Bandera County
Love Creek Orchards, located on Hwy 16 in Medina, Texas, is about an hour and 20 minutes away from San Antonio, and about two hours and 15 minutes away from Austin. Love Creek Orchards grows 11 varieties of apples, such as pink lady, fuji, granny smith, jonathan, jonagold and crispin. They also have a pumpkin patch for the kids. Phone: (800) 449-0882. Email: [email protected].
North Texas: Clay County
Morath Orchard, located at 10852 W Fm 171 in Wichita Falls, Texas, is about two hours and 20 minutes north of Dallas and Fort Worth. The orchard grows apples, peaches, cherries, watermelons, peas, tomatoes, squash, okra, onions, peppers and potatoes. Phone: (940) 544-2223.
North Texas: Parker County
Hutton Fruit Farm, located in Weatherford, Texas, is about one hour and 10 minutes east of Dallas. The farm offers fresh produce from June through September and from November through December. Freshly picked produce includes apples, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, blackberries, peas, pecans, tomatoes, watermelons and new potatoes. Phone: (817) 594-1273.
Maps and detailed directions for these locations can be obtained at the Mapquest Web site.
Commissioner Todd Staples, “Farm Fresh Goodness.” GoTexan. URL: (http://www.gotexan.org/vgn/tda/files/1670/15173_PYO%20directory%2007.pdf)
“Welcome to Henrietta Creek Orchard.” Henrietta Creek Orchard. URL: (http://www.henriettacreekorchard.com/)
“Texas Orchard Listings.” All About Apples. URL: (http://www.allaboutapples.com/orchard/tx.htm)
“Dallas – Ft. Worth Area.” Pick Your Own. URL (http://www.pickyourown.org/TXdallas.htm)
