Apple picking near Richmond: orchards and dates

Apple season near Richmond

There are few orchards close to Richmond. Most pick-your-own apples are an hour or more west, on the slopes of the Blue Ridge, where the elevation gives cool nights and good colour; it makes a full day out. Picking starts in late August and runs into early November, and late September and October are the peak, when the most varieties are ready and the orchards add weekend festivals, cider and doughnuts.

Which varieties are picking changes week to week. Early ones such as Gala and Honeycrisp come first; Fuji, Stayman and Pink Lady come late. Orchards post what is ready on their own sites, usually at the start of each week.

How pick-your-own works

You buy a bag at the stand, pick into it in the rows the orchard has opened that day, and pay by the bag or by the pound on the way out. Some orchards charge weekend admission in October on top of the fruit. With the drive, it is worth checking the orchard's page that morning: a block can close early once it is picked over.