A Fall Harvest Weekend in New York, After a Hard Year for Farmers

When a hard frost hit the Hudson Valley in late April, Brett Budde rented an agricultural drone to push warm air over the apple trees at Majestic Farm in Mountaindale. Temperatures in parts of the state had dropped as low as 19 degrees, Radio Catskill reported.

A week later, Budde was bracing for a total loss. “I just don’t have it in my heart to really go look,” he told the station.

Now it is late October, and New Yorkers are heading out for cider, pumpkins and apples. This is a guide to a good harvest weekend near the city, and to why this year’s harvest deserves a little extra attention.

Why is this fall harvest different in New York?

Most years, a fall weekend upstate is a simple pleasure. This year the fruit on the stands carries a backstory.

After a warm spell pushed trees into early bloom, frost and freeze events hit New York orchards in April and May. In a July 25 release, the governor’s office said the U.S. Department of Agriculture had granted a disaster designation that lets affected farmers apply for low-interest emergency loans. The counties hit by the April 19 to 21 freeze include Westchester, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Ulster, the same places many New Yorkers drive to for apple picking.

The numbers in that release are blunt. Producers had reported an estimated economic loss of more than $30 million, and a state survey found losses ranging from 15 percent to 100 percent depending on the grower and county. The crops named were apples, stone fruit, grapes and strawberries.

That does not mean fall is canceled. It means the smart move is to plan a little more, call ahead, and spend your money where it reaches the people who grew the food.

What is happening at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Fall Harvest Festival?

If you only pick one event this weekend, make it the Fall Harvest Festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on Saturday, Oct. 24. It runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4:30 p.m.

The garden’s lineup leans hard into harvest traditions:

• Blues, funk, Cajun and zydeco music, plus Afro-Venezuelan, Haitian harvest and Native American dances.
• A costume parade led by Batalá New York at 3 p.m. The garden suggests flannel or a costume.
• A cider press, a seed-saving cart, pumpkin carving demos and mini pumpkin painting.
• A beer and cider garden with talks from local brewers.
• Tours focused on fall fruits and nuts and on the garden’s seasonal highlights.

It is a ticketed event. Adult tickets are $38, or $29 for members. Seniors 65 and older pay $30, youth ages 12 to 17 pay $17, and children under 12 get in free. The garden says programs happen rain or shine, blankets are welcome on the lawns, and outside food and drink are not allowed beyond water, baby bottles and small snacks for dietary needs.

When is the Union Square Greenmarket open?

The Union Square Greenmarket is the easiest way to meet regional farmers without leaving Manhattan. According to Time Out New York, it runs Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., year-round.

Beyond produce, the market sells farmstead cheeses, breads, cut flowers, wine and more. In late October, expect the stands to be heavy on hardy fall crops, but this year’s apple and fruit supply may look different from stand to stand. If a favorite variety is missing, ask the farmer. Most will tell you exactly what the season looked like from their side of the fence.

A Saturday-morning stop works well before the Brooklyn festival. Go early for the best selection, bring a sturdy tote, and plan your route so you are not carrying squash across two boroughs.

For ideas on what to do with your haul, our look at eating with the seasons makes the case for cooking with what is fresh now.

Where can you find a corn maze in New York City?

You do not need a car to get lost in a cornfield. The Amazing Maize Maze at Queens County Farm Museum in Floral Park runs Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 1, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last entry at 4 p.m.

Tickets are $17 for adults and $10 for children ages 3 to 11. Children 2 and under get in free and do not need a ticket. The farm says online tickets are required to enter the grounds on event dates, the maze runs rain or shine unless the weather turns severe, and hayrides and vendor food cost extra.

That makes Sunday, Oct. 25, a natural second day for the weekend. The following weekend, Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, is the maze’s last of the season, so families who want one more round outdoors should not wait.

Can you still go apple picking near NYC in late October?

Possibly, but this is the year to confirm before you drive. Late October is already the tail end of the season at many orchards, and the spring frost thinned crops across the region.

Stuart’s Fruit Farm in Granite Springs, in northern Westchester, is a good example of how to approach it. The farm’s website says apple picking starts Labor Day weekend and asks visitors to call to see which varieties are available to pick. Pick-your-own runs from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the farm stand is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and payment is cash or check only. Picking requires the farm’s own bags, so leave yours at home.

Before any orchard trip, run through this short list:

1. Call or check that day. Ask what is on the trees now, not what was there in September.
2. Ask about payment. Some farms are cash or check only.
3. Ask about reservations. Some popular orchards require timed tickets on weekends.
4. Have a backup. If picking is done, many farms still sell apples, cider and baked goods at their stands.
5. Go early. Weekend afternoons draw the biggest crowds and the thinnest trees.

How should you plan a two-day harvest weekend?

The three city stops in this guide are reachable by subway or bus. An orchard trip usually means a car, or a train plus a ride from the station. Here is a simple two-day plan.

When	Where	Cost
Saturday, 8 to 10 a.m.	Union Square Greenmarket, Manhattan	Free to browse
Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.	Fall Harvest Festival, Brooklyn Botanic Garden	$38 adults; under 12 free
Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.	Amazing Maize Maze, Queens County Farm Museum	$17 adults; $10 ages 3 to 11
Any open day	Westchester orchard, after a phone call	Varies by farm

If you are watching the budget, the market costs nothing to walk, and kids under 12 are free at the Brooklyn festival. Our guide to touring on a budget has more ways to keep a day out from adding up.

How do you pick and store apples so they last?

In a short year, every apple counts, so handle them like the farm does. Orchards usually ask pickers to follow a few simple rules, and they protect next year’s fruit as well as this year’s.

• Lift and twist. Roll the apple upward and give it a gentle twist so the stem comes away from the branch. Yanking can tear off the buds that carry next season’s crop.
• Do not shake the tree. Fallen fruit bruises, and most orchards discourage it.
• Set, do not drop. Place apples in the bag instead of tossing them in.
• Stay on marked rows. Farms often rotate which rows are open to keep picking fair.

At home, sort out any bruised or split fruit and use it first for sauce or baking. Keep the rest cool, ideally in the refrigerator crisper, and away from strong-smelling foods. A bag of firm apples kept cold can last for weeks, which makes a single orchard trip stretch well into November.

How can you support farmers after the 2026 frost?

A weekend outing is small, but it is direct. When you buy from the farmer who grew the food, more of that money stays on the farm, and in a year with heavy losses, that matters.

• Buy what they have. If the apple you wanted is gone, try the one that made it.
• Buy the extras. Cider, baked goods, honey and preserves help a farm stand balance a short fruit year.
• Come back in winter. The Union Square market runs year-round, and regular customers are what keep stands going.
• Shop the small producers. Our story on how small food businesses compete shows how thin the margins can be.

What should you bring on a fall harvest day trip?

• Cash, for farm stands and orchards that do not take cards.
• Layers and shoes you do not mind getting muddy.
• A sturdy tote or two for market produce.
• Water and snacks for the ride, especially with kids.
• A charged phone with the farm’s number saved.

Back in April, Brett Budde stood in his orchard with a rented drone, trying to buy his trees a few degrees. Many growers across the region lived through some version of that night. The cider you sip in Brooklyn, the squash you carry home from Union Square and the apples still hanging in Westchester are what made it through. Showing up for them is the best part of the season.

Frequently asked questions

When does apple picking season end near New York City?

It varies by orchard and by year. Many orchards in Westchester and the Hudson Valley wind down from mid-October into November, and the April 2026 frost cut some crops short. Call the farm before you go to ask what is still available.

Do you need tickets for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Fall Harvest Festival?

Yes. The Oct. 24 festival is ticketed, with adult tickets at $38 or $29 for members. Children under 12 get in free, and the garden also sells a limited 21-and-older VIP ticket.

Is the Union Square Greenmarket open on Sundays?

No. The Union Square Greenmarket operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. year-round. Other Greenmarkets around the city run on different days.

Is there a corn maze in New York City?

Yes. Queens County Farm Museum in Floral Park runs the Amazing Maize Maze on weekends through Nov. 1, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Online tickets are required, and adult admission is $17.

Why are some apples harder to find in 2026?

Frost and freeze events in April and May damaged fruit in many New York counties after trees bloomed early. The state reported more than $30 million in estimated losses, and the USDA granted a disaster designation for affected counties.

Sources

• Radio Catskill: After frost crop loss, NYS apple farmers say agriculture is a growing gamble
• New York State Governor: USDA disaster declaration for growers who sustained crop losses
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Fall Harvest Festival
• Time Out New York: Union Square Greenmarket
• Queens County Farm Museum: Amazing Maize Maze
• Stuart's Fruit Farm

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