“U-pick” season is in full swing in Vermont. Starting during the Labor Day weekend, orchards across Vermont opened up to tourists and locals alike. Apple picking against picturesque fall foliage is all but synonymous with Vermont, despite the fact that Vermont is not a top apple-producing state — a title claimed by Washington state, which produces and exports over 180 million bushels of apples, compared to Vermont’s one million bushels.
Around Middlebury, there are plenty of orchards to choose from. Sunrise Orchards supplies Middlebury College with apples in the dining hall, as well as cider and cider donuts at Crossroads. Happy Valley Orchards advertises in downtown Middlebury with red, apple-shaped signs in town. Venturing slightly farther from town, one can find Montok Ridge Orchard, Douglas Orchards and Champlain Orchards.
Champlain Orchards — known for 40 different varieties of apples — is about a half-hour drive from the college. The orchard is open until late October from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with weekend events posted on its website.
Founded in 1998, the orchard is a family-run, year-round business. When he was 27 years old and a recent graduate of University of Vermont, Bill Shur bought 60 acres in Shordham, Vermont. With a background in forestry, he set off to start and run his own apple orchard.
Today, Champlain Orchards spans over 220 acres and stewards Douglas Orchards, which sits less than five miles down the road. The orchard is also one of Vermont’s oldest continuously run orchards.
Shur and his wife, Andrea Scott, continue to own and operate the orchard today. Scott grew up on an organic vegetable farm and has a background in sustainable agriculture.
Scott described that it is “completely humbling and overwhelming to be a farmer.” She continued, “We are continually reminded of our small role in a bigger ecosystem, and the amazing staff who help support all that we do! Therefore, ‘steward’ is a much more accurate term rather than owner.”
Scott first described the orchard’s impressive amount of ecologically grown apples. From heirlooms like Ashmead’s Kernel and Golden Russets to modern favorites like the Gala or Honeycrisp, Champlain Orchards offers a variety of choices.
“We also have old ones that you might not hear about, like the Espois Spitzenberg, which was Thomas Jefferson’s favorite,” Scott added.
U-pick grapes and asian pears are currently available alongside the apples. Although not in season, the orchard also offers “u-pick” raspberries, plums, peaches, nectarines, cherries, berries and currants.
Their diversity of apples and fruits helps to build a strong community base. Scott mentioned that older women from Bosnia and Eastern European countries love the orchard’s European plums.
“Culturally, we’re a draw for so many different ethnicities of people who have foods that are important to their culture. There’s a Nepali refugee population that comes quite a bit, looking for Asian pears,” Scott said.
The orchard is also a huge draw for locals, creating an open space for community building. With a high vantage point, Champlain Orchards is the perfect backdrop to connect, with a view of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks that Scott finds unique and beautifully quiet.
Scott described how she loved seeing people gather in the orchard, emphasizing the importance of nature-based education and time outside. According to her, visitors are rarely on their phones, but instead talking about food and recipes. “And I see a lot of intergenerational groups coming here, which I love,” Scott reflected.
On weekends, the orchard hosts live music most Saturday nights as well as food trucks in their cider garden. Along with hard cider, they have non-alcoholic drinks, such as their sweet cider slushy.
The orchard makes its hard cider, sweet cider, cider donuts, apple pies, apple butter and more on the property, keeping crews busy year-round. They also have a large refrigerated warehouse where they store apples year-round, selling to the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-Op, Hannaford and other grocery stores across Vermont.
After October and into early winter, the farm stand will still be open with hot cider and donuts. They also send gift boxes perfect for family and friends around the holidays. During the quiet season, the stand has limited hours and a self-serve station.
Annie Boyse ‘29 and Daphne Frank ‘29 visited the orchard with some friends during the last weekend of September.
“It made me feel closer to Vermont because in North Carolina, we don’t really have the same type of fall,” Boyse said.
She also reflected on the importance of enjoying all of Vermont’s fall activities before the long, cold winter settles in.
Frank was struck by the sheer amount of apples at the orchard.
“There was so much; it just kept going. There were rows and rows of apples. I felt like I was in a Wes Anderson movie. We also went on such a gorgeous day, and I loved looking out into the mountains, especially as half of the trees are already turning colors,” Frank said.
