Our Guide to Apple Picking in Vermont

The days are getting shorter and temperatures are cooling off, so that means one thing: it’s time to go apple picking!

Here at Blue Cross VT, we love to pick apples and encourage our members to head to a local orchard every fall to pick a peck through our Apple Days event. Each year, we randomly select 1,000 Vermonters who enter our Apple Days raffle in August to receive a voucher, which can be redeemed for a free peck of pick-your-own-apples at a participating orchard (see list below). 

Whether you’re using an Apple Days voucher or not, if you go picking this year, you can help support the Vermont Foodbank by joining our Fall Virtual Challenge. Learn more at the end of the article.

To help you prepare for a trip to the orchard, pick the perfect apples, and store them properly once you return home, we’ve put together this apple picking guide and tips.

When to Go

Apple picking season in Vermont begins in late August and runs until late October. Different varieties ripen at different times within the two-month season, so if you are partial to a particular variety of apple, check the ripening schedule below to see when they should be ready.

Fall mornings can be quite chilly with heavy dew or frost. It might be best to go picking later in the day when the temperature has warmed up and surfaces are dry.

If you can make a weekday trip to the orchard work, it should be less busy, and there might be a greater selection of ripe apples to choose from!

What to Wear and Bring

Wearing good walking shoes is essential, as most orchards are large and you may have to walk a considerable distance. Dressing in layers is a good idea, as you can take off or put on layers to keep yourself comfortable. In late summer or fall the sun isn’t as intense, but you are still being exposed to ultraviolet rays, so wearing sunscreen and sunglasses is recommended.

Most orchards have bags and baskets available, but it’s best to bring your own containers. That way you can keep different varieties separated and mark on the container what they are. It will make storing and using the apples at home easier.

For containers, round wooden baskets work great, if you have them. Canvas bags that can be slung over the shoulder are perfect because you can keep both of your hands free for picking. The soft canvas will also help keep the apples from being bruised.  

The Right Way to Pick Apples

Apple picking may seem simple—just reach up and pull. However, there is a correct way to pick an apple. Cup the apple in the palm of your hand and lift it up slightly to support the apple’s weight. As you lift up, twist the apple about a quarter turn. Ripe apples will easily come off the tree and the stem will stay with the apple, which helps keep the fruit fresher for longer periods. If the apple does not come off the tree easily, that means it is not ripe yet and you should leave it alone.

Apples ripen from the outside of the tree inward, so choose apples located farthest from the center of the tree. If an apple drops from a tree and you immediately pick it up off the ground, that’s okay. However, don’t pick up apples that were already on the ground. Don’t climb up into apple trees as that is dangerous and can be harmful to the tree. Only use ladders provided by the orchard.

What size apples should you pick? While many people think big apples are best, the biggest apples may not have the most flavor because they grew quickly. Instead, look for medium-size apples that feel heavier. That means they’re juicier and have more flavor. Choose apples that have firm skin with no soft spots or bruises.

Apple Ripening Schedule

Weather affects when apples ripen, so it might be good to call ahead to the orchard to confirm that a variety is ready for picking. Here’s when popular varieties of apples tend to ripen in Vermont.

Late August/Early September
Gala
Ginger Gold
Paula Red

Mid to Late September
Honeycrisp
Cortland
Macoun
Liberty
Golden Delicious
Macintosh

Early October
Empire
Fuji

Mid to Late October
Granny Smith
Northern Spy

Storing Apples at Home

Apples need to be stored cold to last longest. Keep them in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer or in a cool spot like your basement. Keep them dry and don’t wash them until you are ready to use them. Go through stored apples weekly and remove any apples that are starting to go bad. This will help preserve the rest of your apples.

Orchards That Accept Our Vouchers

Apple Days vouchers are only valid at participating orchards from September 19 through October 4, 2026.

• Adams Apple Orchard & Farm Market | Williston
• Allenholm Farm | South Hero
• Burtt’s Apple Orchard | Cabot
• Champlain Orchards | Shoreham
• Douglas Orchards | Shoreham
• Hackett's Orchard | South Hero
• Hunger Mountain Orchard | Waterbury Center
• Scott Farm Orchard | Dummerston
• Shelburne Orchards | Shelburne
• Wellwood Orchards | Springfield
• Terry’s Orchard | Bennington

Give a Peck

Join our Fall Virtual Challenge! Tag Blue Cross VT in photos of your fall activities on Facebook or Instagram, or send an email to events@bcbsvt.com. We’ll donate the value of a peck of apples to the Vermont Foodbank for every photo you share through October 4, 2026