Fall in Connecticut comes with a simple rule: if you see a farm stand, slow down. Across the state, family orchards and farm markets fill their shelves with apple pies, fruit pies, and even savory chicken pies once the maples start turning.
Some of these stops have been growing fruit for generations, while others pair their bakeries with corn mazes, tractor rides, and animals to feed. This list covers seven of them, from the shoreline in Guilford to the quiet back roads of North Granby.
Each one earns its spot for a different reason, so you can pick the stop that fits your weekend. Save it for your next leaf-peeping drive, or send it to the friend who always volunteers to bring dessert.
1. Lyman Orchards Apple Barrel Farm Market, Middlefield, CT
Nearly 100 types of seasonal fruit grow on the land around this Middlefield market, which tells you how seriously the place takes its harvest. The Apple Barrel is where all that fruit turns into something you can carry home in a box.
The bakery case is the main draw for pie hunters. Fresh pies sit alongside apple cider donuts, prepared foods, and plenty of fresh fruit, and there is room outside to relax with your haul before heading back to the car.
Lyman Orchards also stretches well beyond the market. Fall brings a corn maze, summer brings fruit picking, and there is even an ice cream bar and public golf on the property.
Timing helps here. Saturday mornings and afternoons are the busiest stretch, while weekday evenings are much quieter, and the market is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM.
I would save this stop for a weeknight pie run if you want to skip the crowds.
2. Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market & Winery, Guilford, CT
Sweet or savory is the real question at this Guilford market. Bishop’s bakes fruit pies like peach, strawberry rhubarb, and apple, but it also turns out chicken and turkey pies that make dinner a lot easier on a busy fall evening.
The market along Boston Post Road works almost like a small grocery store with a farm attached. Shelves hold many of the farm’s own fruits and vegetables in season, plus milk, bread, fine cheese, sandwiches, prepared dishes, and a frozen section.
House-made ice cream is another reason to linger. Tins of freshly made meals and pastries also make it easy to stock up for the week.
Hours run 8 AM to 7 PM Monday through Saturday and 9 AM to 6 PM on Sunday. Weekend afternoons get crowded, so a weekday morning visit is the calmer choice.
3. Beardsley’s Cider Mill & Orchard, Shelton, CT
Caramel crumb apple pie is the name to remember at Beardsley’s. It is the kind of twist on a classic that turns a quick cider stop into a dessert plan.
Cider is right there in the name, and the mill presses it fresh. Add apple pies and cider donuts, and you have the full fall trio in one bag.
The orchard behind the store is large, with apples available even late in the season. That makes Shelton a solid choice if you missed the early harvest weekends.
Beardsley’s is open every day from 10 AM to 5:30 PM, with a free parking lot on Leavenworth Road. Plan on arriving before late afternoon, since the doors close a little earlier than some other stops on this list.
4. Silverman’s Farm, Easton, CT
Kids may come for the goats, but the grown-ups usually leave holding a pie box. Silverman’s Farm in Easton mixes animal feedings with a farm store that is packed with homemade products.
Apple pies, apple cider donuts, honey, and fresh fruits and vegetables fill the family-owned shop. The variety is wide enough that browsing takes longer than you might expect.
Outside, the farm keeps everyone busy. There is pick-your-own apples, a petting zoo, a playground, and a tractor wagon ride around the property, with food trucks and a farm stand adding to the mix.
The farm is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. Weekday mornings tend to be quiet, which is handy if your crew wants more time with the animals and less time in line.
5. Rogers Orchards – Shuttle Meadow Farm Store, Southington, CT
Eight generations of fruit growing sit behind every pie at Rogers Orchards. Few family farms in the state can point to that kind of history, and it shows in how much the store revolves around the harvest.
The Shuttle Meadow Farm Store on Long Bottom Road carries pies, donuts, fresh produce, and locally made snacks. Fresh apple cider rounds out the shelves, along with a strong selection of local apples.
This is a classic New England orchard stop without a lot of extra fuss. If your idea of a fall outing is apples, pie, and cider, Southington delivers exactly that.
Doors open every day from 9 AM to 6 PM, and both free and paid parking are available.
6. Lost Acres Orchard, North Granby, CT
Plenty of farm stands sell pie, but Lost Acres can also handle the rest of dinner. The bakery in North Granby makes its food from scratch, with soups, quiche, breads, and take-home dinner options alongside the sweets.
Fresh pies and pastries lead the lineup. Cookies are a given, as the farm itself likes to point out.
The setting is quiet and rural, up in the northern part of the state near the Massachusetts line. It is a scenic place to pair a pie pickup with a slow drive through fall color.
One planning note matters here. Lost Acres is closed Monday and Tuesday and open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 AM to 5 PM, so check the calendar before you head out.
7. Holmberg Orchards, Gales Ferry, CT
Southeastern Connecticut gets its own orchard stop along Route 12 in Gales Ferry. Holmberg Orchards keeps apples front and center, and the pies and cider follow naturally.
The market also stocks a variety of baked goods, jams and jellies, honey, and a few vegetables. Fresh apple cider donuts are a signature here too.
The grounds are noticeably well maintained, from the rows of fruit trees to the signage and restrooms. Fall adds a corn maze and tractor rides, and there is a large variety of apples to pick.
Holmberg is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM. Friday through Sunday afternoons are the busiest, so a weekday morning is the easiest time to grab a pie and go.
From Middlefield to Gales Ferry, each of these farms bakes fall into something you can slice. Pick one, or plan a route through a few, and let the season decide dessert.
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