Suburban orchards open for apple-picking

Red, gold and green apples — the colorful ornaments of late summer — are now ripe for the picking at many local apple orchards.

Here is our guide to some suburban orchards where families can pick apples directly from the trees, and — at some venues — purchase pre-picked apples.

For the most up-to-date information on apple-picking schedules and availability, check each orchard's website or call before you go.

All Seasons Apple Orchard

All Seasons Apple Orchard, at 14510 Route 176, Woodstock, offers apple picking daily through Sunday, Nov. 1.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Labor Day and Columbus Day. Cost is $10 per person for one-quarter peck of apples and $14.50 per person for one-half peck.

Orchard also features a corn maze, a petting zoo, live shows, a pumpkin patch and more. Additional fee to enter barnyard area. Children ages 2 and younger are free. Military with ID are free.

Visit website for apple-picking schedule. (815) 338-5637 or allseasonsorchard.com.

Heinz Orchard

Apple season opens with McIntosh apples for the picking on Friday, Sept. 11, at Heinz Orchard, at 1050 Crest Road, Green Oaks. The orchard will only be open on four separate days for apple-picking, due to its limited apple crop. Picking hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11; 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 12; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. No school groups or large groups will be scheduled to visit the orchard this year. Cost is $8 for a half peck (6 pounds) of apples and $15 for one peck (12 pounds). Cash only. (847) 770-3449 or heinzorchard.com.

Homestead Orchard

Homestead Orchard, 11802 Charles Road, Woodstock, is now offering Early Blaze, Duchess and McIntosh apples for picking.

Throughout the season, 23 varieties of apples will be available. Homestead's season runs through the last week of October.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Cost is $17 per peck (except for Lodi apples, which are only available pre-picked in the orchard's store). (815) 338-7443 or homesteadorchard.net.

Kuiper's Family Farm

Kuiper's Family Farm, 1N318 Watson Road, Maple Park, is now open for apple picking Saturday and Sunday through October, while supplies last. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Admission to the orchard is $10 per person (includes a quarter-peck bag of apples and a hayride to the grove). Children ages 2 and under are free, but they do not receive a bag of apples. (815) 827-5200 or kuipersfamilyfarm.com.

Lang's Orchard

Picking begins Saturday, Sept. 12, with Gala and McIntosh apples at Lang's Orchard, 17411 Secor Road, Woodstock. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday through Wednesday. Closed Thursday and Friday.

Honeycrisp and Snowsweet apples will be sold pre-picked only for $12 for a half-peck.

All other varieties are available for u-pick for $15 per peck or $60 per bushel. Picking at Lang's runs through the third week in October. (815) 568-7547 or langsorchard.com.

Meadowmoor Orchard

Meadowmoor Orchard, at 1517 N. Route 47, Woodstock, opens its picking season from noon to 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7, with several varieties of apples, including Honeycrisp and Sweet 16, and some pears. In late September, the orchard also offers pre-picked pumpkins for sale.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday throughout September.

Cost is $3 per pound for Honeycrisp apples or $1.50 per pound for other varieties. (815) 687-8208 or meadowmoororchard.com.

More Than Delicious Orchard

Staff at the More Than Delicious Orchard, at 9905 Thompson Road, Woodstock, have tentatively set the weekend of Sept. 12 and 13 as the opening weekend for picking.

The orchard's website lists an “excellent crop” of Connell Red, Honeycrisp and Fireside apples, along with several other varieties. Due to harsh weather in the last three years, some of the orchard's trees have been damaged and are offering a small crop of certain varieties, including Red and Golden Delicious. Guests are advised to check dates, available varieties and picking schedule at morethandelicious.com or call (815) 575-9650.

Prairie Sky Orchard

Prairie Sky Orchard, 4914 N. Union Road, Union, is now open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A one-peck bag of apples is $17. There is a one-peck minimum for one to four guests picking apples.

Pre-picked Honey Crisp apples are $2.30 per pound.

Visit prairieskyorchard.com for picking schedule.

Royal Oak Farm Orchard

Royal Oak Farm Orchard, 15908 Hebron Road, Harvard, is now open for apple picking through Sunday, Nov. 1. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Adults are $12 for a half-peck bag of apples (5-6 pounds); kids ages 3-16 and seniors 65 and older are $6 for a quarter-peck bag.

The orchard also features a four-acre apple tree maze.

The Harvest Barn offers pre-picked apples, squash, gourds, pumpkins, nursery trees and more. Visit website for the season's schedule. (815) 648-4141 or royaloakfarmorchard.com.

Ziegler's Apple Orchard

Ziegler's Apple Orchard, 32363 N. Bacon Road, Grayslake, opens Saturday, Sept. 19, with Cortland and Jonathan apples for picking. The orchard will then be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through Sunday, Oct. 4, and perhaps beyond that date, “until all of the apples are gone,” said co-owner Helga Ziegler. After Sept. 20, apple varieties will include Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Blushing Gold, Fuji and Mutsu.

And, as in the past, Ziegler's is the only orchard in northern Illinois that offers the Banana Apple, Ziegler said.

Call Ziegler's at (847) 546-1228 for recorded updates on pricing and apple varieties available for picking.