It's apple picking time at Woodstock area orchards, featuring more than 20 apple varieties

Fall apple picking time has begun at the half-dozen orchards in and around Woodstock. Families head out among the trees to pick the fall fruit and enjoy a day in the country.

Woodstock has the largest concentration of apple orchards in the state of Illinois with six apple orchards in Woodstock and McHenry County. The orchards boast more than 20 apple varieties.

"Getting away to Woodstock to pick apples is a fall tradition and a great way to create family memories," said Maureen Larson, Woodstock City Councilperson and Promote Woodstock board member. "After filling their baskets with apples, families come down to the historic Woodstock Square to make a complete day of it with dining and boutique shopping. People from around the region come together to enjoy the autumn season and have some real fun in Real Woodstock."

"People come out from the city and spend a fall day in Woodstock picking apples and visiting the Square," said Eddie Hong from All Seasons Orchard. "On Monday, they're around the water coolers at work telling their co-workers how much fun they had in Woodstock."

The six apple orchards in Woodstock include:

• All Season's Apple Orchard, 14510 Route 176, Woodstock, (815) 338-5637, AllSeasonsOrchard.com;

• Homestead Orchard, 11802 Charles Road, Woodstock, (815) 338-7443, HomesteadOrchard.net;

• Lang's Orchard, 17411 Secor Road, Woodstock, (815) 568-7547, LangsOrchard.com;

• Meadowmoor Orchard, 1517 N. Route 47, Woodstock, (815) 687-8208, MeadowmoorOrchard.com;

• More Than Delicious Orchard, 9905 Thompson Road, Woodstock, (815) 575-9650, MoreThanDelicious.com;

• Woodstock Country Orchard, 17015 Garden Valley Road, Woodstock, (815) 923-4359, WoodstockCountryOrchard.com.

For information on opening dates and hours of operation, call or visit the orchards websites.

Two Woodstock berry farms are also open for u-pick berries in September: Grace Farm Studio, 2719 Franklinville Road; www.gracefarmstudios.com, offers organic raspberries and aronia berries until frost in the month of September and Heider's Berry Farm, 1106 N. Queen Road; www.heidersberryfarm.com, offers fresh strawberries and raspberries until frost.

Visitors are encouraged to visit the websites for latest picking conditions.

Woodstock is home to one of the top-ranked farmers markets in Illinois. Until the end of October, the Woodstock Farmer's Market takes place on the historic Woodstock Square on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Shoppers will find the freshest produce in the state, baked goods made daily, handmade arts and crafts and beautiful greenery all year long. The Woodstock Farmer's Market is a producers-only market, which means items grown or offered for sale are produced by the vendor.

Visitors can reach Woodstock with its many unique shops, restaurants and arts venues via the Metra Union Pacific-Northwest Line. The Metra train station is just off the historic Woodstock Square. If traveling by car, exit the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway at Route 47 and travel north.