Fall is our favorite season. The weather is cooler, the leaves are changing, and the apple orchards…read moreopen. We have a couple of favorite orchards however after finding Maple Leaf Orchard, we have a new favorite. While we really enjoy a couple of orchards in MN, Maple Leaf Orchard is something special. We had just stopped at our favorite cheese factory just down the road. Instead of driving back into MN to visit one of our favorite orchards, we thought we would look for an orchard on the way home. Maple Leaf Orchard was right on the way. The first thing we noticed is how scenic the area is. Nothing but corn fields and hills around until you find this orchard. They are busy too. Lots of cars parked and people picking apples and a long line for fresh made apple doughnuts. We picked up a bag of apples, some apple cider and of course we tried the doughnuts. A hot fresh apple doughnut is a sweet treat. The apples were fresh and crispy. What makes Maple Leaf Orchard special is their apple cider is the best. I could tell right away after my first sip. The freshness, the flavor. Excellent! Our favorite orchard in MN has apple dandies. Now we have a new orchard for our favorite apple cider. I already finished their apple cider so we are heading back again soon for another round of apple cider. Great family owned orchard and ooh that apple cider is delicious!

A great business run by great people who live with the land and not on it. Stewards of nature who…read moreoffer fantastic orchard produce!

We love Little Hill!…read more In the summer, it's such a great way to start a beautiful summer morning with picking fresh blueberries. Their operation is always very organized and the owners are so friendly. Their farm store is really nice as well because they bring in great stuff from other local farms and local makers so it's nice to get so much in one trip. Just last week, we got frozen berries, beef from a local farm, root veggies and popcorn from their neighboring farm, Little Hill syrups, and locally made tea blends. Way better than going to the grocery store! Thank you Little Hill, keep up the great work!

First time to Little Hill Berry Farm and it was a blast. The stay were so sweet and friendly as…read morewell as helpful. Aaron provided info on how to pick blueberries. The weather was amazing and it was not a bad drive from Minneapolis. Would definitely recommend and will go again!

An amazing and peaceful farm ! A great place for the whole family. Wonderful flowers!read more

Luckily a friend of mine KNOWS how much I love U-Pick farms. Of all kinds. And this one is…read morecompletely full of flowers. Wild flowers, sun flowers, other flowers I didnt even know the name for.... Their season is short (Minnesota summers are short) but that makes it all the more special when you can sneak away from the city and explore Berry and Bloom Farm. It's also the most instagrammable spot ever, and the most quaint. The U-pick flower portion is on the "honor system." It is family owned, they only ask people leave a couple bucks for a few flowers (vases can be purchased for a few dollars more.) And I would probably hunt someone down if they took advantage of this amazingly open, kind, gift to humanity. I didn't take any flowers home, but left a few dollars any way because you truly can FEEL how much love and passion goes into this farm. Please understand that if you plan to visit: family owned. Small farm. Trusting people. Dont ruin the kindness :) Its about 30 minutes out of Rochester (great spot to explore if youre visiting the Mayo Clinic on a health trip.) Be sure to check their website though to ensure they are still open. This is going to be a permanent stop every time I visit this part of Minnesota.

My first time strawberry picking and it was great! The staff were so friendly and welcoming. They…read moregave us simple instructions and were helpful with any questions we had. I arrived 5 min after opening and there were about 15-20 people already out picking! The sun was out and it was a beautiful morning to pick. I brought a garden knee pad to kneel on while picking, definitely glad I did. They provided boxes and a carrier for them so no need to bring your own container. Price was $3.90 a pound. Berries were abundant and delicious. Can't wait to make some syrup and jam!

Went strawberry picking here for the second year in a row. The berries were plentiful and ripe. It…read morewas a good alternative to Pine Tree Strawberry patch as they have not had PYO strawberries for 3 years now. It's a beautiful drive to get there and the parking is convenient to the strawberry patch. I may go back and try the raspberry patch they just opened as well! I will be back next year!

Whistling Well Farm was the perfect spot for a laid-back fall outing! I organized a trip there with…read moresome colleagues, and it ended up being such an easy, low-stakes way to spend time together outside of work. There was plenty of space to roam through the orchard, chat, and enjoy the beautiful scenery without feeling crowded. The apple picking was great--we had no trouble finding plenty of apples--and I also loved that the farm is both dog-friendly and kid-friendly, making it a fun destination for all kinds of groups. They even had live music while we were there, which added to the relaxed, festive atmosphere. Before heading out, we stopped by the little farm store and picked up some local goodies like jams and cider. It's those extra touches that make the experience feel special. The only minor downside was that the pumpkin patch was a little sparse when we visited, but the orchard and overall atmosphere more than made up for it. Whether you're planning a family day, a casual date, or a group outing with friends or coworkers, Whistling Well Farm is definitely worth a visit!

Simple. Keep this word in mind as you travel to Whistling Well Farm. If you are seeking out a state…read morefair experience or something with loud and boisterous events, this is not it. Contrary it's every reason why we enjoyed it. Highlights include: dog friendly, nice parking, friendly staff, proficient store with basic items such as honey, caramel, chocolate covered cherries, plush dog toys, coloring books, apples, etc. Outside you will find a pumpkin patch, goats and even a DJ with a dance floor. If you have kids, this is a great outing for the family. My group walked our dogs around the space, split come apple cider donuts and snapped a few pics by some of the fall decor. Notes: dogs are not allowed in the gift shop and there is a food stand that serves hot dogs, cider, chips and apple cider donuts. We did not see any alcohol onsite.

Service was top notch thank you for the apples and pears boys had a great time and the scenery was…read morebreathtaking. The boys and I had a blast with the animals

The cutest Orchard ever! With sheep, goats, ducks, chickens, bunnies, and kittens!…read moreFree admission and activities 40 varieties of apples and pears Pre- picked and u-pick pumpkins Deer apples for hunters Pumpkins and squash Orchard Walks Rabbits and fish pond Cutouts for photos Small children can pick a free small apple bag

A little sweet slice of heaven. Long time eaters. First…read moretime pickers, but it most certainly will not be our last. From the moment we arrived at the Blueberry Fields of Stillwater we could tell we were at a special place. The love and caring for the plants and farm obvious The methods of picking conscientious The knowledge of the berries and the land so graciously shared The blueberries beautiful and abundant We'll be back Blueberry Fields of Stillwater, but in the meantime we're enjoying the fruits of your labor and our fond memories at your special place.

From the owner: Pick your own delicious blueberries in our family friendly, peaceful setting with picnic areas. We…read moreare transitioning to organic production, using composted poultry manure, fish emulsions, and mulch, which feed our bushes, soil, and create our nutrient-rich blueberries. Please check website for updates before driving to farm. Hope to see you in July!

I'm surprised to see less than 5 stars! We went for our second year of strawberry picking at…read moreLorence's Berry Farm. We found the operation very well managed both times. They give you a basket and have a system to assign you to your own row for picking. Once done, you wait in line to weigh and pay. Lots of berries on the bushes and it's okay to sample as you go! The strawberries were so sweet and delicious - far more flavorful than you buy at the supermarket. This year they charged $3/lb and I saw a lot of full baskets. It is cash or check only so make sure to come prepared. Plenty of parking available. Call ahead to confirm picking hours, as they do sell out. I also recommend following their Facebook page for the latest picking updates. We didn't buy any this time but I did notice that they sell jams and asparagus at their farm stand as well.

Great little farm to go check out if you feel like getting a little dirty and getting some…read morestrawberries. It seemed like we were maybe a little late in the season or some real pros must have been through our rows a week or two before us because we weren't finding the huge berries. Although we are thinking if we went back in a couple weeks we might get some of the bigger ones. But for 45 mins of picking on a perfect day and 17lbs of strawberries you can't beat the price of $20.

Beautiful blueberries. We went in mid-August and thought they may be short of berries, but they…read morehad plenty of blueberries on the bushes. The setting in a little valley is also gorgeous.

Simply the best blueberries around! My family looks forward to picking every year for fresh berries…read moreas well as putting some away in the freezer. It is such a peaceful, beautiful setting. Great family friendly atmosphere with amazing owners! I love to support local farmers with home grown produce!

The Twin Cities is super lucky in that you can be in a concrete jungle one minute and out in…read morebeautiful Hastings picking your own apples the next. There are loads of orchards and pumpkin patches to choose from but you really have to made a pit stop at Fischer's Croix Farm and Orchard. They have a super cute hay bail for kids/adults to climb on but I'll warn you.. you have to be PRETTY agile to get to the top.. There's also some goats and chickens the kiddies can feed along with a tracker ride out to the corn maze! (You can go on the ride without actually going through the maze). There are loads of different apples/pumpkins to pick your own or buy the preselected bags inside the shop! They're all super friendly staff that'll share their love of apples and really help you select the right one :) oh and there's also a food truck in case you get hungry!!

I can't believe this place isn't more popular! This place exceeded my expectations in more ways…read morethan one. It was easy to find, since they have a lot of signs up which have arrows from the main road. The staff here are very friendly, approachable and kind. It seems to be run by an all women staff woo!! The parking is on the grass or dirt parking. Come as early as you can because it gets crowded pretty darn fast, and loud. The inside building has a lot of items you can purchase, like peanut butter, apple pies, caramel apples, and pre picked apples. They also have samples of each apple in their orchard. My personal favorite was their sweet sixteen apple. They have an outside area, with 1 goat for a petting zoo. They have hay bails for kids to climb, and some open area for them to roam around. They have apple trees spread out everywhere and it's labeled with what kind of apple each tree is. It's a perfect photo spot, they also thought ahead and have a huge family bench near the corn maze where you can take cute pics. The corn maze is challenging but doable for kids and adults. They have an APPLE cutout inside the maze so you can find it, something fun in addition to the maze. There's a wagon that takes you out to the maze or you can just walk there. They have wagon rides at 11 am sharp. The pumpkin patch was sort of a disappointment, because some of them were spoiled and others were fungated? The whole place is perfect for instagram pictures, and fall photo shoots. It's free admission, but the corn maze is $3 per person. The apples and pumpkins are charged based on how much they weigh. It was really affordable. They have new hours apparently so call ahead to confirm. Definitely a family oriented fun outing!