We arrived in the shoulder season between blueberry and apple picking. Neither were perfectly ripe, but the grounds are lovely to walk around. We chose to get two pints of blueberries and a bag of apples. Apple options even early in the season were varied and tasty. Highly recommend for a lovely area and perfect way to spend an afternoon. read more

There are no apples on the trees because they picked them all themselves and charged us $24 to go "apple picking". I came back with an empty bag and a disappointed 5-year old. Considering they're selling an experience they don't have, and refused to give us our money back, this is called fraud. read more

Wish we had read about the unusual May freeze that ruined the apple crop and resulted in many other U Pick places in the Berkshires canceling their apple picking season and urging loyal customers to patronize their business in other ways. Unlike these reputable orchards, Windy Hill is selling bags inside their store for $16/peck. They give you a map with highlighted rows for what is ready now. Then they sent me, my spouse, a three and a five year old and our two aging parents a 10 minute walk straight up hill on a wild goose chase, essentially. They let us know there were also giant bins of pre-picked apples we could select from. The entire orchard on both sides is rimmed with "electric fence," so you can't enter anywhere but the one designated spot, which is about as far from the main store as possible. The quality of the apples was stunning. What apples there were were a yellowy-pink color and the skin was mottled and dappled. Many had holes. We let our poor kids pick some anyway because this was their first apple picking experience and they were excited (then we tossed them). Literally every single apple was trash. We wandered through row after row but no apple worthy of picking or eating could be found. And they knew that. Don't worry, we filled our overpriced bags with apples they had trucked in from some other farm not impacted by the freeze. I wish they would have credited whoevers apples these really were, because we would surely patronize them next year. Adding insult to injury, the front desk staff were terribly rude. We bought 4 cider donuts. The donut container was on the counter and it opened toward customers with bags next to it. My father-in-law went to open it and a female employee slammed it down on top of his hand, admonishing him that she would get them. Assuming the donuts were also trucked in from somewhere else since they were cold, a little stale, and a lot greasy. Nothing like those hot-off-the-presses donuts you associate with apple picking. Another female employee followed me and my children around. I guess she thought I wasn't doing a good enough job making them not touch the 7598 breakable tchotchkes they have all over the store for sale. Overall, not a friendly location for families, even under the best pretenses, but add to that the duplicitousness involved in selling goods you don't actually have and letting customers find out once it's too late (and then refusing refunds) and this place is a hard pass. Would never pick here again, even in a perfect apple season. read more

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Stopped by today to get some apples! We didn't pick our own ( lazy us ) instead purchased a bag of Honey Crisp Apples all ready to go !! Lovely spot to check out if you are in the area . They have a nice green house too ! It does get extremely crowded at times and there is limit parking so you may have to park on the road . They sell delicious apple cider and cider donuts too ! Of course I had to have a donut! They are the most delicious donuts , soft inside, crunchy outside with plenty of cinnamon sugar ! YUM! The Honey Crisp apples are our favorite , juicy , crunchy sweet yet tart .. FANTASTIC! read more

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Beautiful orchard and nursery! There were many types of apples ready for picking and we left yesterday with a half bushel of pioneer macs, honeycrisps, and galas. Trees were bursting with fruit. This was one of the best apple-picking experiences we've had. Thanks! read more

Windy hill is a true family run maple syrup operation. There are four tables and occasionally a few picnic tables outside. The pancakes are absolutely amazing and very large and well prepared. My favorite is the Apple pancake but the pumpkin pancake isn't very far behind served with their own maple syrup. This is a must go to if you want authenticity in a sugar shack. Deceiving but enticing from the first impression as you drive up. You won't regret stopping here. read more

Windy Hill Farm - Apple pancake - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Great Barrington, Massachusetts

This place is just beautiful in the fall! Windy Hill Farm was our first stop in our journey through the Berkshires. We had already loaded up on apples in Smithfield the previous day, but enjoyed walking the apple orchard and what looks like a nursery for cut your own Christmas trees. They have a fantastic selection of fall stuff: pumpkins, gourds and fun decorations. I liked wandering through the trees for purchase, looking through the flower bulbs and everything in the hoop houses. Inside, they had really cute Christmas decorations, so I had to get a couple of snow-capped evergreen tree tea lights and some beeswax pine cone candles as well. Picked up some Lee, Massachusetts, maple syrup as well! Festive, whimsical and fun! read more

Windy Hill Farm - Gourds - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Great Barrington, Massachusetts

Planting around a new pool was terrific. Everything was done beautifully, on time, pleasant people, attention to detail. The move existing plants, trimmed trees. read more

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Spectacular nursery with a friendly and helpful staff...Head in and pick up some pint baskets for Blueberry picking as we did today. Abundant amount of berries are ready to be picked, half making it into the small green baskets and half right into your mouth. It's fun to see and taste the many varieties, the smaller ones tending to be sweeter and more flavorful but the larger ones being juicer. Peaceful hilltop, netted in though there will be some buzzing now and then. We headed right for the Co-op and bought some quality yogurt to top with our yield. Go early or later on a hot day as the sun can be relentless... Prices are roughly 4.25 a pint for 6 or more and 3.75 a pint for 12+. I think this is one of the best seasons that I have seen and the blueberries are fantastic. Great for kids, great place to smooch without the kids. read more

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Drove up from Connecticut specifically to visit this nursery. Picked out $250 worth of plants and went inside to pay. They recommended we buy their latest pressing of cider, which we did. I saw a variety of apples I'd never heard of and picked up one to smell, thinking of purchasing. This old hag (owner?) starting yelling at me for touching the apple and grabbed it from me. I offered to purchase it and she threw it in the trash and said "Too late, it's in the trash" and scowled off. We ended up buying a bag of white peaches too. All the peaches turned brown and rotten without ripening. The cider blew up in the fridge in less than a week, and all the purchased plants were covered in aphids. Needless to say, I won't be spending another dime there. read more

Terrible customer service and extremely rude and overpriced. Save your time and money and support another local business but just not this one! We purchased bags to pick apples and was told the apples can only be gotten from the top of the orchard a 10 min walk up the hill. Once arriving at the top of the hill very sparse picking options available. When I returned and told them they said they were unable to refund the empty bags we were unable to fill and we weren't allowed to swap out the empty bag with the apples they were selling near the register for what reason I don't understand. If I could give less then one star I would. Windy hill farm your employees and there attitudes are extremely rude. read more

We have been coming here for years! Went up first thing this morning to go apple picking before the rain. We filled two bags with perfect apples in about 30 minutes. Bought two beautiful mums and a half dozen apple cider doughnuts - so good. The folks working here were as kind as always. We'll be back again soon. read more

Terrible customer service. We purchased a number of bushes and they sold us the wrong size for the space after much discussion with salespeople. The owner Dennis was rude and nasty and very disreputable. He refused to even exchange them for the correct size although it was totally the fault of his sakes jets on who was nit very knowledgeable. Stay away! Buyer beware. read more

Windy Hill Farm - Bushes sold to us - wanted 4'. Hearts what we got! - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Great Barrington, Massachusetts

Despite reading some poor reviews, I had a great experience here. I spent time chatting with the women behind the counter and some folks outside and they were all very pleasant. I was here strictly for a nursery visit. The plants all looked very healthy and the displays that were set up are beautiful. They had a small selection of hand picked houseplants inside of the store that you could tell were very special. We left with a double blood root (that is incredibly hard to find), a hanging fuschia, and 2 houseplants. I didn't feel like the plants were overpriced for the quality that they were. Stop by here and take a look for yourself. read more

Windy Hill Farm - A view from behind the shop, the hills are hidden under the fog. - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Great Barrington, Massachusetts

Absolutely beautiful farm, sandwiched in between two mountains. I went blueberry picking and typically I'm not a big blueberry fan, I always think they're a bit too tart for me so I was just going to use them for cooking but wow they are incredible. The blueberries are so sweet and juicy. It's a bit pricey but not ridiculous. And it is worth every penny let me tell you. Can't wait to come back in the fall for apples! read more

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I visit and volunteer at the Housatonic Riverwalk every Fall and I always stop by here to enjoy Windy Hill Farm's apple cider and cider donuts! They're the best. I had never tried unpasteurized apple cider until the person driving mentioned how good Windy Hill Farm's cider was and from then on, I was hooked. Looks like they have apple picking and other activities to do as well! Beautiful area... read more

Great place. Friendly staff, delicious apples. Also, the cider is fantastic. Finally, if you're looking for gorgeous glass ornaments for the holidays, this is definitely a place to check out. read more

I feel like the 3 orange stars are too low for Windy Hill, but I've had limited exposure so I can't merit 4 or 5 right now. Don't get me wrong, Windy Hill looks like a fun place for picking fruit and playing in the garden. I stopped in during pumpkin picking season and the place was a mad house. Their parking is basically a cluster and my grandma was getting antsy so i just ran in for some pumpkins on my own. They have a little shop where you can purchase pre-picked fruits (or pumpkins), and they had delicious looking jams and some juices too. The pumpkins were a fantastic deal, marked down significantly for their weight! read more

Last spring we bought a clematis and put it on our porch for two days, until the weekend. Unfortunately, in those two days it got brown spots and looked half-dead. We brought it back, still in the original pot, and showed them the receipt to prove we'd only had it a couple days. They refused to exchange it or return our $50. We're not shopping here again. read more

Nice nursery stock but pricey. The employees in the shop are just plain rude. Will not be back.

While their blueberry picking is a nice experience, you have to be prepared to walk up a hill... And they won't let you drive to the top to drop people off, at all.... Plus, they don't allow patrons to use their bathroom. There's a sign that says out of order, but I saw staff going in there. They claim that there are some Porto potties, but I looked for them on the way up and the way down, and I couldn't find them. Today, I admit that I was disappointed with this place. read more

Windy Hill Farm is always a treat; especially for the kids. They always have a great selection of picked and pick your own fruit (the latter being a few bucks less) of the season. On my latest visit, the in-season fruit was, of course, apples, it being apple season and all. They had gala, ginger gold, and honey crisp (my favorite). The orchard is massive and well cared for. You can also purchase all kinds of flowers and plants here. In the little shop, beyond bags of picked apples, they have fresh cider donuts and apple cider, both of which are terrific. Whatever the season, Windy Hill is always a worthy stop. read more

If you don't know what is in season, do not bother going in and asking. When we asked, we were met with "You have got to be kidding me." I would recommend taking your money elsewhere. read more

Fun place! Get there early to avoid some of the crowds. The staff was friendly and helpful. And of course the apples are delicious!

The staff was unbelievably rude and acted like they were bothered to answer any questions. We decided to leave and not give them our business. Wasn't surprised to see similar reviews. read more

So glad we stopped by this place! It was really lovely. They had three varieties of apples ready for picking, including the Rhode Island Green, Empire, and Cortland, and during our visit on September 21st, the orchard was packed with each. It was actually our first time picking apples, since coming from Florida last year and settling in the Boston area, and we thank our innkeepers for recommending Windy Hill to us. The only negative thing about this particular farm is that they specifically require customers to purchase a peck sized bag for around $13 which actually isn't bad... It was more an issue because we had already been to a few orchards, and bought half pecks from all of them... Way too many apples, especially since we aren't that into munching on apples or using them for baking. Visiting some apple orchards was more about the experience itself, not about collecting the fruit. Also, I really need to say that I don't understand the reviews which state that staff members were rude or unfriendly. We found them to be the opposite... They were extremely helpful, open to sharing information about the varieties they grow, and willing to answer all of our questions... They obviously enjoy what they do! Even though we were only there for the apples, we did notice that they have a very nice nursery, with beautiful plants and flowers, as well as garden accessories. Their pumpkin selection was pretty impressive too. Oh, and apparently, they have amazing cider and doughnuts but unfortunately, we had dinner plans that night, and didn't want to spoil our appetites by snacking, being that it was already 4 P.M. We look forward to coming back next year, for both the apples and blueberries... Never been blueberry picking either, and love them far more than apples. Our thanks to Windy Hills Farm... Your place is certainly worth trying! read more

We didn't have time to try the full "pick-your-own" experience, but stopped here to buy apples during a day trip to visit friends in the Berkshires this past weekend. Perhaps because it was such a beautiful day, it was packed with patrons, and there were limited "shopping" options (we didn't find any of the oft-mentioned apple cider doughnuts); the small shop had a lovely selection of fairly-priced bagged heirloom apples, organic ciders, and plant/nursery items, so I don't understand people who complained of a "touristy" shop. Tables and tables of absolutely gorgeous pumpkins were lined up outside the shop entrance, and from the shop's rear door you could access the apple orchards for picking, and also their large and varied selection of absolutely beautiful plants. We found the staff to be pleasant, friendly and helpful; one answered questions to help us choose the best apples for our particular tastes. We've put them on our list for future Autumnal excursions. I actually withheld a star for 2 reasons: they do not offer samples of the different apple varietals for tasting before purchasing a bagful, and also because they are not dog-friendly, which seems sad for an outdoor property. In addition, they only post the "no dogs allowed" information on a small sign near the shop entrance; we had navigated across busy Rte. 7 with our two tiny boys and crossed their filled parking lot before learning we had to turn back, cross traffic, and stow the dogs in the car. (It is an absolutely beautiful and well-maintained property, so perhaps I've just answered my own question about their ban on dogs with careless owners?) Lovely setting in the rolling Berkshire hills just outside of Great Barrington proper. All three of the apple varietals we purchased are absolutely delicious (and not a Red Delicious among them)! read more

We took our kids to go apple picking last weekend. While we were there, we loaded up on more than $160 worth of stuff: pumpkins, cider, perennials, mulch, etc. In fact, we had so much stuff, that it was not until we were home, 150 miles away, that we realized we had forgotten the apples we had picked (my husband thought I had loaded them in the car, he thought I had). Of course, we were very disappointed. I called the farm to let them know of our mishap, tell them to go ahead and sell the apples we had picked, and asked if they might have a heart and refund us the $20, since we had left the merchandise behind. They cheerily informed me that since they had done nothing negligent, they would not consider it. Of course it was not their fault, but I thought they could have shown a tiny bit of sympathy. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. Think we'll try somewhere else next year. read more

What a disappointing day at Windy Hill Farm. We've been coming here for almost 10 years for apple picking, Christmas trees and garden goodies. We won't be back after today. Kids only partially filled bags and they wouldn't let us consolidate (though we saw other families do it). Staff was unforgivably rude. When we asked which apple was similar to a Pink Lady, they replied: "We don't know. We don't grow them." Whereas in years past, the staff was very knowledgeable and would say "if you like this apple, you might like this..." or "these are great for baking...". When my son asked a question, the woman was equally unhelpful. At least the kids had fun. There are so many other local options. Next year (and this Christmas), Hudson Valley Farms, here we come! One bad ... read more

I've had better blueberries at the grocery store. The people working in the shop are always unpleasant and snooty. Things are incredibly over-priced. The "local farm" feel is lost on their tourist-y shop. The store clerks are not helpful or welcoming and seem to look down on you if you bring children into the store. I went once in the fall for apples and had the same experience. This summer I gave it another shot with the blueberries. Now I have 6 pints of blueberries in my freezer no one will eat. I'll never go again. read more

Our annual visits end this year after 7 years. Slim pickings (can't control the weather) but unfriendly staff. Returned with three partial bags from over picked trees and rather than suggest consolidating into two or one they proceeded to charge for three bags. Offering only that I go back and pick more non existent apples. Will pick in the Hudson Valley going forward. read more

I am an experienced gardener and buy plants from many different nurseries. In the past I have bought plants from Windy Hill with good results; I have probably spent in excess of $3,000 there in the past few years. I just got an azalea plant that when I planted it was infested with bugs, when I called them I got Verizon-like customer service! I brought the plant back and they would not refund the money nor replace the plant unless I bought more plants from them! "It's not our policy to refund nor replace plants." Rude, surly, just awful customer service. Stay away. Go to Ward's just down the street where the people who work there are pleasant and the plants are good. read more

not a better place or price for apples in the North East, I called several place in central NY where I spend a lot of time and they all wanted $1.10 to $1.50 per pound, they don't even sell by the bushel, they cheat you better by the pound, that's about 2 apples for &1,50, I even called a couple places in Red Hook, NY where I used to buy apples , they were a rip off then and are worse now. they all cry even when there is a bumper crop like this year, yet they raise the prices except Windy Hill. I admit that the hill is no fun, but where can you pick your own apples Tues, Wed and Thurs for 25 bucks a bushel? read more