MIDDLEFIELD, Conn. — The peak business season for apple orchards and other businesses offering fall activities across Connecticut will begin this weekend.
With the kids back in school and Labor Day over, autumn is here. Orchards are preparing for the busy season and are expecting a strong one. Lyman Orchards in Middlefield has nearly 200 acres of pumpkins and fruits. They have been a staple in Middlefield since opening in the early 1740s.
"We think people are going to come out and want to do things with the family," Executive Vice President John Lyman said. "It’s really fun to watch the families enjoying themselves."
The orchard offers corn mazes, produce picking like apples and pumpkins, a store full of treats like pies, and even golf for people to enjoy during the cooler months.
Johnny Appleseed's Farm in Ellington is also getting ready to welcome an influx of people looking to enjoy the popular activities. Owner Ken Shores says this time of year is full of long hours and memory-making.
"That part of it is somewhat satisfying to see the different generations coming," Shores said.
Getting ready to stock the shelves has come with challenges for the businesses including labor shortages and inflation. The dry summer has also slowed apple growth. Recent rainfall has helped restore that.
"With this rain we just had, the fruit we have is sizing up and it actually looks a lot better than we originally thought," Shores said.
Connecticut saw a great summer of tourism. The fall-based businesses are hoping they'll see some of that success too.
"I think people probably stayed a little closer to home with the cost of gas and everything and I think we’ll see the same trend in the fall," Lyman said.
Shores said the busiest season they've had was during the pandemic as people looked for an outdoor escape. He said they don't expect anything crazy this year, but a rather good season.
The two encourage people to get out and support the local businesses during this time of year.
Tony Black is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tblack@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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