O’Halloran’s Apple Trail Ranch

Great big beautiful tree we just wrestled into our truck. 50 dollars all trees. Great tasting apples from inside their barn. No big crowds. But maybe we will bring our own saw, maybe our chain saw next time.

O’Halloran’s Apple Trail Ranch pros and cons:
Pros:
— Pumpkin patch
— Sells apples
— Very peaceful
— Not crowded
Cons:
— Small parking lot
— Small ranch

Our family has been coming to Apple Hill for over 30 years. Until this year, O’Halloran’s has been one of our favorite places to have a picnic, buy apples and cider.
Today we witnessed the owner’s daughter yell at another family’s toddler. The father didn’t appreciate it and let her know. She proceeded to stand in the doorway of the facility and uncomfortably stare at the family. Later after our picnic my nieces and nephew picked pumpkins with their parents and grandmother. The rest of the family sat at the picnic tables and watched. Again the owners daughter stood on porch talking to an associate, saying ‘I don’t know how they come up here. They must come in groups.’ Not sure what she was referring to??? She repeatedly pointed at my nephew telling an associate to watch out for that boy. I’m not sure she realized we knew the boy she kept pointing at. My husband asked her if there was a problem and she went on the defensive and asked him why he was approaching him-​obviously because she was making the entire family uncomfortable by talking about people in front of their family. She explained there was a group of boys kicking her pumpkins and damaging them. I agree with her-that’s not okay and parents should watch their kids. My mother told the lady she witnessed what the boys had done to the pumpkins and explained to her that her grandson (my nephew) wasn’t apart of that as she was with him the entire time. She apologized and said yes my mother was correct.
The long and the short-​what is usually a great experience turned sour and uncomfortable because of the owner’s daughter’s actions.
For those families who come as a group and have kids (as probably 99% of the patrons do), beware as you may be made to feel the same way-​uncomfortable and scrutinized.
Unfortunately, this may end our tradition at O’Halloran’s.

For apples and pumpkins, this is the place. The acreage is beautiful and has been tenderly cared for by an adorable and friendly couple since 1968. For $ 5 you can get a generous over flowing bag of mixed apples grown right on the farm.

Awesome Place To Find Apples & Pick Pumpkins
SITREP
I actually was at Rainbow Orchards, and though an enjoyable stop, it was clear that in the Apple Hill area, Rainbow Orchards was the tourist trap. Crowded. Lots of Cars. Long lines to get anything.
I did my thing, took pictures, and was about to leave, but felt impressed to ask the two nice gentlemen guiding cars in and out of the lot, the specific question of: «Is there a place in this area where I can enjoy more of a ‘Pumpkin Patch’ experience where I can pull the pumpkins from the vine?» I was almost taken aback when they actually gave me an answer, and that was «O’Hallaran’s Apple Trail Ranch.»
THE SETUP
Only about a mile and half away on Cable Road, I pulled into O’Halloran’s and was amazed by the gorgeous scenery and set-​up of this Orchard Ranch. So much fun to be had from inside the Big House, to the lovely landscaping that surrounded the main house and the outer buildings.
APPLES, PEARS, PUMPKINS & CHRISTMAS TREES
The offerings I found here included:
* APPLES & PEARS — Inside the Main House, there are a dozen large bins of Apples and Pears! They have a great little system here where you can buy a $ 4 bag or an $ 8 bag (just a tad more than twice as big as the $ 4 bag, so you can see in terms of value where they steer you here), and then you can fill up the bag with as many apples (Golden Delicious, Rome, Black Arkansas, Fujis, etc.) and Bosc Pears that can be reasonably accommodated in the bag. The $ 4 bag was more than big enough for me — I got 3 good size pears and about 10 different varietal apples. I AM SET for the month! ;)
* PUMPKIN PATCH — True to the word of where the gents of Rainbow Orchards were guiding me, O’Hallaran’s has a LIVING PUMPKIN PATCH! Not only were there a large variety of pumpkins to pick, but there were still a lot of young pumpkin gourds that were still growing, ready to harvest later in the month. Some of my pics capture both my selection of 3 different sized-​pumpkins that I settled upon as well as the young growing pumpkins. [My medium-​sized pumpkin? ONLY $ 2. The Jr. pumpkins I got for my Pocket-​Panthers? Only $ 1 each! Far less than I would have paid at the other orchard-​stops AND I got to pick them from the vine myself!]
* CHRISTMAS TREES — Well, I know now where I can go back and harvest a live Christmas Tree if I want to. O’Halloran’s has lots of Christmas Trees growing on their ranch right now — of many various sizes (again, take a gander at my pics) — and I expect they will be a popular place come the winter Holidays.
* The main house is decorated very nicely and kind of gives you a «Little House On The Prairie» sort of romantic vibe, with old school desks and items you’d find in such a prairie or frontier school. I really enjoyed these displays.
THE LOWDOWN
For some great harvest take-​aways and pre-​Holiday cheer, O’Halloran’s Apple Trail Ranch is a stop I hope to make again and again for the fun of it.