Despite the crowds, this place has a lot to do. A great place to bring your family on a nice fall day. There's apple picking, live music, plenty of food, a fun park, hay ride and even a large corn maze.
This place is even better in 2017. They now have food trucks, hot air balloon rides and even a helicopter ride.
This is one of our favorite orchards. We go practically every year. There's so much to do here besides apple picking. On the weekends they have live bands and performances. There's a cute wooden playground for the kiddies. And for the older kids there's the play area with a giant bounce pad. There's also plenty of stuff to eat and purchase at the general store.
I was very excited to take my dad, mom, and 3 year old son apple picking for the first time!
I live in Connecticut and drove over 2 hours to get there.
The front lot was full so there was staff directing cars back to lot B. I saw two cars turn in to a parking lane and realized that a few cars may be moving so I followed them. No staff was there directing me at that point so I thought it was up to me to find a spot(like many other places). Turns out no one was leaving and I needed to back out of the lane to look for another spot.
At that point, one of the staff in a black shirt (I'm told his name was Bert) came up to my window started asking what I was doing in a very rude and aggressive manner and tone. I tried explaining and he cut me of and said that I can't do what I want here and to back out now. I began to back up but a lot of people were crossing behind me so I asked my dad to come out and help make sure I backed up safely. Bert started yelling why did I let him out of the car, to get back in the car. My dad at that point said he was a grown up, was trying to help direct me out and could stay out of the car if he wanted. Bert then said to another worker that we need to leave the farm. I didn't want to have driven all that way for nothing so I didn't pursue the issue any further and followed the line of cars to park.
I honestly think this simple mistake on my part in not knowing how the farm does their parking and thinking I needed to look for an available spot turned into an embarrassing situation. Bert's reaction and blatant disrespect for myself and my 72 year old father was undeserved and uncalled for. I hate to say it but I can't help wonder if Bert would've treated someone of the same skin color the way he did my dad and I. I am sad to say that that first impression spoiled the excitement I felt and I struggled through the day so my little boy and parents would have a good time.
I really am disappointed and upset to be treated like that on a human level and know that that was one mans actions but as a business it is important to treat your customers with care and courtesy and respect. I did not intentionally try to break the unspoken parking rules but wasn't allowed to speak and was treated with disrespect. Bert acted like he was an omnipotent ruler who had to be obeyed immediately. To be spoken to like that as an adult is demeaning and degrading. What gives him the right or the audacity?
I will think twice about returning to Barton Orchards as the memory of that experience has left a sour taste in my mouth.
If you are the owner of Barton Orchards reading this, please know I've NEVER written a poor review in my 40+ years alive. The people visiting your farm are families who are looking to build lifelong memories with loved ones. Training, high expectations and systems of holding staff accountable are necessary to build and grow your brand and business. It really seems like you have a thriving farmthis will only make it better in the long run!
For a small entrance fee my family was able to enjoy a lot of activities at this lively orchard. We took the hayride over to the apple picking area which was short but enjoyable. The kids loved feeding the animals and I loved the live musicians that were stationed at various locations. And, while the line for the apple cider donuts was LONG, it was totally worth the wait! An excellent experience overall.
The owners and employees are ill-mannered and brash. My mother went to visit this orchard with her friends from her dance group. They have been looking forward to this trip for weeks. There were approximately 56-57 people in their group. When they arrived, they paid a fee of $5.41 per person (approx. $308.37 total). Almost immediately, an employee began badging one of the visitors. The employee immediately accused the guest of "stealing apples" because she was not using the designated apple receptacle. There may have been some miscommunication due to a language barrier. Instead of attempting to reconcile this simple misunderstanding, the staff member began acting injudiciously and hastily threatened to call the police.
Immediately, all of the guests in the group were asked to leave. Members of the group who had picked fruit already were rushed to pay for the items. The cashier checked the purses of three of the women as they were paying for the produce. No one was allowed to use the restroom. Within 30 minutes, the guests were in and out.
PLEASE DO NOT VISIT THIS ORCHARD. The owners/employees are hot-headed and discriminatory. They were quick to accuse a patron of stealing apples and happy to kick everyone out while keeping their money. That is not an act motivated by justice, but rather an ignorant act carried out in the name of greed. I am absolutely appalled by the behavior of this establishment. There are plenty of other orchards out there. Do not waste your time and money to support a business that does not care about their customers.
Its a nice farm. Could get expensive depending what you want to do.
Hundreds of people enjoy the day with their family and friends,. From babies to adults. There is alot of walking,. A variety of fruit to choose from. Different seasons different fruit
I came here back in October during the week. Totally empty - my partner and I had a lot of fun picking different varietals of apples. And we didn't have to pay for parking!
So much to do here!! There were still apples early November, and they are low enough on the trees that even the little kids can pick them. The hay ride is great fun. There are so many things for the kids to do: corn maze, play ground, petting zoo, fun house, haunted house, shops and more! Wonderful day out
Went this past weekend (Sunday 10/16/2016) and it was more than a 45 minute wait in an idling car to get inside the parking lot. Then another 15 minutes to pay a cover charge ($5 a head). Then 20 minutes of walking around to find a tree with ANY apples on it. Finally found them, but the place is almost entirely picked over. That is in part due to a spring frost which reduced the apple crop for the region, but also a lack of candor on the part of the farm that virtually all the apples are gone. The place has a circus atmosphere - loud live bands playing pop tunes that I found intrusive, a petting zoo, and an open-air beer garden. The apple-picking seemed almost secondary. I would not recommend Barton. Best to try nearby Fishkill Farms (which we loved last year but this year they are all "picked out" too) or other orchards along the west coast of the Hudson, there might be some better options there, and less of a carnival feel to the whole thing.