Want to create some great memories and start a new fall tradition? Plan an apple-picking adventure!
Ferrara’s Happy Apple Farm is a pick-your-own produce farm with 14 varieties of apples, pears, and pumpkins (they also have blackberries, raspberries, and gooseberries in the summer months).
Pick up your baskets and boxes in the building, then take a free tractor-trailer ride down to the berry and pumpkin patches, where the staff will point out what is growing where. Even very young children can help pluck an apple from a tree, although they may need a bit of help reaching the branches.
The fruit costs about the same as in the grocery store (sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more), but it is fresher and tastes better too. The store sells apples and a variety of foods made from their own produce, such as jams, jellies, and pumpkin butter. You can also purchase fresh-pressed apple cider and local honey.
Check the What's in Season section of the website before your visit to see the current status of the produce.
Plan to spend the better part of your day picking fruit, exploring the orchards, and playing outside. You may bring your own lunch to enjoy at one of their picnic tables. A reasonably-priced deli is located in the lower area of the store. On weekends, Sunflowers Grill sells applewood-smoked brisket, turkey legs, and grilled corn.
NOTE: The only bathrooms available are port-a-potties, but they are much cleaner than many I’ve experienced.
When you get home, use your bounty to make some delicious Apple Dumplings or Homemade Applesauce. If you're feeling crafty, you can make some Apple Butterflies Artwork!
Ferrara's Happy Apple Farm is located at 1190 First Street in Penrose, about a half hour south of Colorado Springs. The farm is open to visitors from 9:00 AM–4:30 PM, Wednesday through Sunday, now through October.
