McDougal • Orchards

What is there to do on the property?

Pick Apples

Stroll through our two orchards or various other fruit tree plantings to pick apples or stone fruit. We mark the rows that are ready for picking so that you get the ripest fruit whenever you visit. 

Browse our Farm Store

Don’t feel like picking? Visit our store in the front of the barn to browse a selection of hand-picked fruit, local jams and jellies, pickles, honey, syrup and lots of historical information and decor!

Take a Weekend Wagon Ride

Take a wagon ride through the orchard! Our tractor-pulled wagon rides are included in the cost of your u-pick fruit, there is no extra charge! We run weekend wagon rides between Labor Day and Indigenous Peoples Day from 10-4, weather permitting.  

Get lost in the Corn Maze

Conquer our corn maze! This is another activity that has no extra charge, although donations are welcome! Compared to other farms, our maze may seem small, it is 1 acre or less, and geared toward kids and kids at heart, but it’s still a blast! Can you figure out what we spelled in it this year?

Grab something Delicious to Eat!

Munch on some famous Captain Jack’s cider donuts, and be sure to visit our own Capt. Jack’s Donut Shack on weekends from Labor Day through Indigenous Peoples Day to enjoy hot buckets of donuts as well as coffee, cider, cider slushies and more. We try to have cider donuts in the salesroom during the week.

Bring a Picnic Lunch

We have picnic tables set in different places around the property and there are lots of grassy areas that are perfect for a picnic blanket. 

AS A REMINDER: We do not allow dogs in the barn or in the orchards BUT we have miles of trails that you can hike with them. Ask for a trail map in the Farm Store! Due to food safety regulations, dogs must stay in your vehicle if you drive into one of our orchards, so on hot days we recommend leaving your pups at home. 

Fairy Village on the Ridge!

One day, Captain Jack was out for a walk and he stumbled upon a magical part of the forest where some woodland fairies and sprites had just recently moved. They were trying to build shelters before winter came, so Captain Jack helped them out by bringing down some tiny building supplies for them and opening the Fairy Village’s first ever “Gnome Depot”. Each fall the fairies come back and need help building their houses to stay warm throughout the winter. Spend some time outside, use your imagination, and help us take care of the Hanson Ridge Fairy Village!

Tag us in  a picture of your Fairy House and we will try to post it on this website or on our Facebook page.

School Tours, Groups and Birthday Parties

Please call for more information, pricing, and to schedule your special day! We do our best to  tailor a visit to fit your interests and your budget. The minimum amount for group rates to apply is 6 people. If for some reason you need to cancel an event, try to give us as much notice as possible and we will do our best to reschedule you. 

School Tours

Want to take your students on a fruit-filled educational adventure? Learn about the seasons of growing apples in our beautiful old barn, then take a wagon ride through one of our orchards and get dropped off in a prime spot to pick some apples. Each child gets a 1/4 peck bag (holds up to 3 lbs of apples) to pick into. We do not charge for school staff or chaperones. One parent per student may ride the wagon. Adults who also decide to pick apples will get a group discount.

If you are looking to come with older students or another educational group, we can offer any combination of the three elements (barn tour, wagon ride and apple picking) or simply give a group discount on u-pick fruit. 

We only schedule school tours and private wagon rides Monday thru Friday. 

Groups

Schedule an autumnal outing for your company, enjoy a relaxing day at the orchard and get a group discount rate on u-pick apples!


Birthday Parties

Schedule your next birthday party with us! Reserve the picnic tables in our Orchard Education and we can provide child-size apple bags for a flat rate . Any adults attending the party will get a group discount for any apples they pick.

Girl in the orchard during full bloom

Photography

We do charge a fee for professional photographers (anyone getting paid for their photography skills) who uses our property to take pictures of their clients. A lot of work goes into keeping the grounds looking great. Please call or e-mail us for the cost and details. 

We do not charge families for personal photography on the property. During the picking season photos may be taken in any area of the farm open to the public as long as your photo shoot does not impact our business. During the off season (November through mid-August) you are limited to certain areas of the farm and you need to call ahead.

We love when people tag us in their photos and beautiful pictures and fun photoshoots are great word-of-mouth advertising! Forward us a picture and we will post it on our website or our social media accounts with your name!

Full bloom is the most beautiful season. The trees bloom when they are ready and it varies year by year, making it difficult for us to give you an accurate date until a week or so before. 

Weddings/Anniversaries

We would love to be the setting for your special day. Call or email us for information on our fees and details about using our property for weddings, anniversaries or other special events. 

We can only accomodate weddings from May through July, outside of our growing season.

Wedding set up under the black walnut tree