One of my favorite things to do in the fall is something my daughter and I call “Vermonting.” We pick a day, throw a cooler in the car, grab a fancy coffee from a local shop, and hit the road. We’ll find a destination that holds some interest like Farmway in Bradford or Burtt’s Orchard in Cabot or maybe Caspian Lake. We stop everywhere! Antiques, yard sales, cafes for snacks, vineyards for glasses of wine, but most importantly at every farm stand we see. The goal is to, at a minimum, bring home dinner. A good day can result in having done your grocery shopping in the most splendid of surroundings. Here’s a list of farm stands and pick-your-own orchards to give you a head start on your Vermonting. Enjoy!
1000 Stone Farm
Produce, Vermont grocery. 1102 Stone Road, Brookfield. Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. (703) 901-2922.
Ananda Gardens
Produce, flowers. 2416 Horn of the Moon Road, Montpelier. Open Thursday to 7 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 802-224-6646.
Dog River Farmstand
Produce, Vermont grocery. 5665 Vermont Route 12, Berlin. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday 12 to 5 p.m. (802) 249-0383.
Ellie’s Farm Market
Produce, cider, Vermont products. 878 Vermont Route 12, Northfield. Monday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (802) 485-7968.
Fairmont Farm and Market
Dairy, beef, pork, lamb, poultry. 141 Lyle Haven Road, East Montpelier. Open Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon. (802) 223-3868.
Flywheel Farm
Produce. 588 Vermont Route 14, Woodbury. Open Thursday through Friday, Saturday, 12 to 6 p.m. (802) 454-1022.
Good Heart Farm Store
Produce. 34 Worcester Village Road, Worcester. Tuesday through Friday, 11a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday. (802) 261-1033, info@goodheartfarmstore.com.
Hartshorn’s Organic Farm Stand and Maple Sugar House
Produce. 180 Highland Avenue, Berlin. Open 9 a.m. to sunset every day. (802) 222-7853.
Knoll Farm
Produce, Vermont products. 700 Bragg Hill Road, Waitsfield. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6.p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Monday. (802) 496-5685.
LePage Farm
Produce. 127 LePage Road, Barre Town. Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. (802) 793-1808.
McKnight Farm
Milk, beef, pork and eggs. 440 Snow Hill Road, East Montpelier. Open all the time. (802) 272-3478; morning best time to call.
Old Soul Farm
Produce, dairy, beef, poultry, maple. 85 Bridge Street, Barre. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (802) 522-4905.
Roger’s Farmstead
Dairy, grains, beef. 934 Rowell Hill Road in Berlin, just off Vermont Route 12 between Montpelier and Northfield. Open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. (802) 371-5098.
Roots Farm Market
Full Vermont grocery. 903 U.S. Route 2, Middlesex. Open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (802) 613-3586.
Templeton Farm
Maple and beef. 3410 Center Road, East Montpelier. Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. (802) 223-0169.
Von Trapp Farm Store
Produce, cheese, Vermont products. 251 Common Road, Waitsfield. Open Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday/Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday. (802) 496-6100.
Wicked Bines Farm
Pork, beef, poultry, eggs. 407 Marvin Road, Berlin. Open Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (802) 223-7931.
Did we miss a farmstand? Send us the info to editor@montpelierbridge.com and we’ll get it into our online list.
Pick-Your-Own Apple Orchards in Central Vermont
Burtt’s Apple Orchard
283 Cabot Plains Road, Cabot. Open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (802) 917-2614.
Hungry Mountain Orchard
88 Thurston Lane, Waterbury Center. Open Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment. (802) 244-6680.
Liberty Orchards
2409 West Street, Brookfield. Open Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday through Thursday, 1 pm to 5 pm. (540) 405-2796.
Pecks Orchard
750 Sibley Road, East Montpelier. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (802) 249-1223.
Vermont Tech Orchard
S Randolph Road, Randolph Center. Opening Day: Saturday, Sept. 17. Hours: Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (802) 728-1276.