Portland-Area Apple Orchards and Pumpkin Patches Open for the Season

Fall farm season is officially underway across the Portland metro area, as orchards and farms in the surrounding valley open for u-pick apples and pumpkin-patch visits. The stretch of farmland south and west of the city — much of it within easy reach of Beaverton, Gresham, and the Clackamas County suburbs — draws a steady stream of weekend visitors through October, with many farms adding hayrides, corn mazes, petting areas, and other family activities alongside the actual picking.

Apple season in the valley typically runs from early September into November depending on the variety, with early varieties like Gravenstein giving way to Honeycrisp, Jonagold, and other later-ripening apples as the weeks go on. Pumpkin patches tend to open in mid-to-late September and stay busy right up through Halloween, and many of the same farms running u-pick apples also plant several acres specifically for pumpkins, timing the planting so the fruit is ready right around when apple season winds down.

Several farms also sell cider, preserves, baked goods, and other fall produce at on-site stands, giving the visits a bit of a farmers-market feel alongside the picking — a model that's become increasingly common as farms look for ways to turn a single visit into a longer stay and higher per-visit spending. Some of the larger operations have grown this side of the business substantially over the past decade, adding commercial kitchens and expanded retail space that now operate nearly as a second business alongside the actual farming.

With Labor Day traffic behind them, many farms report that the weeks after the equinox are when visits really pick up, as cooler weather makes a day outdoors more appealing and families start planning Halloween activities well in advance. Weekday visits tend to be quieter and are often preferred by school groups, which make up a significant share of farm traffic in late September and early October before the weekend crowds fully arrive. Several farms offer dedicated field-trip packages for schools, complete with guided tours and age-appropriate activities, which has become a meaningful part of the fall business for farms close enough to the metro area's school districts to make a short bus ride practical.

Anyone planning a trip is encouraged to check individual farms' websites or social media for exact hours, since many operate on a weekends-only or weather-dependent schedule this time of year, and some smaller farms close entirely on rainy days when muddy fields make the picking areas impassable. Prices and payment methods also vary significantly by farm — some charge a flat admission fee that includes a set amount of picking, while others charge strictly by weight or by the piece, so it's worth checking in advance if a specific budget matters. Parking can also fill up fast at the more popular farms on clear-weather weekends, and several now recommend arriving early or on a weekday to avoid the longest waits.

Agritourism has become an increasingly important part of the farm economy in Washington and Clackamas counties over the past two decades, as rising land values and the costs of competing in commodity crop markets have pushed many smaller farms to diversify into direct-to-consumer attractions rather than relying solely on wholesale sales. For some multi-generational farms in the area, the fall season's u-pick and agritourism revenue now rivals or exceeds what the same acreage would generate in traditional crop sales, a shift that's helped keep some farmland in active agricultural use rather than being sold for development as the metro area has continued to grow outward into the surrounding valley.