Pumpkin Pickin' at Bishop's Orchards
Bishop’s Orchards
1355 Boston
Post Road
Guilford, CT 06437-2399
About 14 miles from the Law School
For months I had seen signs along I-95 for Bishop’s Orchards
and wanted to check it out. Though I had
gone with the intention of wandering out in some field and picking my own
fruit, what I found when I got there was more timely and just as cool.
On the one side, they have a whole grocery store, with
everything from bushels of apples to homemade chicken pot pies (and apple pies,
and pumpkin pies, and berry pies …). They
even sell Turkish Delight for those of you who read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and always wondered if the
stuff could really be THAT good. Though
you may not be able to find your brand food favorites, the shopping experience
is worlds nicer than going to the Shaw’s on Whalley Avenue (super long lines,
no matter what time of day, and something about that place just makes you feel not
so fresh). They also have a little
garden area where they sell firewood and plants.
On the other side, they had a huge pumpkin patch complete
with a hay maze and a make-your-own-scarecrow tent for kids. I firmly believe that getting your pumpkins
this way is so much more fun than going to the grocery store or Home
Depot. At the entrance they have wagons
so that you can fill it up with pumpkins and gourds and dried, ornamental
corn. They even had a mini petting zoo
with what looked like a llama or ostrich (or some other tall furry and feathery
animal). The parking lot was packed by
the time we left, and as we drove off I saw a family loading into their minivan
a life-sized scarecrow dressed as a 10 year old boy.
Pick up a bottle of their homemade apple
cider on the way out and you’re all set for a weekend of carving pumpkins and
enjoying a New England autumn!
