Farm Fresh Fun: Take Your Pick at Orchards & Roadside Stands
There's no better way to get outside with the family and practice social distancing than by visiting local orchards and roadside stands where there is plenty of room to roam.
And the orchards themselves are ensuring everyone enjoys a healthy visits with COVID-19 safeguards in place.
Take your pick of apples and pumpkins throughout September and October at a wide variety of U-Pick-Em orchards in the Great Rivers & Routes region or just pick up your locally grown favs at a roadside stand.
Delight the senses with the brilliant orange of pumpkins, the vibrant yellows of squash and reds, yellows and greens of apples dangling from the limbs of trees as you wander through orchards in search of the perfect pumpkin or bushel of apples. From the early McIntosh and Honeycrisp apples in early September to Red and Golden Delicious in late September and the Granny Smith and Fuji apples in October, there is always a "ripe" time to select your fruits.
Produce Tip: Be on the look out for "blue pumpkins." Yes, it is a real thing. Pumpkins come in a range of colors including orange, yellow, royal blue and light blue!
Be sure to check with each orchard and roadside stand for the current availability of produce.
![liberty apples at an orchard in southwest Illinois](https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Liberty_Apple_ORchard_edwardsville_for_web_14c134c4-6e27-43bf-9c68-1b39507ebb12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=d1663438ef43895f490dfdd15d4da317 320w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Liberty_Apple_ORchard_edwardsville_for_web_14c134c4-6e27-43bf-9c68-1b39507ebb12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=269a45aeed20049305ab1c2d5c826f06 540w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Liberty_Apple_ORchard_edwardsville_for_web_14c134c4-6e27-43bf-9c68-1b39507ebb12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=2135e3ff08006143c57287f3ece83deb 768w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Liberty_Apple_ORchard_edwardsville_for_web_14c134c4-6e27-43bf-9c68-1b39507ebb12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=4fabeebccfa7c278ab9c69ee836da74d 1024w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Liberty_Apple_ORchard_edwardsville_for_web_14c134c4-6e27-43bf-9c68-1b39507ebb12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=4dbc7eb22d6f0053350a2bf42ba30030 1200w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Liberty_Apple_ORchard_edwardsville_for_web_14c134c4-6e27-43bf-9c68-1b39507ebb12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=d50a9db191da43217ef6e0995d6376fd 1440w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Liberty_Apple_ORchard_edwardsville_for_web_14c134c4-6e27-43bf-9c68-1b39507ebb12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=ae7e36ba4c9aac270da4da1b765b9126 1920w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Liberty_Apple_ORchard_edwardsville_for_web_14c134c4-6e27-43bf-9c68-1b39507ebb12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=686365a76b67a80069c1ae4d57d7f06b 2048w)
Fresh Produce & More at Farmers Market
From fresh grown local produce to hand crafted works of art and antique finds.
Top U Pick Spots in Southwest Illinois
As warm hues of gold, orange, and red blanket the Midwest landscape, quietly ushering in the Autumn season over rolling hills, valleys, and harvest fields of our region, another variety of colors burst among the tree leaves and vines at the many local orchards and roadside stands.
![pick your own pumpkin at a local farm in southwest illinois](https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Apple_Festival_Broom_orchard_carlinville_for_web_6e8c21f7-5cf0-4084-a225-8fc4e50cb726.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=b03346de349f97d111894f3554d53d49 320w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Apple_Festival_Broom_orchard_carlinville_for_web_6e8c21f7-5cf0-4084-a225-8fc4e50cb726.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=90a94af86ac80bb46219c942e0051310 540w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Apple_Festival_Broom_orchard_carlinville_for_web_6e8c21f7-5cf0-4084-a225-8fc4e50cb726.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=4020832fac2c20cce1b5974f8ff2bbbd 768w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Apple_Festival_Broom_orchard_carlinville_for_web_6e8c21f7-5cf0-4084-a225-8fc4e50cb726.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=fa5656cd85875fcca042f3886f23ca71 960w)