Labor Day marks the official start of apple picking season

Farms across the Hudson Valley are offering picking seven days a week.

News 12 Staff

Sep 7, 2020, 11:30 AM

Updated 1,555 days ago

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Labor Day represents the end of summer for many, but for others it's the official start of apple picking season in the Hudson Valley.
People at Dr. Davies Farm in Congers tell News 12 they're excited to be wandering the orchards in the fresh air because it's both seasonal and safe.
Anyone who comes is required to have a mask on-hand. They have to wear it when they first arrive and when they're shopping at the farm stand, where employees are also wearing masks.
But once people are out picking in the orchards, at least six feet apart, they can take the masks off.  For perspective, six feet distance is about the length of a cow.
With 65 acres at the farm, there's a lot of space to move around.
"I think this is one of the best activities you could do during COVID. You're outside, and the weather's good today, so we're looking forward to it," says apple picker Jillian Moo Young.
The farm is open all year, but this is the time when they really do a lot of business. And they don't expect that to change this year. If anything, they're expecting to see more people than they usually do so early in the season. 
"We really tried to, you know, allow people to get good, healthy food during the whole pandemic. But, for us, this is our season. This is where we make all our money. This is where people get all the exposure to what farms are and how they run," says Chris Davies Nevim, owner of Dr. Davies Farm.
The farm is taking reservations right now, and they say they'll also accept walk-ins as long as they have the space to keep everyone safe.
They'll are be open for picking seven days a week.