Rulfs Orchard

Went here to pick up some corn on the cob since we were camping in the area. Great selection of craft foods from pies, jellies, maple syrup and even homemade ice cream!

Wonderful farm stand… very helpful staff

Mr Rulfs has come a long way since I first went here as a child. Back then they just had a bunch of apple trees all lined up in a row, some good apple cider doughnuts that they’d just started to distribute, and these great lollipops that I’ll never forget. Some 20 years later, Mr Rulfs is still alive and kicking, and has a lot more going on.
Selection:
Gone are the days of just a few types of apples and the occasional tomatoes and ears of corn in a roadside stand. Nowadays Mr Rulfs had a pretty good operation going with some 15 types of apples, pumpkins, strawberries, blueberries, squashes, tomatoes and peppers. The full list on the website, and everything is seasonal. If you want fresh Rulfs produce, most of the time you can find in local grocery stores (I’m pretty sure even Price Chopper sells his apples) but heading out to the farm is the best idea.
They also have several greenhouses set up now. You can get all sorts of flowers and plants and gardening tools and mulch. It’s definitely a fun look around, although go early in the season, by early August everything’s pretty picked over. In the holidays you can get your trees and wreaths from Mr Rulfs, too. If I remember they might even have firewood for those with no ax in their shed.
The store and bakery sells everything from Vermont maple syrup, honey, jams, pies, breads, candy apples, carmel apples, doughnuts and produce. It’s a heavenly smell in the cozy barn-​like shop. You can’t go wrong, and you’ll always leave with something good.
Venue:
What first started out as a dairy farm with a few acres, Mr Rulfs Orchard has developed into a grand farm with over 150 acres of produce, seven greenhouses and a grand store. The apple orchards are open for all to walk through, and you can pick your own strawberries, blueberries and pumpkins in season.
When heading down Bear Swam Road, you can’t miss it. It’s huge. And it’s open all year long, so you have no reason not to stop by if you’re in the area. We always used to drive out from Plattsburgh, but people as far as Saranac and Tupper Lake, Messina and Lake Placid head up for apples and doughnuts. Hot apple cider in the winter is the best, so try it out. You can wander for hours or head in for quick shopping trip. They always have events going on, and you’ll always find nice people who will help you out.
It’s scout’s honor up here in the North Country, so don’t go stealing any apples off the trees, but if you want a snack while you’re shopping around, no one will object. Just make sure you don’t walk out without paying.