During the American Revolution an officer passing through New Jersey described it as “the garden of America.” Another called it “a land of milk and honey.”
Harvest season is the perfect time to experience Central Jersey’s farms, wineries, breweries, and historic sites in the place where Washington crossed the Delaware and won the crucial Battles of Princeton and Trenton.
As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, the farms of Central New Jersey hold a special place in American history, a place that saw a “forage war” between competing American, British, and even French armies seeking sustenance. Quite a few farms have been operating since before the nation was founded—some operated by descendants of the very same families!
The Mount family has welcomed visitors to Terhune Orchards for 50 years.
The main attraction is the same today as it was then – fertile lands conveniently located between two great historic cities, New York and Philadelphia, a relatively short trip for so many people, with great place to stay overnight.
An autumn visit to Central Jersey offers fall festivals, apple- and pumpkin-picking, live music, wine tastings, and Oktoberfest-style local beer. Check out our interactive map to find lots of exciting things to do here.
At DiscoverCentralNJ.com you’ll find farms and orchards to please everyone, including families, friends, young couples, and seniors. Harvest festivals generally require the purchase of tickets, either in advance or on-site. Our favorite festivals can be found at these farms, listed in order of opening weekend:
- Terhune Orchards and Winery, near Princeton, attracts thousands of visitors every year to a 250-acre family-owned and operated farm celebrating its 50th anniversary year. Starting September 6, autumn brings Terhune’s Fall Family Fun Weekends, Saturdays and Sundays 10-5 through November 2, featuring live music, pick-your-own pumpkins, country food, pedal & play tractors, corn stalk & hay mazes, adventure barn, and farm animals. Estate wines served among 100-year-old apple trees. Admission discounts with advance purchase. Or buy a season pass!
- Norz-Hill Farm’s Family Fun Fall Festivals in Hillsborough start September 13 on weekends (10 to 6), expanding to weekday afternoons on October 1 through late October. Enjoy hay wagon rides, a corn maze, u-pick pumpkin patch, Kids’ Corner, and a food stand. They also offer Scare Farm, a popular Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night experience September 26 to October 26. Buy tickets in advance here.
- Giamarese Farm in East Brunswick opens its Fall Harvest Weekends on September 20 and will be offering hayrides, pony rides, apple-picking until mid-October, and pumpkin-picking through the end of October. They also have an on-farm store open daily Tuesday to Sunday through December.
Miss Central Jersey visits piglets at Abma’s Farm.
- Abma’s Farm in Hillsborough starts fall festival activities September 20 through November 1, weekdays 3-4:30 and Saturdays 9-4. Admission tickets are needed for hayrides, corn maze, pumpkin picking, petting zoo. Geared towards families, couples, friends, and casual groups. Kids under 24 months are admitted free.
- Etsch Farm in Monroe begins their fall festival featuring their 19th corn maze season on weekends September 20 through October, featuring hayrides, barrel train, bakery trailer, and pumpkin patch.
- Snyders Farm in the Somerset section of Franklin Township offers a family-oriented Farm Festival weekends starting October 4 through October 26, from 11am to 6pm. Activities include pumpkin picking, hay rides , corn maze , sunflower trail , giant slide, lots of activities, food trucks , local breweries, and great photo op areas. Entry tickets are paid for in cash, upon entry. Last entry at 4:30.
For folks interested in combining harvest season with revolutionary history, East Jersey Old Town Village in Piscataway is offering a free family-friendly Fall Harvest Festival on two long weekends, October 23-25, and October 31-November 2, from 10-5pm. Enjoy conversations with historic reenactors while visiting authentic 18th Century homes, schoolhouses, taverns, and barns. Take an accessible wagon ride to our farm fields, pick your pumpkins, and snap your postcard-perfect family photo. Then, stop by the tent and take home a variety of pies, cider donuts, pickles, salsa, and preserves.
On Saturday, October 4, the folks at Love Flemington are hosting the third annual Hunterdon Harvest Fair from 11 to 7 on Stangl Road, the site of the Stangl Farmers Market on Saturdays. Throughout the fall, historic Flemington offers self-guided historic walking tours, great shopping, and extraordinary restaurants. Visit Flemington on September 13 for the Central Jersey Jazz Festival!
Fall Festival at East Jersey Old Town Village.
You’ll also find a great Fall Music Series every Saturday in September and October on the Palmer Square Green in world-famous Princeton, home to Princeton University and a dozen farm-to-table restaurants, plus a vibrant shopping district.
You can also find autumn festivals in the areas many wineries and breweries, including:
- Oktoberfest on September 20 at River Horse Brewing in Ewing, from 2 to 9pm, featuring family friendly games, German food, live music, speciality casks, and a dunkel fester release.
- Oktoberfest on September 27 at Sunken Silo in Lebanon in partnership with Metropolitan Seafood.
- Oktoberfest is on October 4 at Flounder Brewing in Hillsborough from noon to 10pm. Guests can spread out on our South Paddock field with their own blankets and camp chairs or hang inside a historic barn while enjoying local beer including Last Train to Munich Octoberfest Marzen! Flounder’s Brass band will play traditional German favorites in the afternoon followed by at 6 by the Garret Tatano Band from Pittsburgh with their incredible German oompah party!
Next year, in 2026, Central New Jersey is expected to host more than a million visitors, many from overseas, who will be coming for the World Cup games played in New Jersey and nearby Philadelphia, as well as being a hub for heritage tourism related to the nation’s 250th anniversary. This fall is the perfect time to beat the crowds and enjoy harvest season in the Garden State.
- Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse in Milford produces 100% grass-fed, raw cows’ milk cheeses, pastured meats, and rustic breads baked in a wood-fired oven.
- Cherry Grove Farm is a sustainable dairy farm and creamery on 480 acres in Lawrenceville, making award-winning farmstead cheeses from grass-fed raw cows’ milk.
Hike with goats at Gorgeous Goat!
- Gorgeous Goat Creamery in Stockton offers Goat Hikes and Farm Tours every weekend through Thanksgiving. Get ready for the surprise and delight of over 100 goats at the only goat dairy farm in New Jersey. Purchase tickets online.
- Griggstown Farm Market near Princeton sells its famous “Griggstown chicken” and other farm products using all-natural methods. The market sells seasonal fruit pies, pot pies, poultry sausages, and more.
- Hidden Spring Lavender and Alpaca Farm is offering “walk with an alpaca” tickets on Saturdays, while their store is open both Saturdays and Sundays. Their on-farm store is chock full of bouquets, buds, oil, lotions, creams, and more.
Next year, in 2026, Central New Jersey is expected to host more than a million visitors, many from overseas, who will be coming for the World Cup games played in New Jerseyand nearby Philadelphia, as well as being a hub for heritage tourism related to the nation’s 250th anniversary. This fall is the perfect time to beat the crowds and enjoy harvest season in the Garden State.
For more information about everything to see and do in Central Jersey, visit discovercentralnj.com. This article is supported in part by a grant from New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.
