Alstede Farms — Attraction in Chester Township

Brutally honest review incoming -

I love Alstede Farms. I really do. I have been coming for years with my children. We will stop by our local farmers market and buy a bunch of carrots and romaine hearts and feed all the cows, goats, sheep, and horses. We adore it and love seeing them bouncing over to eat up all the yummies, and get head pats. This definitely helps children develop a strong love for animals.

The farm itself is huge, with a lovely variety of fruit and veg to pick from when they are in season. We have picked strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, apples, sugar snap peas, and a few others over the years.

The store itself offers such a wonderful variety of high quality goods. They tend to be pricey, but I suppose they are worth the price overall. I am selective in what I buy, but I have been happy with all my purchases. The seasonal ice creams outside are also great! The activities that are offered look amazing, such as the season pancake breakfasts and the tastings. Again, a lot to do, and everything seems great quality.

The 2 biggest short comings are the price and map. For the map, there really is no excuse to not have a better map. What they offer is done so amateurly, and lacks so much useful information, that it is almost pointless. Put in the time and effort and make a decent map. Case in point, they claim on a large sign in the middle of the farm to have yellow peaches, white peaches, and donut peaches. I could only find yellow. I asked at the end, they said they don't have donut peaches, and that there were no more white peaches. Ok, normally not an issue. However, they list which apples are available currently on the map, so why can't you do this with the peaches, so we aren't walking around and around looking for them. Additionally, with so many varieties of apples, why are they not listed as to their locations on the map? Half the items are also completely missing but I assume this is simply because they are not available. But why not just list everything on the farm instead of adding and removing? There are simpler AND more informative ways of designing this map.

The second, and bigger issue, is the PYO pricing. What an absolute RIP-OFF. $30 for a pint, PER PERSON! This is the price if you walk up. It is $23 if you purchase online for a time slot. YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BUY ONLINE and save yourself $7 per person. Do it as soon as you walk up, it doesn't matter. Why such a dramatic difference in price, especially on a day when NO ONE else is on the farm picking? Why not have slow day price incentives? And what if I only want 1 pint or 1 bag of apples, but have 2 younger children, or even a family? Why am I forced to make additional purchases? Pricing was so much lower just a few years ago, it seems everyone uses the excuse of COVID to jack up their prices sky high.

And please do not use the excuse of operational costs. This is an insult to consumers in this regard. The price would be what it is regardless of how many people come to PYO. I can guarantee you would have MORE people coming if your pricing structure was more reasonable. If the cost includes other things like paying on the hay stack or riding the tractor - then offer lower priced tickets for NOT making use of these things. There are so many opportunities lost here, but it is clear that the management doesn't care too much to put in the effort, and that is a shame.

I fully expect a reply that will try to justify their costs, or to contact them directly. Neither of those are useful, as the consumer should see this to know what to expect. I hope to see this review taken to heart, and that the management team makes changes in the near future, but I won't kid myself. Instead I will look for different farms (and note I drive a good 40 minutes just to get here because I do like the...

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Alstede Farms, a picturesque farm located in the heart of nature's beauty. As an avid fruit lover, I decided to try my hand at peach picking, raspberry picking, and blueberry picking, and I must say that my experience exceeded all expectations. - I was the photographer of my group lol.

Upon arriving at Alstede Farms, I was greeted by the friendly staff who provided me with a warm welcome and a brief orientation. The farm's ambiance was delightful, with sprawling fields of vibrant greenery and the sweet fragrance of ripening fruits in the air. It immediately set the stage for a truly enjoyable outing.

My first stop was the peach orchard, and I was blown away by the abundance of perfectly ripe, juicy peaches hanging from the trees. The experience of plucking my own peaches straight from the branches was incredibly satisfying. Each bite into these sun-kissed fruits revealed their delectable sweetness and unparalleled freshness. The peaches were bursting with flavor, and I couldn't help but marvel at the quality of the produce.

Next, I ventured into the raspberry patch, where I found myself surrounded by rows upon rows of luscious red raspberries. The berries were plump, juicy, and practically gleaming in the sunlight. As I filled my basket with these ruby gems, I couldn't resist sampling a few along the way. The raspberries had a perfect balance of tartness and sweetness, making them a delightful treat. It was evident that Alstede Farms pays meticulous attention to cultivating fruits of the highest caliber.

Finally, I made my way to the blueberry fields, which were a sight to behold. The bushes were laden with clusters of small, indigo-colored berries that beckoned me to start picking. With every handful, I marveled at the firm texture and burst of flavor that each blueberry possessed. These little jewels were simply heavenly and made for an unforgettable picking experience.

In addition to the exceptional fruit picking, Alstede Farms offers a range of other attractions and amenities. They have a charming farm market where you can find an array of fresh produce, baked goods, and artisanal products. The farm also provides fun activities for families, such as hayrides, a petting zoo, and even an opportunity to meet some farm animals. It's an ideal destination for a day of wholesome enjoyment with loved ones.

The dedication of the staff at Alstede Farms was evident throughout my visit. They were knowledgeable, helpful, and passionate about their work. Their commitment to sustainable farming practices and the high quality of their produce truly shone through.

In conclusion, my experience at Alstede Farms was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment I arrived until the moment I left, I was immersed in a world of delicious fruits and warm hospitality. The peach picking, raspberry picking, and blueberry picking were not only enjoyable activities but also offered an opportunity to savor some of the freshest and most flavorsome fruits imaginable. If you're a fruit enthusiast or simply looking for an idyllic farm experience, I wholeheartedly recommend a visit to Alstede Farms. You won't be...

Definitely did not have the best experience here and most likely won’t be visiting again. I was asking the girl at the ticket booth for the different options and it was confusing and she wasn’t that helpful. They also didn’t tell me that the corn maze closed at 5 and that the other additional activities closed at 3! That would have been nice if I was told at the ticket booth. So my 6 year old son and I missed half the things there. At first we were only buying the admission into the ferm and then I saw people had the large boxes so I asked how much that was and she was like oh you can upgrade for $21 more and get the box of fruit. I ended up doing that and huge mistake. I brought home a bunch of rotten fruit. Yes there was plenty of fruit to pick from but it was either ripe or rotten. So disappointed I upgraded and didn’t even have enough time to pick enough fruit to fill the bkx. Also, I was on the trsftor ride with my son for 40 mins and finally got to the corn maxe and then was told it was closed already, I did speak to a manager and they gave me the nighttime wristbands at no additional cost at that point however my son was wiped out at that point and had no desire anymore to go on the corn maze or see the campfire etc so we ended up leaving early not doing the corn maze properly or and didn’t do the campfire nor the pumpkin picking. Also, paid $23 for 3 pumpkins. And then$14 for two tiny ice creams that we waited forever for and the guy at taking my order asked me 3 times after I akresdybtomd him what my son’s order was which was simple chocolate ice cream with rainbow sprinkles ..when I asked for more sprinkles on my son’s ice cream he gave the wrong kind of sprinkles that he had originally...the prices are outrageous for what you get..$91 for my son and I to get in for rotten fruit and activities that end early and then $24 for pumpkins and $14 for tiny ice creams. The tractor ride also takes extremely long to go around and my son and I went on it about 6 times at least because we had to put the fruit back by our stroller and then the pumpkins back by our stroller and also went back to eat. Also, there was a man by the exit that was very rude, I was trying to eat lunch with my son ..we had brought our own and he starts to scream at me that I have to check out first and I can’t bring my box of fruit back in here or will risk someone taking it because I have to leave it inside the gate. When I was trying to tell him we were only going to sit at a table to eat our lunch he screamed I can’t hear you! Well he couldd have walked a few steps over to hear me instead of screaming at me that he couldn’t hear me. Not a lot of activities included for the money, very...