Harbes Orchard — Attraction in Town of Riverhead

Very nice orchard. The grounds are a little confusing to navigate when you first get there but there's no rush so that's fine. There's tons of space and it's easy to social distance. Everyone was compliant w Covid rules so it didn't feel irresponsible to be out having a bit of fun. There was "slim pickings" so didn't get many apples off the trees but that's because I'm allergic to apple picking before the last possible moment so that's not their fault lol. There was plenty of parking and the signs made it easy to find. There were a bunch of other activities besides pumpkin and apple picking to keep you entertained. Esp if you had to drive over 2 hours to get there and wanted to make a day of it. Saw plenty of child free groups enjoying the wine they sell there and the fall atmosphere. Some people were even in heels so if you're into that (even at a farm) go for it!

Oneeee little tiiinyyyy thing I didn't like was that no outside food or drink is allowed. And the only real "food" they have is corn and hot dogs. Yup. Exactly. And the one time I phoned it in and said we'd figure out food when we get there I see the place does have anything I want. The ice cream on my apple crumble a la mode was almost fully melted by the time I walked to my seat w it even though it was a pretty brisk day. I'm just annoyed because I was hungry but I figured someone else would wanna know. Eat before you get to the orchard.

All the staff were kind and welcoming. There was a very diverse crowd and everyone was enjoying themselves in their respective groups so that was nice. Every attraction was open and the social distancing didn't really interfere w the activities since we're New Yorkers and don't get too close to people anyway. They had cider donuts, kettle corn, candy apples and a couple other things. But other staples were missing like gallon bottles of cider, fresh pies, other baked goodies,produce etc so if you go for any of those you'll need to stop at another farm/shop to get your fix. All in all, it's a nice day out activity. I'd go back if it wasn't so very...

I have been coming to this location for the last 4 years with my family and friends. Besides it being pretty pricey I've enjoyed it as a seasonal thing to do prior to Halloween with my children. This time was a little different. Apple picking was limited more than prior years. One can blame weather but im not sure thats the case. Usually way more isles are open and more availability in regards to apple selection. 2nd thing was customer service from associates. VERY rude from the apple picking associates inside the orchard to walking out of the orchard at the exit where they tag the bags. They seem like they hate their job and their lives. The nicest associate was the person serving food from the grill. Went to order candy apples and cotton candy and I got a "wad up". When saying have a good day i was told "yup". Im not looking for over the top customer service but a "you too" or "thanks" works wonders especially with a 4 year old child being nice and saying have q good day learning about respect and human interaction. The price of the food like the roasted corns and hotdogs went up and quality dramatically went down. For the price of what is being offered its getting to be not worth the money. The pumpkin patch was very nice but $0.79 a pound seems a little steep. I dont remember previous years being as much as it is. Could not find a cart to wheel the pumpkins out to pay. When i asked where I can find one I was told "i dont know". Other places are stepping the gane up for cheaper. My family went to bakewicz right after and it was cheaper to get in and way more family oriented with more for children. Lewin farms is stepping up as well with their prices dropping and better quality. This place is nice to look at but it might be time for my family to take our...

I wouldn't come here to pick apples. I know orchards are a popular destination on the island but being picked dry before the end of the season is not a great sign - especially for a marked up price. It's pretty obvious that this venue has been thoroughly commercialized. They open up zones only after participants begin complaining. The amount of waste that was visible was sort of breathtaking. Obviously, if the owners cared in some capacity about a quarter of their produce being driven into the ground they would have some personnel patrol the lanes to make sure people are being civilized to a degree. Even more, they would not require every entrant to purchase a bag, which most likely vastly encourages waste. Instead it felt as if 95% of the staff was security. I have to ask - how many visitors really come to steal apples? When you pay a premium you expect some measure of quality.

There are a couple positives that make up for the arguably most important attraction being a disappointment. There is a farmers market style setup on the grounds with seemingly independent vendors. And they make cider donuts on the premises (or so claimed), which were excellent. The donuts alone made the trip worth it. There is also a wine bar. So you have a pretty comprehensive collection of food/drink related activities. I could see myself coming back if the traffic situation improves...