Lyman Orchards Apple Barrel Farm Market - Middlefield CT

Lyman Orchards is truly a Connecticut gem! I recently had the pleasure of partnering with the Lyman team for The Salvation Army's National Donut Day celebration, and I can't say enough about the experience. Becky, Nina, and Evelyn were all wonderful to work with. A special thank you to Becky, who embraced the vision for this event and has been helping lead and grow this meaningful partnership since COVID. Nina was incredibly helpful throughout the planning process, and Evelyn, the baker and mastermind behind the deliciousness, created donuts that everyone loved! Their generosity, hospitality, and commitment to the community helped us honor our veterans and celebrate the legacy of the Donut Lassies. We are so grateful for their partnership and look forward to working together again. And yes, the donuts are every bit as amazing as you'd expect! 🍩

We went on the goat stroll and had breakfast. It was a nice relaxing morning out. The food was hot and fresh and the staff inside the restaurant and running the goat stroll were friendly and efficient. They made the morning really very pleasant. The variety of food at the store is great but the prices are a bit high.

Great experience here with the kids. The corn maze was picturesque, challenging and great exercise! The staff were so friendly and supportive. They even offered to take photos of us. The pumpkin patch was so nice. They had pumpkins in various colors and sizes. It made a great background for our images. The candy apples, apple cider and other snacks were very appetizing! I would definitely recommend.

We visited Lyman Orchards to do the “pick your own apples” and grab some bakery goods. We come up to New England from Florida once a year and usually visit the same orchard, but this time we decided to try something new since this place had good reviews and seemed popular. The Market / Bakery: The store itself was nice — clean, well-stocked, and full of options. We picked up some pastries and apple cider, and both were very good. I’d give that part a solid 4 out of 5 stars. The Orchard Experience: Unfortunately, the pick-your-own experience was disappointing. After paying $16 for a half-peck bag, we walked down the gravel path past several rows of apple trees, all of which were completely bare. We saw a “Private Drive – No Trespassing” sign at the end of the path, so we turned left into the orchard area where we finally saw trees with apples. However, these apples were small, discolored, and covered in brown spots. Despite that, we saw other guests picking them, so we filled about half the bag before heading back — it’s not easy for me to walk long distances, and our son is special needs. When we got back, I went to the shed where they sell the bags and asked about the condition of the apples. The young blonde woman working there (early 20s) told me those were crab apples used to keep animals away. I explained we didn’t see any other apples in the area and mentioned the “Private Drive” sign, and she said there should have been an orange cone marking the correct area — but there wasn’t. I told her we weren’t going to walk all the way back down and asked for a refund since we’d only been there about 15 minutes. She immediately demanded to see my receipt — even though I had just paid cash a few minutes earlier and even spoke to the same girl when we arrived. After searching my pockets, I found it and gave it to her. She rolled her eyes and told me to go to the other side, where a young man took a few minutes to log into his register before finally issuing the refund. Overall Impression: Between the lack of signage, poor communication, and rude customer service, the experience was very disappointing. We ended up with no apples and wasted time and energy. The only reason this isn’t a one-star review is because the baked goods were genuinely good. Otherwise, we will not be returning.

Whats not to Like about Lyman Orchards store. You can get anything to take home meals, deli sandwiches, jellies, applesauce, dressings, bakery items, candy, ice cream and the list goes on and on. My favs and take homes when I come are the apple fritters, applesauces, bakery items, jellies and new to try this time a dressing. I can't say anything negative that is made with their delicious apples. Do not go hungry you will want to eat and try everything. You can pick pumpkins by the store, its located outside.