Ask a Waconia local what fall smells like and they'll tell you: apples. Deardorff Orchards, a working family farm on Parley Lake Road dating to 1888, is the west metro's closest thing to a complete Minnesota fall outing — pick-your-own apples across 120 acres, tractor rides, pumpkins and mums as October arrives, and a farm winery pouring estate wine on the same property. The orchard opens around Labor Day weekend and runs until the trees are picked out, typically late October. This guide covers when to go, which varieties ripen when, and how to turn the trip into a full fall day.
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Deardorff Orchards: The Farm
Deardorff grows more than 3,000 trees of Minnesota-bred varieties — the University of Minnesota's SweeTango and Zestar!, the beloved Honeycrisp, and the old-school baking standby Haralson. Tractor rides out to the picking rows are complimentary when you pick your own apples, and the farm stand fills out with pumpkins, mums, and local honey as the season turns. It's a genuine working farm rather than an agritainment park: the draw is the orchard itself, the views over Parley Lake country, and apples that were on the tree an hour before they're in your trunk.
What Ripens When
Minnesota apple season moves fast, and picking availability shifts week to week with the crop — always check the orchard's website or social pages before driving out. As a rule of thumb: Zestar! and SweeTango lead the season in early-to-mid September, Honeycrisp peaks from mid-to-late September, and Haralson — the tart pie apple — carries October. The most popular varieties pick out fastest; if SweeTango is the mission, go the first two weekends after Labor Day and go early in the day.
“Labor Day weekend to late October, that farm is the best free show in Carver County — and the apples are the ticket price.”
— Local advice
Parley Lake Winery: On the Same Farmstead
The rare orchard trip that works for every generation of the car: Parley Lake Winery shares the Deardorff farmstead, pouring estate wines from cold-climate Minnesota grapes in a tasting room with a wrap-around deck overlooking the Lake View Stage and the Itasca vineyard. It operates seasonally — roughly May through December, weekends especially — and apple season is its peak atmosphere, often with live music. Pick apples first, then let one adult taste while the kids run the farmyard. Check current days and hours before you go.
Go Early for SweeTango
The U of M's flagship variety picks out fastest. Early-to-mid September, mornings, weekdays if you can swing it.
Two Stops, One Farm
Deardorff Orchards and Parley Lake Winery share the same 1888 farmstead on Parley Lake Road — apples for the kids, a tasting for the adults.
Parley Lake Winery listing →Make It a Full Fall Day
The orchard sits ten minutes west of downtown Waconia, which makes the classic fall Saturday easy: morning picking at Deardorff, lunch downtown (Iron Tap or Mucho Mexican), then the Scarecrow Tour route through town in October, and a sunset glass at Sovereign Estate on the lake. If you're building a bigger weekend, the full wineries-and-distillery loop and the fall-colors drive around the lake both start from the same square mile.
Plan Your Fall Visit
Apple picking, the Scarecrow Tour, fall colors, and trophy walleye — October is Waconia's best month.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Where can you pick apples near Waconia, MN?
- Deardorff Orchards at 8282 Parley Lake Road, about ten minutes west of downtown Waconia, is the local pick-your-own orchard — an 1888 family farm with more than 3,000 trees growing SweeTango, Zestar!, Honeycrisp, and Haralson. The season runs from around Labor Day weekend until the trees are picked out, typically late October.
- When does apple season start at Deardorff Orchards?
- Deardorff typically opens for pick-your-own around Labor Day weekend. Zestar! and SweeTango ripen first in early-to-mid September, Honeycrisp peaks mid-to-late September, and Haralson carries October. Check the orchard's website or social pages for current open days and picking availability before visiting — it shifts with the crop each week.
- Is there a winery at Deardorff Orchards?
- Yes — Parley Lake Winery shares the same farmstead. It pours estate wines from cold-climate Minnesota grapes in a seasonal tasting room with a deck overlooking the vineyard, generally open weekends from roughly May through December. Apple season is its liveliest stretch, often with live music.
- Does Deardorff Orchards have pumpkins and fall activities?
- Yes. Alongside pick-your-own apples, the farm offers complimentary tractor rides for pickers, and the farm stand adds pumpkins, mums, and local honey as October arrives. It pairs naturally with Waconia's other fall traditions like the Scarecrow Tour (October 8–18 in 2026).