North of the town of South Haven is the small community of Fairhaven. On the western edge of the town is Fairhaven Farm, which is busy with apple-picking, hay rides, pumpkins, grapes, and more in the fall. (It’s not to be mistaken for Fair Haven Farm, a horse-jumping facility less than an hour’s drive to the southeast.)
Behind the barn is a garden with a walkway through the flowers and ornamental vegetables, nice even on the cold and misty early October day we visited. Chickens were roaming in the yard.
The orchard contains more than 20 varieties of apples, and they’re still creating new ones. Their Kinderkrisp apple (child of Minnesota favorite Honeycrisp) has its own website and is now being sold in tree form.
Had we known, we would have tried it, but we chose another of Fairhaven’s own, Intensity, based on looks as well as the fact that it’s only grown here. Both apples are new enough that they’re not even listed on the farm’s apples page!
Apples, pumpkins, grapes, and even fall-bearing raspberries were ready for picking, but we were just out to explore.
We walked past rows and rows of red and yellow apples, as well as grapes, but we didn’t even see the raspberries or pumpkins. There are also you-pick strawberries and vegetables during the summer.
We stopped in the barn after our rain-shortened self-guided tour and picked up two squashes and a bag of Intensity apples. There’s also a gift shop with decorations as well as unique farm-made jam such as blueberry lime, strawberry balsamic jalapeño, and muskmelon. We wished we had brought more cash so we could have picked up a couple flavors for gifts. Another time.
Fairhaven Farm
Visited: October 6, 2013