The 90-acre Castleton orchard the Goold family started in 1910, reopened in 2026 with U-pick apples, a bakery and a cidery tasting room.
Stops within about 40 miles of Goold Hill Estate. Collect a Lavender Passport stamp at each one.
Goold Hill Estate is the Capital Region apple orchard the Goold family founded in 1910, long known as Goold Orchards. Neviana Zhgaba and Ardian Llomi, who already ran a vineyard in Connecticut, bought it in 2025 and reopened it in August 2026 after pruning and reviving the 90-acre orchard and planting about 7,500 new grapevines. It is roughly 15 minutes from Albany.
Pick-your-own apples run through the fall harvest, with 11 varieties listed, among them Macoun, McIntosh, Acey Mac, Jonagold, Empire, Cortland, Honeycrisp and Fuji. Row signs and maps show which variety is where, and you should pick only the listed ones. In fall 2026 the orchard and bakery open six days a week, closed Tuesdays, with evening hours until 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
The bakery and farm store sell seasonal baked goods, and the vineyard and cidery pour the estate's hard cider and wine along with non-alcoholic drinks; seasonal cider tastings and flights are offered on select weekends and at events. Many weekends bring free live music, food trucks and vendor markets, and the estate also hosts ticketed craft, music and comedy nights, school field trips and private parties. Children must be supervised by an adult everywhere on the grounds.
Jubilee Farms in Richmondville, which makes handmade lavender goods alongside its alpacas, sheep and angora rabbits, is about an hour west on I-88, so plan the two as a full day out from Albany.
Jubilee Farms · about 60 minutes away
Jubilee Farms in Richmondville is about an hour west on I-88, so pair a morning of apple picking with an afternoon among its animals and lavender goods.
Yes. It reopened in August 2026 as Goold Hill Estate under new owners, with U-pick apples, a bakery and a cidery.
Leashed dogs are welcome in the outdoor picnic areas only, not in the orchard, farm store or tasting room.
Outside food is allowed, but outside beverages are not.
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
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