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COVID-19 Updates: Season Opening Date Postponed

As the COVID-19 situation evolves, the safety and health of our customers, employees, and community remain our top priority. We are closely following the guidelines issued by the CDC, including frequent hand-washing, disinfecting surfaces, and social distancing. Our staff has undergone additional training and will continue to abide by new sanitation guidelines when we open our doors.

Carter Mountain Orchard’s 2020 season-opening date is being postponed to April 15. This date is tentative at this time and will be reevaluated as circumstances warrant. As new developments occur, we will adjust our operations and events calendar as necessary. The early spring events Cultivating Curiosity: Spring Break Edition and the Easter Eggstravaganza are canceled.

In the meantime, our online store remains open for business with gift cards, t-shirts and apparel, and specialty foods. The kitchens are temporarily closed for baked good production but Chiles Family Orchards jams and jellies, apple butter, salad dressings, BBQ sauces, and prepared mixes are as tasty and convenient as ever. We’re currently offering 50% off our standard shipping rates.

On a brighter note, the weather is shaping up for a beautiful spring. Get a bit of fresh air when possible: it is still safe to take walks, run, and hike outdoors, as long as proper social distance is maintained.

We look forward to welcoming you back to the orchards when it is safe to do so. Our family has proudly served the Charlottesville community for generations, and we thank you for your support during these difficult times.

If you have questions, please reach out on Facebook or at Hello@CarterMountainOrchard.com.

Sincerely,
The Chiles Family

Farmer Henry Chiles pruning grapevines
We may be currently closed to the public but our orchards are still active farms! Farmer Henry is shown here pruning grapevines.

It’s Apple Season

Peach season 2019 has come to a close; it’s apple time!

Source: Instagram @rinxriot | Girl with peach

Source: @rinxriot, Instagram

Goodbye, Summer Peaches

Thank you to everyone who visited our family farm and Mother Nature for a fabulous peach season. Favorable winter and summer weather made for delicious peaches this year. Unlike some previous unlucky years, we didn’t lose much of the peach crop to frost and freezing temperates over the winter. In summer, peach trees prefer lots of sun, not too much rain, and comfortable temperatures, which is exactly the weather we had in Central Virginia. Sun-ripened peaches, indeed!

Gala apples on tree at Chiles Family Orchards farm

Hello, Autumn Apples

Our first apples of the season, Gala and Honeycrisp, ripened in August. We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors for apple picking through November.

Plan ahead by visiting our fruit availability page to see when your favorite apple variety will be ripe. The most recent updates for ready-picked and pick-your-own availability are on our pick your own fruit page or on Twitter.

Source: @golden.apollo.rocket, Instagram | Golden retriever dog at Carter Mountain Orchard

Beat the crowds with a weekday visit

We’re so thankful for all of our visitors who love apple picking as much as we do!

Fall weekends on the mountain can get pretty crowded; we recommend visiting us on weekdays or arriving early.

Read our visitor guidelines to make your orchard gathering as enjoyable as possible.

Apples, apple cider, and apple cider donuts at Carter Mountain Orchard in Charlottesville

Our award-winning fresh-pressed apple cider can be enjoyed cold, hot, as a slushie, or as the star of our apple cider donuts.

Carter Mountain Orchard Open for 2018 Season

It’s High Time for Some Mountain Air

We’re kicking off the 2018 season with our 7th annual “Eggstravaganza” and Easter Egg Hunt (March 31st). As always, we’ll have cider donuts, hayrides, crafts, and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

oversized rice krispies treat at Carter Mountain for Easter

New for this year’s event: giant rice krispies treats! What do you think we should call them: Carter Crispies? Send us your ideas on Twitter or Facebook!

Field Notes

It’s been a long, cool spring, which our trees love. They’ve had lots of dormant time and the snow gave us some good groundwater. We are looking forward to blossoms in the next couple of weeks—look with us by following us on Instagram (@cartermountain).

Keep up with the VERY latest picking announcements and mountain weather conditions with our daily #orchardoutlook tweets (@CarterMountain).

Carter Mountain Orchard aerial view

While the Trees Were Sleeping…

We worked on winter projects! Our Apple Barn got a facelift with some new signs and a pavilion roof over our fruit bins to protect them (and you!) from the bad weather.

chefstefan-underpavillion-web

And if you’ve been looking forward to our signature Thursday Evening Sunset Series events, be on the lookout for a new terrace underway on the hill.

We didn’t just work outside!

Our staff stayed busy attending industry meetings and trade shows, preparing lots of new merchandise and swag, and training for a busy picking season.

Online, you can now see our hours in a handy-dandy new hours chart. We’re now open ‘til 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays this year. Date night out(side) anyone?!

Coming Right Up: Stay tuned for an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of how Chef Stefan makes his famous pulled pork BBQ sandwich for the Mountain Grill.

Carter Mountain Orchard 2018 Season Hours of Operation

Closed for 2017 Season

We’re hibernating ’til March 30, 2018

Thanks to all for a great year at Carter Mountain! From annual events, like our “Eggstravaganza” and Peach Festival, to new programs like Cultivating Curiosity, to expanding the Mountain Grill to feed all those hungry Outsiders, we’ve had our work cut out for us—but that’s just how we like it.

We’ll be back next year with all of your favorites: pick-your-own fruit, Thursday Evening Sunset Series, tasting rooms, and more. In the meantime, have a happy holiday season, from our family to yours.

Easter Bunny with Carter Mountain staff

The Easter Bunny is one of many guests we had at Carter Mountain this year

crate of peaches

Gearing up for the 7th Annual Ol’ Fashioned Peach Festival

plate of flaming chicken

The Mountain Grill serves up something for everyone—like this extra-hot Flaming Chicken

crowd watching the sunset at carter mountain

The Mountain is the place to be on Thursday evenings in Cville!

Closed for 2017 Season

What a year at Chiles Peach Orchard! We opened earlier than ever and Hopped Into Spring, kicking off a season full of new traditions, like Orchard Jams and weekly Pancake Breakfasts, and old, like our Homemade Peach Ice Cream Days and Pancake 5k.

After a month of S’more Holiday Fun, we’re closing up shop. But don’t fear: we’ll be back at it in the Spring! ‘Til then, have a joyful holiday season, from our family to yours.

Easter Bunny at Chiles Peach Orchard

“Hopping” into a great 2017 season!

Erin & the Wildfire at Orchard Jams

Orchard Jams with Erin & the Wildfire

Pancake 5k T-shirts

Swag for our amazing 5k runners

Fire pit

Who was more stoked for the holidays: the fire, or us?

We’re cherried out!

2017 Cherry Season Has Come to a Close

This past Sunday—June 18, 2017—marked the last day of a successful cherry season. This year we opened on May 26, giving us almost 3 sweet weeks of picking. Every year, picking season is a little different—last year, we opened for just one weekend. You can imagine our excitement for a plentiful harvest this time around!

Cheryl G. shared this review on Google:

“Lovely place to spend an afternoon, it’s off the beaten track but the scenery is breathtaking and the fruit is delicious! Sure, it might be a little more expensive than buying cherries at the grocery store but the taste is unparalleled and the location is so serene. There are some smaller trees so the little ones can also pick their own and portapotties on site. There are some lovely places to stop off nearby in Nelson County and make a day trip of it. Highly recommend making the trip out here. Also recommend buying more cherries than you think you need as you’ll find yourself eating handfuls all the time, they’re that good!”

So, thanks to everyone who came out! Keep scrolling for a few of the MANY wonderful photos that you posted to Instagram!

If you weren’t able to make it to Spring Valley, be sure and visit our sister orchards Chiles Peach Orchard and Carter Mountain Orchard for fresh fruit and fun.

A post shared by Mal Perto (@malpert007) on

A post shared by Donna Cooks (@donnacooks) on

A post shared by Taylor Noffsinger (@taynoff) on

Chiles Peach Orchard Opens April 13 for 2017 Season

This winter’s wacky weather kept us on our toes but we are ready to open on April 13 with basketfuls of activities and events! C’mon out for family-friendly activities and enjoy the spring.

Here’s what to look forward to this season:

Hop Into Spring with Our Easter Event on Saturday, 4/15

Join us for a brand new event to celebrate Easter and Chiles Peach Orchard opening earlier than ever. Start the day with a pancake breakfast, let the little ones hunt for hidden eggs, and end with live music. See what else we have in store for Hop Into Spring.

Easter Egg Hunt

Pancake Breakfasts Now Served EVERY Weekend

Pancake breakfast with strawberries, sausage, and cider mimosa

Missed the pancakes at Hop Into Spring? Don’t worry, Pancake Breakfasts are now weekly at Chiles Peach Orchard! Treat yourself every Saturday and Sunday with all-you-can-eat homemade pancakes and seasonal fruit toppings.

Mark Your Calendars for Our Signature Events

Pancake 5K run in Crozet at Chiles Peach Orchard

We’re excited to carry on with our annual traditions. This year marks the 33rd celebration of Homemade Peach Orchard Days (Aug. 5-6) with the Crozet Lions Club, the 4th year of the Pancake 5k (Sept. 9), and the 6th year of our Fall Into Fun Festival (Sept. 23-24). And we’re bringing back our Orchard Jams musical series; first one’s on Friday, April 28 from 6-9pm!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook for event updates.

Strawberries Anticipated Early May

Pick your own Strawberries in Crozet

Of course, we wouldn’t be an orchard without tasty fresh fruit! Pick strawberries, peaches, veggies, and more throughout the year. Make plans to pick your favorites with our fruit availability schedule.

Carter Mountain Opens March 31 for 2017 Season

Spring has sprung and we’re getting ready for a great year on Carter Mountain. Despite this winter’s wacky weather, we’re excited to open on March 31 (view our hours) and have basketfuls of activities and events. C’mon out!

Here’s what to look forward to this season:

Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday

carter mountain orchard donut

This is Charlottesville, after all! Celebrate Thomas Jefferson with a complimentary donut and cup of cider on April 13 and toast to the founding father alongside the US Army’s Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.

6th Annual Easter Eggstravaganza

Finding Easter Eggs

On Saturday April 15, the Easter Bunny is busy hiding thousands of eggs at Carter Mountain this year! Meet the bunny, go on a hayride, and take in the early spring mountain views with plenty of age-appropriate egg hunts and activities for the little ones. Check out the FAQ on this popular Easter event.

Thursday Evening Sunset Series

Thursday Evening Sunsets Series

End your Thursdays on a high note with the 2017 Thursday Evening Sunset Series. Live music, Bold Rock hard cider, Prince Michel Wine, breathtaking views…what’s not to love?

Ready-picked and Pick Your Own Fruit

apples

Of course, we wouldn’t be an orchard without tasty fresh fruit! Ready-picked fruit is always available and come summer, visitors can pick peaches straight from the tree. Make plans to pick your own fruit with our fruit availability schedule.

Closed for the Season

The end of the season is upon us!

Apple Affected by Hail

Apples affected by hail don’t look as pretty, but are safe to eat!

We’ve had quite the year at Carter Mountain. From Easter Egg Hunts and visits with the Easter Bunny himself, to our Moonlight Movie Series, to a visit from Buzzfeed, you’d never know that this season’s harvest was affected by poor weather. Luckily, we still had plenty of still-delicious apples, cider, donuts, and ice cream to go around and feed record numbers.

If you’re wondering what happens at the orchard during the winter, check this article out. We can’t wait to welcome you back in 2017. Thanks for a wonderful year and have a happy holiday, from our family to yours!

Closed for the Season

It’s that time again…Chiles Peach Orchard is officially closed for the season. It’s not all sad, though! Winter is a necessary part of the growing season.

It’s been a great year at Chiles. We opened a Bold Rock Tasting Room and hosted many fun events such as the Pancake 5k Race.

We can’t wait to welcome you back next spring for strawberry season. Thanks for a wonderful year and have a happy holiday, from our family to yours.