Autumn Bliss: Visit Chazy Orchards in New York for Cinnamon, Cider, and Cozy Vibes

Perfectly located near Plattsburgh and Montreal, Chazy Orchards invites you to indulge in the best of fall. Savor the flavours of autumn with fresh apples, delicious cider, and mouthwatering treats at this historic orchard.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase, we may get a small commission. This experience  was  part of a sponsored press trip.

Looking for a sweet spot to visit this autumn, one filled with cinnamon, cider, and cozy vibes? You have to visit to Chazy Orchards in Chazy, New York. Located just minutes from the city of Plattsburgh and a short drive from Montreal, this is more than just a tasty culinary destination. Chazy Orchards is part of American food history, the world's largest McIntosh apple orchard, and an amazing dog-friendly site that is Clover-approved. Just look how cute she is sniffing the apples!

Chazy Orchards has a history that's almost as old as the McIntosh (or "Mac") itself. In 1763, Jean LaFramboise settled in what is now the town of Chazy, New York. Part of his original property is now included in the 1,300 acres owned by Chazy Orchards. I personally like to think that we owe a lot of our favourite autumn treats to the man whose name translates into English as "John Raspberry." LaFramboise was the first permanent European settler of Clinton County, a soldier who fought in two wars, and an orchard-planting farmer. After his military service, he started planting trees and lots of them, so much that he was nicknamed the Johnny Appleseed of the American Revolution. You know that expression, "As American As Apple Pie"? Perhaps if it wasn't for LaFramboise's efforts, everyone would be saying "As American As...." well, I don't know. Blueberry fritters? Pickled cucumbers? Seagull feathers? Who can say?!

Around the same time as LaFramboise was busy planting apples, a man by the name of John McIntosh moved from Schenectady, New York, to Dundela, Ontario, Canada. He found a group of apple tress that are assumed to have sprung from a discarded apple core. McIntosh's son, Allan, propagated the McIntosh Red (the mother of all Macs) from one of the surviving trees and within a few short decades, the Mac was being sold on a widespread commercial scale.

Fast forward to 1924 and the Chazy Orchard was planted by a subsidiary of the Delaware and Hudson Railroad Corporation to generate freight shipments across the country for the railroad. Today, it's the largest McIntosh orchard in the world! Surely there's some magic in the orchard's history that helps propel their incredible crop today but there's no denying the region's microclimate is a big help. Mild summers, chilly autumns, calcium-rich soil, and the ideal amount of rainfall combine to make the perfect growing conditions.

In case you're thinking that the humble Mac must be the oldest apple in North America, I have some fun facts for you. Only crabapples are considered native to North America and we can trace the introduction to the European-style apple to 1606, when French forces led by Samuel de Champlain landed in Port-Royal, Nova Scotia. "Hang on," you say... "I've recently heard about Samuel de Champlain doing something around Port-Royal in 1606..." Yes, you have! I just blogged about him and the creation of The Order of Good Cheer, North America's oldest dinner club. Were apples similar to the Mac served at some of those special dinners? I'm going to say yes! Sure, I have no scientific proof of this but the McIntosh IS Canada's national apple, so it seems especially poetic. ​

Thankfully, if you want to feast on apples at your next dinner party, you won't have to work as hard as ​Jean LaFramboise or John and Allan McIntosh did to establish their apple bounty. Chazy Orchards offers U-Pick and pre-picked apples, as well as gorgeous pies, fresh-pressed cider, apple-based condiments (including a McIntosh apple pie spread), apple cider donuts, and - I'm told - apple brownies (more on that later!)

Visitors can also enjoy periodic facility tours, giant pumpkins, fresh honey, a glass-walled interior bee hive where you can watch Chazy bees hard at work. As my dog Clover has proved, it's a gorgeous spot for a photo opp and it's also a spectacular aromatherapy destination. I mean, just step inside the store and breath in the incredible scents of the farm shop.

Portraits of Alice and William Miner.

So, let's talk about those apple brownies. First, I must share that I haven't personally tried the brownies myself. They weren't available when I visited Chazy but an incontrovertible source has vouched for their deliciousness. I'm talking about the staff at Chazy Orchards' next door neighbour, the Alice T. Miner Museum.

The Alice T. Miner Museum offers visitors a glimpse into Alice Miner’s life and the Colonial Revival movement of the early 20th century. Miner and her husband William were one of Chazy's most prominent families. He made his fortune in the rail industry before expanding to agricultural efforts. She was passionate about the arts and amassed a formidable collection of antiques and curiosities (including Abraham Lincoln's presidential foot bath. I knew you were wondering where it was!) The Alice T. Miner Museum is an intriguing glimpse into not only the life and passions of a late-1800s woman - one who, curiously enough, happened to grow up less than six hours from where the McIntosh family was propagating their apples. It's also a look at the social trends and interests from the era. The staff's knowledge is second to none and I personally trust them implicitly when they vouch for the deliciousness of the Chazy apple brownie, which I'm told is very similar to a blondie. 

Apple picking is available at Chazy Orchards when the apples are in season, generally between late summer and mid-autumn. However, you can visit the farm store year-round on Tuesdays through Sunday.  In winter, pie-making classes are occasionally available, making this a delicious destination at any time of year. If you snag one of those legendary brownies, I want to hear about it!


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