The First Bite of Fall
Georgia’s mountains do not wait for the leaves to change before calling it fall. By early September, apple season is already underway, and North Georgia has the fried pies, U-pick rows and bakery counters to prove it.
Autumn Starts in the Orchard
At Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge, apple season begins while much of Georgia is still firmly committed to air conditioning. The fourth-generation family farm grows more than 40 apple varieties, and apple U-pick runs through August, September and October, subject to availability and weather.
That early start is part of the charm. September apple picking comes without waiting for peak foliage or sweater weather. The mountains can still be green, the afternoons can still feel suspiciously like summer, and the apples are ready anyway.
Along Highway 52 near Ellijay, B.J. Reece Orchards begins its 2026 U-pick season Aug. 29 and keeps the orchards open seven days a week through September and October. The apple-picking calendar helps visitors track which varieties are available, while the farm market and bakery give anyone who prefers pie to pruning shears another perfectly respectable way to participate.
Nearby Hillcrest Orchards carries the farm-day side of apple season into September, with its market open daily and U-pick orchards, family activities and plenty of opportunities to leave with apples in more forms than originally planned.
Save Room for Downtown
Apple country works especially well when the orchard is only half the day.
After a morning among the trees, downtown Ellijay offers a change of scenery without abandoning the local flavor. The Roof Ellijay serves Southern food from a rooftop kitchen and bar inspired by the culture of its Appalachian hometown, giving apple-day visitors a place to sit above downtown and let somebody else handle lunch or dinner.
Around the square, Ellijay Wood Fired Pizza takes things in an Italian direction with authentic Neapolitan pizza from a wood-fired oven imported from Naples. The restaurant sits at River and Main streets in the historic downtown business district, an easy landing spot after a few hours spent hauling apple bags.
That may be the best part of early fall in North Georgia. Nobody has to wait for the leaves to turn scarlet before getting started. September already has ripe apples, bakery cases and orchard roads full of reasons to head north.
The foliage can catch up later.
For more Georgia farms, produce stops and markets worth adding to a seasonal outing, browse the directory at https://gbj.com/fresh-produce-farmers-markets.
