In early June, Delicious Orchards co-owner Michael McDonald walked a reporter from The Two River Times down a row of apple trees and showed a single blossom. By that point in the season, the trees should have been full of them. He called the April weather catastrophic for the trees behind the store's signature cider.
That one blossom explains this autumn in Colts Neck. In most years apples set the shape of the fall. In 2026 they mostly didn't show up, so the season has run on other things: crops planted after the cold, wine from vintages already in the cellar, and a holiday calendar that now carries more of the weight than usual.
Four nights in April
The damage came fast. New Jersey's official announcement put the cause on a warm spell followed by prolonged freezes between April 19 and April 22. Damage topped 30% in many areas, and preliminary statewide losses reached at least $300 million. The emergency declaration covered all 21 counties.
Rutgers explained why it was so uneven. Its May 4 fruit update found damage that varied with location, elevation, variety and bloom stage. The worst injury was in low ground and in blocks that were at full bloom or petal fall. Across most orchards, apple yield potential was extremely low. Warm weather in early April had pushed the trees into flower, and that left the blossoms exposed when the freeze hit.
On Route 537, the result was as complete as it gets. Eastmont Orchards owner David Barclay told the Asbury Park Press that the freeze destroyed every apple blossom across the 100-acre pick-your-own farm. There was "not any fruit, on any tree," he said.
What Route 537 grew instead
So the fall Colts Neck had came mostly from what farmers could plant after April.
Eastmont Orchards, at 321 Route 537, skipped apple picking this year. NJ.com reported in September that the farm called its apple crop a "near total loss" and lined up other fall attractions instead: hayrides, a corn maze, sunflowers and pumpkins. The corn maze was new this year. Eastmont opened Fridays through Sundays from September 18 and wrapped its season on October 25. That maze is the clearest sign of the year. It's a field attraction that needs no blossom, and it appeared the same season the orchard went bare.
Just over the line in Freehold, Battleview Orchards lost nearly all of its sour cherries, peaches, nectarines and apples. According to NJ.com's May report, the farm planned summer vegetables and scheduled its pumpkin planting for June. By fall, its own schedule listed the apple crop as a loss and described the 2026 pumpkin crop as "bountiful." Battleview put the season in one sentence on social media, as NJ.com reported:
"Farming is never a guarantee when Mother Nature is your silent partner."
Carm's Farm sits at 296 Route 537. It runs on pumpkins and animals more than orchard fruit. Its Fall Fest runs Saturdays and Sundays from September 19 through November 1, with a petting zoo, pumpkin picking and farm rides. General admission is listed at $12. When this post goes up, one weekend of it is left, Halloween and the day after.
The cider question at Delicious Orchards
Delicious Orchards is the Colts Neck farm stop with the deepest link to apples. That's why its losses reach past the orchard rows. The Two River Times reported that farm manager Karl Menzer said the cold killed six of the farm's beehives. McDonald added that "tons of orchards" had called off their beekeepers because there was too little fruit left to pollinate.
The store's cider page still lists fresh-pressed, cranberry-apple and tart apple cider, all described as made at Delicious Orchards. Its general policy is to buy local produce when it's available and to go to other markets when it isn't. If you care where this year's jug came from, ask at the counter.
Thanksgiving week is the store's best-known stretch, and its pie page promises apple, pumpkin and pecan pies during that week. Pickup details for the 2026 season are in the Pie Pickup FAQ and order form on its site. Read it before the week gets busy.
The vineyard keeps a later clock
Grapes took a hit too. NJ.com's May coverage of the state's wineries reported that five wineries lost their entire grape crop and many others reported losses of 60 to 80%. The state's winery association warned the damage could carry into 2027. The same story said current wine stocks should last through this year and into next.
That timing helps explain why 4 JG's Orchard & Vineyard, at 127 Hillsdale Road, has one of the fullest calendars in town this fall. A glass poured in November usually comes from an earlier harvest. The vineyard's 2026 events also address the weather head-on. On Saturday, November 7, the vineyard manager leads a walk through the vines to talk about how the weather affected the 2026 vintage and to assess the damage. The day includes a barrel-room tasting and tours at 1:15 and 3 p.m., and admission is $15 for adults. For neighbors who have watched farm news since spring, it's a chance to hear about this year's grapes from the person who tends them.
Before that, the Spooktacular Weekend on October 31 and November 1 runs from noon to 5 p.m., with an orchard-and-vineyard stroll, a scavenger hunt, treats and fire pits. 4 JG's also started welcoming children in June, which makes these weekends work for families.
The calendar from Halloween to mid-December
With the apples gone, the back half of the season carries more than usual. Here's what Colts Neck farms have posted:
| Date | Where | What's on |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 31 – Nov 1 | Carm's Farm, 296 Route 537 | Final weekend of Fall Fest |
| Oct 31 – Nov 1, noon–5 p.m. | 4 JG's, 127 Hillsdale Road | Spooktacular Weekend |
| Nov 7, tours 1:15 and 3 p.m. | 4 JG's | Vineyard walk on the 2026 vintage, barrel-room tasting |
| Nov 14 – 15 | 4 JG's | Closed to the public |
| Nov 21 – 22, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. | 4 JG's | Wine and Trees opens |
| Nov 27 – 29, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. | 4 JG's | Wine and Trees, Thanksgiving weekend |
| Starting Nov 27 | Carm's Farm | Pictures with Santa |
| Dec 5 – 6 and Dec 12 – 13, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. | 4 JG's | Wine and Trees |
Wine and Trees is 4 JG's you-pick, we-cut Christmas tree season. Wine tastings, wine by the glass and family photo sessions run alongside the tree picking. One spot on the vineyard's page says weekends run "thru December 14th," while the dated schedule ends December 13. Check before planning that last trip. Carm's Farm lists its holiday lights as coming soon, with no dates yet.
Where things stand for the growers
Recovery is still in progress. New Jersey's agriculture department says USDA approved a disaster designation on June 8 covering all 21 counties. Qualifying farms can apply for emergency loans until February 8, 2027. On October 1, the New Jersey Monitor reported on a proposed state bill that would provide $60 million in grants to farmers hit by the freeze. As of that report, the measure was still a proposal.
Apple, pumpkin and pecan pies are promised for Thanksgiving week at Delicious Orchards, and tree cutting at 4 JG's runs on weekends through December 13.
If you own a home near these farms and want to talk through how to present it as the fields go quiet for winter, Michele Taylor would be glad to talk it through with you. Contact Us.
