It's unfortunate that so many American farms are disappearing as urban development gradually encroaches on once peaceful suburban and rural areas. Because many people are removed from these changes, they often fail to recognize their significance. That's why supporting local farms like this one is crucial not only for the fresh and beautiful big (the honeycrisp apples are huge!) fruit but also to preserve the open land that nurtures pollinators and wildlife. Visiting a farm is a local treat and a unique experience. Some complain about prices without realizing the hard work involved, especially with New Jersey's short growing season and few local options. Compared to stores, the prices aren't that different. Yet they complain, then ironically leave in their luxury cars and expensive, record-high property taxed homes. I hoped to walk around the farm but that is understandably not allowed. Kids can be rough with the trees and crops (I even saw some throwing apples in an orchard) while their parents did nothing so boundaries are necessary to protect the farm. A few parents take it personally and get defensive when asked to supervise. The $10 tractor ride fee helps limit traffic, keep things organized and offset inevitable wear and tear. I skipped it but enjoyed shopping for rhubarb pie, enormous honeycrisp apples, dry soups and local honey. However I do sympathize with others who may have been scolded... it WOULD be helpful if there were a clear sign saying something like "Please do not enter the farm on foot. Tractor rides only. Ask staff for assistance." Put a sign up. A lot of customers seem to be getting miffed about that. Also the chickens looked much healthier than those I've seen on other farms. At many places, birds have significant feather loss caused by boredom, poor nutrition, or overcrowding but that wasn't the case here. Under the employee's supervision, the children were able to feed them and even brought out a surprisingly large, one-week-old chick for everyone to pet. You could really tell they care about their animals! I also appreciated the farm's 2nd Amendment sign, a respectful nod and reminder of important American values. This farm is a true slice of Americana and definitely worth a visit! Hurry before it disappears like so much has already. read more

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I was excited to discover a local farm for my children and I to pick fruit. We generally travel pretty far to only spend a short amount of time at these orchards. The farm itself is very nice. There's a cute farmer's market where you can buy fresh produce, dairy, and other tasty looking treats. There are chickens and peacocks along the path up to the orchard. A lady working at the farm was so sweet and asked my 3 year old if he wanted to feed the chickens, and he had a blast doing so. It looks like they dedicate most of the orchard for apples but there were a couple rows for peaches. I imagine when it's berry season, there are a couple rows for those as well. They run a pretty old-school operation which resulted in my friend and I schlepping our young families to the farm only to discover that the orchard would not be open until noon due to some wetness. We showed up when they opened at 9 and had to turn around. This is a pretty avoidable issue in this day and age thanks to social media. I'm pretty familiar with the practice of always checking ahead of time before visiting a farm to make sure it's open. They will pretty regularly close for many reasons including ripening or the weather. However, Hillview does not have any social media accounts to update visitors re: closings. In our case, we had to come early at 9, so we couldn't have even called ahead because they wouldn't have been open. I was feeling pretty frustrated about the poor communication and not too eager to return, however, my 3 year old was begging me to take him peach picking, so we came back a couple weeks later, and here's where things get very ugly. We check in at the market, get our baskets, and start making our way up the hill. We are told not to pick any of the apples (they are still growing), which is fine because we came for peaches and it's not apple season. We have to walk through the apple orchard to get to the few rows of peaches. Eventually we come across a sign that says "peaches" with an arrow pointing to a row. Naturally, I figure that we must be in the peach row. And, honestly, the apples and peaches on the trees look extremely similar. My son literally only picked 2 apples. Then he bit into the second one (because he's 3!) and that's when I looked inside and realized they were apples . I immediately told him they weren't peaches and that the farmer would be upset if we picked his apples because they weren't ripe. I redirected him back to the path and asked him to put the apple in the basket. Yes, I was fully planning on purchasing this apple picked in error. So the farmer just so happened to be driving by at that very moment and saw my son put the apple in the basket. I asked him where the peaches were. After he told me they were down the row and around the corner, he asked me if there was an apple in the basket. I explained that he had made a mistake. He then told me...and I quote..."it's YOUR job to take care of him." So, yes, he was in fact upset! I apologized again, this time profusely. He said nothing and drove away. I immediately got a very icky feeling. Not only was he calling my parenting into question (over a single apple, mind you) but he was being extremely sexist and disrespectful. Not sure if he has any personal experience with very young children but, irregardless, most people realize that they act on impulse and there's little to nothing that can be done in these sort of situations. The exchange put a sour taste in my mouth, and it was impossible for me to enjoy my time at the orchard. Just so everyone knows, there is no room for human error at Hillview Farms, so leave your children behind. Oh wait...there goes their entire target audience. I'd also like to stress that THEIR signage was unclear. See picture. True to my word, I did offer to pay for the apple back at the market. The woman didn't charge me and didn't even acknowledge that we had accidentally picked an apple probably because this sort of thing must happen a million times a day. So 3 stars for the farm itself and 1 star for the super fun misogyny at our morning outing in front of my child. If it wasn't for my son being so excited to pick fruit, I would have immediately turned around in disgust. read more

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We returned here today after not coming for a while. Last time we were able to walk to pick so we started up the hill. It was very loud with tractors running and there was a huge line (completely inefficient). A kind woman and a very rude man came up after us, apparently they were calling us but we couldn't hear over the noise. We tried to politely explain that we couldn't hear but the man proceeded to scream at us and berate us. The woman tried to apologize but the damage was done. Don't go to this small, horrible farm. It's not worth it. Absolutely a waste of time. this horrible man made my daughter cry. there was absolutely no need to turn a fun family day into a complete disaster. read more

We come here every year for peach and apple picking. It's a sweet little farm with funny little chickens and peacocks and most importantly, the sweetest peaches around. When we checked in for our peach basket the lady at the counter said I look like a happy little peach-picker. Yes ma'am, it's true. We got our big basket and made our way up to some sweet softball sizes peaches. You have to know how to pick them. Too soft isn't good, too hard and you'll have to ripen them at home. When we picked our bunch and took them home I immediately dug in with some whipped cream--oh baby! read more

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This place should close immediately. After paying a hefty fee per person to enter, the owner yelled at every person in his midst. I counted 8 groups of people in 15 minutes he yelled at, berated, and cursed at -- including little children. He yelled at people for touching too many peaches, for walking the wrong path, for not reading a sign, for turning in the wrong direction. It was so unpleasant that we left after picking a few apples - having spent money to enter, grab some apples, and be cursed at. It was THE most unpleasant experience I have had in recent memory. I have never seen an angrier, less hospitable person - he certainly shouldn't work with customers or frankly humans at all. What an awful owner of a company. I feel awful for anyone working with him. read more

Horrible- they charge $10 per person just to pick, not including the cost of the unripe fruit. There is no cross walk to safely cross a busy road and there are no markings to tell you how to find the crops. Additionally- the staff has no answers and knows nothing about the products they sell. Oh, and they welcome guests carrying firearms to a farm. read more

Great old school farm. I have been going for years with my family. Bring a picnic blanket and enjoy the nice weather.

I lived nearby years ago (before the surrounding area became one giant subdivision) and always rejoiced when their asparagus fields began popping in late May. In fact, I recall calling a friend and rhapsodizing about it-"It's deep green with sticky purplish buds and a sweet taste". He replied "In college you talked that way about really good pot"! Anyway, they still rock. When I was picking up the asparagus bundles to check the size, the woman said if I liked fatter stalks she'd go get more. She did, and I'll be making risotto with asparagus and pancetta tomorrow, with risotto cakes the next day. I also saw they have quail eggs from their own flock. I'll replicate a dish I had in Italy; sliced new potatoes cooked in chicken stock in a small ceramic crock, then two quail eggs placed on top, the heat from the stock setting the eggs. read more

While we've enjoyed coming here for years, I don't believe we'll be back. I'm really disappointed about this. While some will care and many may not, they now post a sign when you enter, Welcoming people with concealed weapons. I don't wish to go to a place that allows/welcomes guns to a farm. There are many other farms around. read more

I called the farm because I was planning on bringing a friend this weekend for peach picking and I wanted to confirm the cost. I understand the prices are higher than a supermarket because you are getting peaches right off the tree, but $2.99 - 3.99 a pound (depending on variety) is really a bit steep. Let's face it - you are doing the work yourself, so prices shouldn't be quite that high. We would still have gone, but then we found out that every person over 5 years of age also has to pay a $5 entrance fee!!!!! You've got to be kidding. If this was some type of festival, or some fancy farm where you actually get something for the entrance fee, we might be able to justify this additional cost. We've been to this farm before - and it is nothing to write home about. In fact, the farm itself is really a mess. Parking is almost always an issue in any picking season, and it's like a maze of rusting and strewn-about equipment. Sorry, but we'll just stick to the local farmer's markets where the prices are lower and we don't have to work for our fresh fruit. read more

Definitely the best local eggs around, very fresh, love seeing the hens! You can definitely taste the difference between fresh local eggs and the runny sub par factory store eggs. You may pay a touch more but the local eggs definitely are worth it! Gets a touch crowded on weekends during apple picking season, so easier to pick up eggs on a weekday if possible read more

The place is cool and a good getaway from the city, but the prices are atrocious. Nobody should have to pay 20 bucks for a family of four for a short tractor ride up the hill--to pick fruit that is already at a premium price. Very nice place, good atmosphere, but you'll leave feeling you overpaid for that bucket of apples and day out in the fresh air. read more

Not too much to do here. No apple donuts. The farm was only offering to pick Honey Crisp in a small area. Store was small, but had produce. The employees where really nice though. read more

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Two stars because our mood went downhill after waiting two and a half hours to get into the farm. The farm was nice and pretty. It would probably be a great farm if we were in a good mood but that wait sort of ruined it. After waiting for 2+ hours, they charged us $5 each person to ride the mandatory tractor ride. The driver told us a bit information about the apples on the farm. Then we went off apple picking. We walked back to the front (where we stood in line) to purchase the apples. Turns out certain type of applies are $2.50 per lb... there was no signs telling that information... we sucked it up and purchased it anyways along with pumpkins. We asked for bags for the pumpkin and they legit said "we are not suppose to." Overall this place is overpriced and their intention is all about money. And the wait sucked as well. read more

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Fun tractor ride to Pick your own apples & pumpkins. Delicious apple cider and donuts. Farm animals and photo ops; close to to NYC 45 mins. read more

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Maybe my timing wasn't good because it was a fall weekend with like 85 degree weather, but I thought this place was pretty lame. Parking is kind of a disaster, as they have relatively small lots flanking the entrance road and no real contingency for spillover. It just creates a bit of a clusterf*ck if it's at all busy. The area isn't particularly scenic, either. Not an overly impressive landscape and not a whole lot of apples on trees. The operation is very specific in that you have to buy tickets to ride a tractor up the hill into the orchard, which is at most about 200 yards and at least, about 200 feet. Kind of a joke, but we went with it. There are allegedly many different species of apple growing there, some that you are allowed to pick and others that you're not. We didn't fare very well, unfortunately, but the apples that we did get were tasty if not a bit small. I'm hoping that it was just bad timing with the season and the weather, but if I had been looking to host an apple orgy, this wasn't a good place to get my supplies. There is a small shop where you pay for what you pick, and there is also a modest selection of produce, some baked goods, cider donuts, etc., for sale. If this is your only local option, I guess it would suffice, but I'd recommend driving a bit further out to a bigger operation if you're in search of that legit harvest time farm experience. read more

I really like this farm - first its super convienent!!! Very close to summit and im pretty sure itd the best pick your own in essex as ive been to a lot of orchards! Also its not as commercial as all those other big farms like Alstede and the ones in Chester so you still get really great and friendly staff interaction its not a zoo so you can keep track of your kids and the food is good and you dont have to walk for miles to get to the pick your own stuff! They had peaches when I went yesterday - and we saw a ton of Apples growing so will be back for that in the fall! This is not a full day trip - we were there for an hour and it was great. Picked a bag of peaches - hit up the farm store - checked out the chickens and peacocks on site for my 3 yo and was out of there and back home in 20 minutes!! We will be back! Oh and the peaches? ??? Juicy and sweet!!! read more

About an hour outside Manhattan, We came here with our 2 year old and 4 week old. This is not a super commercialized farm with pumpkin u pick fields that are actually just staged fields with hay. This is pretty much the rustic, charm, and authentic family farm experience. Chickens are loose here and there. Random broken down tractors make good photo ops. It runs with quirks and I'm even impressed they take credit cards. We had tons of fun even it it was not a super manicured farm. I like the little picnic areas they have setup throughout the farm. We appreciated the lack of crowds and the fresh air. Thanks! read more

I love apples, and Hillview Farms has orchards that stretch endlessly across a beautiful Jerseyan valley. Apples ripen with the rise and fall of the sun each day as children's hands grasp upwards to reach an apple for their baskets. And let me tell you, there is nothing like biting into a crisp honeycrisp apple after picking it right from the tree. Nothing like it. Hillview Farms also has: -Chickens that roam the parking lot -Fresh apple cider -Fresh doughnuts and pies -Apples, apples, apples -Vegetables -Pumpkins -Assorted squash and squash-esque / gourd things -Jams -Old-fashioned decor -Baby chicks to pet -Hayrides I love this place. It's the epitome of autumn. read more

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Owner is rude and disrespectful. Went here with some friends, one of which requires a service dog (who was wearing proper credentials). Owner verbally accosted her telling her to leave and didn't care that it was illegal. He said "then me shut me down they will build houses here". Please take your business elsewhere. read more

You get what you expect. A nice assortment of apples, and a staff that seems to care about their craft. We went late season and didn't get the best of the picking, but more than enough. Sometimes you wish it was a bit bigger which is why I took off a few starts. But I love how close it is to NYC. Parking lot gets full quick read more

Hillview Farms - MMm..apples - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Gillette, New Jersey

Great farm! Apples on the orchards are sweet and fresh. Very pleasant experience! Reasonably priced as well!! read more

The worst u-pick farm ever ! So unorganized , not many peaches left on the trees . And you have to pay $5 admission fee to get in plus pay for the peaches . It's also not kids friendly. read more

live stopping by hillview farms every single october the past 25years....they have a large amount of different apple trees ansmd skeeter is always helpful read more

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Nice farm. Felt scammed though. Had to take tractor ride to pick apples. Tractor ride was $3/person I asked to walk, they said no, but you can walk back. Tractor ride was maybe 5 minutes long and was definitely walkable. Also, three big signs that said, "pick your own apples $1.99/#". Got half bushel of Jonah gold and half bushel of SYRGA. SYRGA being an acronym for sunny yellow really good apple. They talked it up, so I figured I'd give it a try. When we went to pay the Jonah gold's rang up at $1.99/#. The SYRGAs rang up at $2.99/#. I asked why and they said, "because it's a premium apple". I said, "says who" they said, "the farmer". So then I said, "but the sign says pick your own $1.99/#" and they said, "except for premium apples, those are $2.99/#". So I asked where it said that and she showed me a hand written sign that was not anywhere a human being would have looked. I pointed to one of the pick your own for $1.99/# signs and as though I was stupid she said, "except for premium apples". There's your sign Again, nice farm, but definitely not going back and will share the scammed story with everyone I know. read more

We came here apple picking with our toddler today - we considered going to Alstede or Wightman's, but we got a headache just thinking about the crowds and craziness so decided to check this place out since it's close. It was a beautiful day, and all-in-all, we had fun. The good: -Parking situation is way less suicidal than the bigger farms. -Cute farm store with lots of local goodies. -Donuts and cider. Yum. The bad: -We waited for the tractor hayride for 25 minutes. With toddlers, that's akin to torture. The red tractor kept picking up its patrons, but the green tractor didn't show for some time. I think we know why now (see below): -Our tractor driver was VERY informative and very good at his job of being an apple farmer. I want to make it clear that he was in no way rude or anything like that. However, once we finally got to the apple orchard (remember, we'd been waiting almost a half hour to get on the tractor) he kept us on the hayride for almost 10 minutes to talk about the history of the apples and the tastes / tartness of each variety. Let me say this -- it was VERY interesting and I respected his knowledge about apples, and would maybe have even enjoyed his talk... In another time and place. The hayride was FULL of toddlers and babies, and it was not a good call. One family even got off the hayride in the middle of his presentation and it was uncomfortable. In the future, I would suggest that maybe the farmer go over the rules, and then ask who wants to stay for the talk, and who would rather get off and go pick apples. He seemed very overwhelmed by children and maybe he would just be better suited as someone who educates the adults that visit the farm. -For the first 10 minutes of our walk through the orchard, it was difficult to find any trees with apples. -Apples ain't cheap! We would probably come back here next year, and just make a few tweaks to our itinerary. The apples really are delicious. read more

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Would give zero if I could. Had the worst experience in this farm. Paid $5 just to get in. People in store were nice. But ran into the owner in the field. He berated my family for supposedly being in the wrong place. Even though there was no signage to inform us. We explained this and he got more rude and obnoxious. Saying that the peaches would give our children "three heads" if we ate it. I do not often take time to write reviews but I must inform as many people to avoid this farm. read more

Eh, stopped by cause I went to another nearby farm. After already picking apples, I didn't really want to do it all again, so we didn't end up paying the $5 per person admission for the hayride and fruit picking. The store was very bare bones and the staff was young. The cider donuts were prepackaged and did not look appetizing. I didn't get to see the picking area, but the welcome area that I was at did not look very impressive. I wouldn't come back. read more

Had such a great time today at the farm. Farm to table dinner. Fresh Caprese Salad using the beefsteak tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella we bout today; peach and watermelon salad with Hillview Farm peaches; and fresh pizza with yellow squash, fresh marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella from Hillview Farm. read more

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There's something about the leaves beginning to turn and the weather getting cold and crisp that always has me itching to go apple picking and bake some pies. Hillview, as the name suggests, features some beautiful views and a fairly substantial selection of apples, but it suffers from an ill-conceived organization. Upon arrival, there was about a one hour wait to ride the tractor to the field. There is a $3 fee to ride the tractor. Unfortunately, there are just two tractors that follow a narrow path so the wait is very long. If possible, I'd recommend going on a weekday because you are only obligated to take the tractor to the fields on weekends. The apple selection is fair, but I would try to go in early September so that you get good picks. The pumpkins are kind of shabby and not worth the price. There is a cute shop with delicious cider donus and fresh pies/apple cider/fruit/veggies. It was quaint and cute. Overall, though, I'd say that this place is a tad too overpacked and the waits are just a little bit too long. I'd try another place in the future. read more

Don't waste your time or money here. Long waits, have to pay to get on a tractor to pick your own, no walking allowed, over priced, terrible parking and owner is just rude and disrespectful. My guess is they have been skating by since only local farm but alstroemerias and Whighmans are worth the extra travel time! read more

Hillview Farms is simply amazeballs. These peeps know wtf is up with good food and good people. Eat your cabbage and stfu or gtfo.

Cute little place, apples are nearby so you don't have to take a "hay ride." The store has some cute chotchkes and there are some peacocks, chickens, and other farm animals roaming around or in cages. The apples we picked were good and my mom made a great apple pie and apple loaf of bread with them. The doughnuts were good too! read more

Came here for some blueberry picking. What a great way to spend an afternoon. No charge to go there. Pay for what you pick - and reasonably priced! They had raspberry plants but the berries didn't look ripe yet. Another reason to come back. Chickens and a peacock walking around the yard and in fenced areas. Friendly staff. A real example of NJ - The Garden state! read more

My family has lived within 5 minutes of Hillview Farm for over 40 years. We have been longtime patrons and our attempt to go there today was a huge disappointment. We enjoy patronizing local farms for the pumpkin buying experience, especially now with our 3 year old daughter. My wife has a disability and uses a motorized wheelchair to get around. First off, Hillview has ZERO disabled parking. NONE. Now I get it. Today was an exceptionally beautiful fall day, of course it is going to be mobbed there. There was not a soul around to direct parking. We have been to many other farms in NJ and PA and during this time of year they have extra staff or some even hire out local Police to help get people parked, handle traffic, etc. I had nobody I could ask or talk to inquire about parking we required. Any other farm we have been to? We never had an issue. How can a business in the state of NJ catering to hundreds or thousands of people a day offer NO disabled parking???? Needless to say we left disappointed and will have to search another place to get our pumpkins. We do plan on following up with the town and Hillview about the complete lack of disabled parking. read more

Do not waste your time going to this "farm". Had the worst, most disappointing experience here today. The older women who sell the $5 tickets for the tractor ride are rude. PS- the tractor ride to the orchard & patch is legit 1-2 minutes long. It's definitely walkable, but walking is not allowed! They force you to take the tractor. The kicker, after they drop you off, they tell you you can choose to walk back if you'd like. Scam! Once in the orchard, there were zero apples on the trees. They were bare. Tons of rotting apples all over the ground. And long, tall, unkempt brush to walk through. Great way to get deer ticks! We left the orchard empty handed and headed to the pumpkin patch. Same situation, almost no pumpkins on vines. Rotting, smelly pumpkins everywhere. There was one row where it legit looked like they went to Wegman's, bought a bunch of beautiful pumpkins, and placed them strategically on the ground. Nice try. Oh, and they mentioned there was corn to pick too. Also false. We saw not one stalk or ear of corn anywhere to be had. We gave up and walked back to the store at the entrance where we purchased a couple of already-picked pumpkins & apple cider donuts. (Which btw, I could have done this at the grocery store.) They did have a ton of donuts available, but it was also very early in the morning. This place is a smelly, unkempt mess with random garbage, like old appliances, just strewed randomly all over the grounds. Not at all scenic or pretty. Dirty chickens & roosters loose everywhere. Really weird place. Do not be fooled by the nice appearance on their website! I'm definitely never going back. One last thing, the woman giving the tractor ride came onto the tractor holding a baby chick and asked if everyone wanted to take turns all petting the top of its head. Cute idea, but...A) the woman was not wearing a mask (all of the patrons on the ride were; B) probably not the smartest idea to have a bunch of strangers all touching the same thing during a PANDEMIC! read more

This place is very nice. We went twice. Once on a weekday. It was awesome. No lines, we could walk ourselves to the orchard and it was very peaceful and orderly. However, it is way more expensive to pick your own apples than to buy them in a store, you kind of have to expect that. We also went this past Sunday in the late afternoon. It was A ZOO!! There were massive lines, and you had to pay $3.00 a person to be ridden to the orchard by tractor. They did have nice cider and cider donuts to buy that were not available on the other day we went, but our toddler just about went bonkers waiting to get to pick apples. I guess if you plan on going to pick apples here on a weekend, try to be the earliest to arrive. Also, the pumpkins are nice but also pricey. I saw a family spend about $70 on half a bushel of apples and a nice sized pumpkin. This is a real farm, the people who work here are nice, and they have a tractor you can play on and chickens and other animals to observe. read more

We were so excited to take our toddler daughter here - she loves apples so we thought she would have a blast picking them. I'm not sure I can find the words that accurately describe the horror of our experience, but I will try. We get to the first aisle of apples and there was a dead deer leg sitting right in our path. You read that right. A dead deer leg. When I told someone that worked there about the dead body part, this is what they said, verbatim, "Yeah...there's some dead deer parts scattered around...I think someone is going to clean up." Oh, ok. Aside from the body parts strewn across the fields where tons of children are playing, it's just so unkept and gross. Not properly mowed, hard to walk, bugs and rotten apples EVERYWHERE. I'm sure there's a dozen health codes being violated on this farm. STAY AWAY, especially if you have small children. read more

#1 place to hold a fall event. I am in awe of Skeeter, Jackie and the whole team at Hillview, we just recently held a client appreciation Pumpkin Patch Party event at the farm and they were nothing shy of amazing. We only had a month to plan the event but Jackie was on top of everything when it came to what we wanted to do. We had pumpkin picking and decorating where we set up tables the farm brought in hay bails to decorate along with beautiful flowers to set the tables with. They went above and beyond to the point where they actually stopped traffic to let the kids go pick their pumpkin in the across the street pumpkin patch. The generosity did not stop there. We went on through the evening and they set up a stadium viewing arrangement of hay bails and benches for our evening viewing of It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Everything from set up to tear down they were absolutely wonderful. We can not wait to have the event again next year it was a huge hit with our team and more importantly our clients. Hillview Farms is the only place to go for fall fun! Thank you all so much, CAN'T WAIT FOR NEXT YEAR! read more

I have been here several times and I always wonder why I return. Slim pickings and owners are so cranky towards children. Way to many other places to go for a better experience. read more