Orchard · Flower farm
Center Grove Orchard
U-pick apples, sunflowers and flowers in Cambridge, Iowa
From the farm's website
The farm's own words, quoted as posted on its website, with the page each line comes from and the day we read it. Seasons, hours and prices change: check with the farm before you go.
U-pick
“Apples are charged separately: you buy a You-Pick bag and fill it, so there's no weighing at the end.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
“Buy a You-Pick bag at the You-Pick entrance or the South Train Station, head out to whichever rows are open that week, and fill it.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
“What's open for picking changes week to week, so ask when you arrive.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
Season
“Apple season runs August 30 through November 2.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
Crops and picking times
“Twenty acres, more than thirty-four varieties, and a season that runs from late August into November.”
“We're an apple farm as much as an orchard, which means the picking happens where the trees grow: you walk the rows and pull the apples off yourself.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
“Apple picking in Iowa isn't one season, it's a rolling one.”
“Early varieties come on in late August, mid-season through September and into October, and the late keepers hang on until the field closes.”
“A trip in September and a trip in October give you different apples off different trees.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
“The hayride out to the orchard is wheelchair accessible, and so is picking apples.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
“Ours opens August 30 and runs through November 2, or until the trees are picked clean.”
“Late August to mid-September”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
“Weekdays are calmer and cheaper than weekends, so a Thursday in early October is the best apple picking of the year.”
“Come in September and the sunflower and zinnia meadows are still open too.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
Hours
“Farm hours are 9 AM to 7 PM during the season.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
Before you go
“You pay for the bag, not by weight, so a full bag costs the same as a half-empty one.”
“Leave the dog at home, though trained service animals are always welcome.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
“Feel free to bring your own wagon or stroller for kids.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/policies-and-faqs, checked October 6, 2026
“Please don't bring your dog or your pets.”
“Of course, trained service animals are always welcome!”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/policies-and-faqs, checked October 6, 2026
“We accept cash, MasterCard, Visa and Discover.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/policies-and-faqs, checked October 6, 2026
Besides picking
“A few attractions close for safety when it's wet, the Jumping Pillows and Super Slide among them, but the orchard itself stays open and picking carries on.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
“The hayride runs out to the orchard, the pumpkin patch, and the corn maze, so it's genuinely one visit rather than three stops.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
“Cider donuts are the headline, made fresh and best eaten before you get to the parking lot.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
“There's a farmyard full of animals you can feed, a corn pool, jumping pillows, giant slides, and a train that runs the property.”
Source: centergroveorchard.com/pages/apple-orchard, checked October 6, 2026
What you can pick
- Apples · Aug–Nov
- Sunflowers
- Flowers
Crops and months read from the lines quoted above; a crop with no months is one the farm names without a picking window.
| Crop | How | Months | When (farm) | Varieties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | U-pick & pre-picked | August–November“August 30 through November 2” | – | |
| Sunflowers | U-pick | Not stated | – | |
| Flowers | U-pick | Not stated | – |
At a glance
- Price
- Admission Free admission
- Address
- 32835 610th Ave, Cambridge, IA 50046Story County
More from the farm’s website
The farm lists admission as free.
Prices
| Item | Price | Notes | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admission | Free admission | Year not stated |
As the farm publishes them. Prices change during the season; older prices are removed.
Besides picking
- Cider donuts
- Hayrides
- Corn maze
- Playground
Center Grove Orchard: questions
Does Center Grove Orchard have U-pick?
Yes. The farm's website says: "Stroll through fields and orchards to pick your own flowers, berries, and produce at Center Grove Orchard."
When can you pick apples at Center Grove Orchard?
August–November, in the farm's words "August 30 through November 2", according to the farm's website (checked October 6, 2026). Picking depends on the weather and the crop: check with the farm before you go.
How much does U-pick cost at Center Grove Orchard?
Admission: Free admission. Prices as the farm publishes them; they can change during the season.