Demarest Farms

My family attended the drive-in movie and pumpkin picking night on 10/23/20 - It was so nice to be able to have a fun Halloween themed night like this. Unfortunately there was one staff member who was working the concession stand who was so incredibly rude it would be a good enough reason to never return again. The way she spoke to me and my mother was beyond my imagination. This woman (short hair/hat) yelling at me as I tried to order food (I was simply unaware that you order online - there are no signs) and when it came to picking up the order a family member (who has dyslexia) began to read the number off and accidentally read it wrong 2 times. This same staff member started *literally* yelling about how “that can’t be a number! You’re reading the wrong thing! No order number starts with 2! So WHAT IS YOUR ORDER NUMBER? I guess you don’t have an order number!” It was just so overwhelming and embarrassing.nnI have been to this farm many times over the years - I am a school social worker and I plan school wide trips for students with disabilities. I have chosen Demarest Farms every year for the past 6 years - I will think again before booking another trip for my family or the school again. So disappointing and so unnecessary. There is no reason to be mean especially during times like this.

Outside of actually picking apples on the farm, the operation/ how staff “manages” was a huge turn off. First, we’re technically still in the middle of a pandemic yet several staff were not wearing their masks properly- many wearing masks as a “chin guard” and on the farm many visitors also chose not to wear masks while roaming around- there are signs saying masks “required” but staff do not enforce this rule. You choose a time slot and book with the impression that this will minimize the amount of traffic and people in the farm at one time. But, not so! It literally took at least 35 minutes just to get in and park the car. Once parked, we asked a young man about which apples were where. He seemingly tried to help the best he could but wasn’t sure about some so we went to the stand that said “Apples”. As we approach to ask our questions the woman “greets”with a confused look and what comes across as an unpleasant attitude and she is also wearing her face mask as a “chin guard” and stuffing her face with a sub sandwich like it’s lunchtime- while in the middle of my cousin asking her about what’s what she rudely interrupts to point out that I can’t have my small pocketbook with me and that I have to put in the car etc. We were so thrown off by her abrupt interruption we never found out what we went over there to ask. Annoyed, I went back to put my pocketbook in the car and just took my valuables and bottle of water to walk around with in my hand. By no surprise several people/ families had on large book bags/drawstring bags while they walked through to pick apples. So clearly they choose to “enforce” rules with some and not others. Leaving was another 10-15 minutes as they hold up the traffic leaving for those coming in. Also the bags are $12 each but pretty small in size. These are not large apples so you can still hold about 20-30 “stuffed”.Before booking I would advise visitors to just factor in these aspects to make an informed decision.

Nice place to enjoy time with kids and family, very large open space to enjoy the outdoors. They have all set up and organized. My only gripe is the small variety of things to do and pick. The vendors are pricey but the food is good. Made it to the fresh roasted corn- it was delicious not to mention the warm apple cider.

The whole drive in is filled with signs about mandated masks, yet you get up there and about 75% of the people in the field had no masks on. No one was enforcing it. It was very crowded with large groups not wearing masks. It’s pretty much all teenagers up there who aren’t doing anything to enforce the mask rule. Basically paid $30 for a pumpkin and 5 minutes or time spent on the actual field.

We visited the farm this past Sunday, 8am reservations. Everything was well organized, no long lines, no waiting. Tons of apples on the trees, the pumpkins could have been larger but were in good condition. Farm house was well stocked. I visit this farm every year for the apple cider donuts, best I've had so far!!! Most of the employees were very nice except for the woman behind the deli counter, she was very rude when I asked for a Turkey sandwich, saying that there were plenty in the refrigerator but all of those has bacon. Other than that, it was a wonderful day at the farm.