Grown specifically on dwarf and semi-dwarf trees so visitors don't have to climb for fruit — a genuinely distinctive, checkable operational choice — though picking typically runs Labor Day weekend to Columbus Day as a general pattern, not a confirmed 2026 date.
sold by the bag: quarter-peck, half-peck, peck, and half-bushel sizes
Gould Hill Farm is located at 656 Gould Hill Road in Contoocook, in Merrimack County’s Merrimack Valley region of New Hampshire, with a phone number of 603-746-3811. PYO closes at 5pm, though the season overall is described by the farm as typically running “from Labor Day Weekend to Columbus Day, depending on weather and apples.” Apples are sold by the bag, in quarter-peck, half-peck, peck, and half-bushel sizes, though the record doesn’t capture specific dollar figures for each size. The farm also runs a cider tasting room offering food and ice cream service.
Among every orchard researched across this entire project, Gould Hill Farm’s stated reason for growing on high-density dwarf and semi-dwarf trees — specifically so visitors don’t need to climb to reach fruit — is one of the more distinctive, genuinely visitor-focused operational details found. Most orchards describe their trees in terms of variety or acreage; Gould Hill frames its planting choice around accessibility and ease of picking, which is a meaningfully different pitch for families with young children or visitors who’d rather not deal with ladders or high branches.
The orchard claims more than 100 apple varieties, a figure that, if accurate, would place it among the highest-variety orchards documented in this entire New England research project — well beyond Lyman Orchards’ stated 30 or Rogers Orchards’ detailed 11-variety ripening schedule. That said, the record doesn’t provide a specific list of which varieties make up that count, so a visitor targeting one particular apple has no way to confirm its availability from this record alone.
“Typically open from Labor Day Weekend to Columbus Day, depending on weather and apples” is useful for general trip planning, but it’s explicitly hedged by the farm itself — weather and crop conditions can shift the actual dates. That phrasing is similar in spirit to Smolak Farms’ own caution in Massachusetts that crop windows “may vary from year to year,” reinforcing a pattern across several orchards in this research: general seasonal descriptions should be treated as guides rather than guaranteed calendar commitments.
The four bag sizes (quarter-peck, half-peck, peck, half-bushel) mirror pricing structures seen elsewhere in this research, such as Lyman Orchards’ half-peck/peck/half-bushel tiers. But unlike Lyman Orchards, which posts exact dollar amounts for each size, Gould Hill Farm’s record only confirms the size categories exist, not what each one costs.
No specific apple variety names are confirmed despite the farm’s 100-plus-variety claim, no dollar pricing is available for any bag size, and no year-stamped 2026 season date is confirmed — only the general Labor-Day-to-Columbus-Day pattern.
Gould Hill Farm’s no-climb, dwarf-tree approach and its claimed 100-plus varieties make it a distinctive option in the Merrimack Valley, especially for families who want easier picking. The typical Labor Day-to-Columbus Day window is a solid planning guide, but confirming exact 2026 dates and bag pricing will require a call to 603-746-3811 before the trip.
Typically Labor Day weekend through Columbus Day, per the farm's own general description — not a confirmed 2026-specific date, so treat this as the usual pattern rather than a locked calendar.
you need an exact confirmed 2026 opening date rather than a general seasonal pattern.
No — the farm grows on high-density dwarf and semi-dwarf trees specifically so visitors don't need to climb to reach fruit, per the record.
The orchard claims over 100 apple varieties, per the record.
Picking is 'typically open from Labor Day Weekend to Columbus Day, depending on weather and apples,' per the farm's own site — a general recurring window, not a specific 2026 date.
Sold by the bag in quarter-peck, half-peck, peck, and half-bushel sizes, per the record, though specific dollar amounts aren't stated.
Yes — the record confirms a cider tasting room with food and ice cream service.
2026 dates had not been published when we last checked. Check with the orchard before driving out.
Pricing was not published when we last checked. sold by the bag: quarter-peck, half-peck, peck, and half-bushel sizes
Yes — it's a pick-your-own orchard, with pre-picked apples at the farm stand too.
656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook, NH 03229, in Merrimack County. It is one of 3 orchards we track in Merrimack Valley.
We track 3 orchards in Merrimack Valley, 3 of which let you pick your own apples. The orchard has not published a starting price, so it cannot be compared on cost — call before you budget.
What sets it apart locally: it has fresh cider, which most Merrimack Valley orchards on our list do not.
One caveat worth repeating: this orchard had not published its 2026 dates when we last checked, while 0 of the 3 orchards we track in Merrimack Valley had. Treat any date you see elsewhere as last year's until the orchard confirms it.
There is 1 other orchard we track in Merrimack County. All Merrimack Valley orchards →
Map pin is set to the town centre. Navigate to the street address above, not the pin.
gouldhillfarm.com
Checked September 2026.