The Top 14 U-Pick Farms In The U.S.
Grabbing produce at the grocery store is convenient, but you aren't always able to get the freshest fruits and vegetables. If you want to make a fresh blueberry pie, strawberry shortcake, or even some homemade apple cider, you can't beat going straight to the source yourself and picking your own fruits and vegetables. There's just something so satisfying about picking your own produce that makes it so much more enjoyable. Plus, you have better control over the items you pick, and you can make sure they live up to your high-quality standards for ripeness and taste.
Depending on where you live, there may be several U-pick farms nearby. If you're really in the mood for fresh produce, you can head to your local U-pick farms to pick your own apples, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, pumpkins, and other fruits and vegetables. Don't settle for anything less than fresh off the bush, vine, or tree the next time you're planning a special meal.
1. Butler's Orchard: Germantown, Maryland
Butler's Orchard is a great place to bring the family for a fun-filled day of picking fresh fruits and vegetables. The picking season begins in May and runs through October (with Christmas trees also being available in November and December). Butler's Orchard offers 23 different varieties of fruits, vegetables, and flowers that visitors to the farm can pick. Some of the available varieties include strawberries, black raspberries, blueberries, cherries, sugar snap peas, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, apples, pumpkins, basil, cilantro, and peonies.
One of the best things about a visit to Butler's Orchard is that there is so much more to do there than just picking fruit. You can visit the market and grab some fresh-made pies and other baked goods, find decor for your home, or even grab pre-picked fruits and vegetables if you don't want to hit the fields yourself. Butler's also holds several festivals each year to celebrate the season, such as Bunnyland in the spring and the Pumpkin Festival in the fall. There will be lots of fun and exciting things to keep the little ones entertained. Children can also enjoy a neat farm park with giant slides, pedal tractors, a playground, and more during the visit.
2. Dempsey Farms: Saint Helena Island, South Carolina
If you live in South Carolina, plan a trip to Saint Helena Island to go pick your own fruits and vegetables at Dempsey Farms. Dempsey Farms' fresh produce is sure to delight your taste buds and give you the makings of some delicious homemade treats. The picking season starts with strawberries in early April and runs through the middle of November with various fall and winter vegetables. Some of the other items you can pick include zucchini, cucumbers, cantaloupe, tomatoes, watermelons, green beans, okra, and sweet corn.
Dempsey Farms recommends calling before planning your visit to confirm the availability of each crop, particularly at the beginning of the picking season, as the weather can impact when crops will be ready. Before you head off to the farm, you should also make sure that you have either cash or checks with you, as those are the only two accepted methods of payment.
3. Amber Brook Farms: Eustis and Williston, Florida
Amber Brook Farms has two locations in Florida; one in Eustis and one in Williston. You can pick your own blueberries and strawberries. If you visit the farm in Williston, you will also be able to pick your own peaches when they are in season. In addition to the fruits, the farms also offer U-pick sunflowers and zinnias. Amber Brooke Farms aims to be a family-friendly place with lots to see and do. There are also several different events and festivals throughout the year, including the Blueberry Festival, Strawberry Festival, Fall Festival, and Easter Egg Hunt.
If you want to attend one of the festivals, you can purchase your tickets online. Not only will this help make sure that you get in, but you'll also pay a few dollars less than you'd pay the day of the event. When you visit Amber Brook farm, you and the family can have fun with one of the exciting activities on offer, including the barrel train ride or cow train ride (depending on which location you go to), cornhole, the duck races, slide hill, gemstone mining, and jump pads.
4. Froberg's Farm: Alvin, Texas
Pick your own strawberries to use for a new summer strawberry recipe at Froberg's Farm in Texas, depending on the weather, the strawberry season starts in January and runs through the middle of May. To pick on Froberg's fields, you'll have to purchase one (or more) of their buckets for $2 each. An entrance fee of $3 will also be charged for anyone who is 2 or older. Pick to your heart's delight and fill up your buckets with red, ripe strawberries.
The cost is just $4 per pound, and Froberg's does accept cash, credit cards, or checks. In addition to strawberries, you can also pick your own blackberries on the farm. Blackberry season generally runs from May through July. When you head to the farm to pick your own strawberries on a weekend, you'll find that Froberg's offers even more excitement for the whole family: From the emoji cannon, the duck races, the bee coaster, the Berry Fun Land playground, and more, no one will want to leave.
Froberg's Farm also offers a farm market and even accepts online ordering for some items. It offers a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including cabbage, green onions, kale, turnips, bell peppers, eggplants, peppers, squash, okra, peas, tomatoes, and, of course, strawberries and blackberries. There's even an on-site bakery with over 35 different types of pies and fried pies, cookies, and more.
5. Swan Trails Farms: Snohomish, Washington
Do you live near Snohomish, Washington? If so, start planning a trip to Swans Trail Farms. If you plan your trip right, you could even make it for the special Baby Animals & Berries Festival that runs for several weekends in June. During the festival, you can go down the tall, 50-foot slides, visit baby kittens, baby chicks, and even baby alpacas, and, of course, try recipes featuring fresh strawberries. Some of the delicious offerings include strawberry shortcake and strawberry lemonade.
The festival marks the start of the much-anticipated strawberry U-pick season. During strawberry season, you will be able to choose from several different varieties based on availability. These include very sweet Hood strawberries, delicious Shuksan strawberries, red Sweet Sunrise strawberries, and tasty Totem strawberries.
While strawberry season is a very special time at Swans Trail Farms, it is not the only time of the year you can enjoy the farm. The farm also has a fun fall festival with a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and more. You can also visit to stop by the Swans Trail Farms Store, where you can find fresh-picked produce, jams, various kinds of butter, pickles, candy, decor, and much more.
6. Alstede Farms: Chester, New Jersey
Alstede Farms, in Chester, New Jersey, is another one of the best U-pick farms in the country in New Jersey. The farm offers a wide selection of both fruits and vegetables that farm goers can pick fresh to bring home. Some of these offerings include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, apples, pumpkins, beans, peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes. The farm recommends purchasing tickets for the "Pick Your Own" experience online to guarantee yourself a spot.
If tickets are available on the day of your visit, you'll be charged an extra $8 to purchase them onsite. The start of the harvest season can vary based on the weather, but it typically occurs towards the end of May or the beginning of June. The picking season runs through early November.
Allowing customers to pick their own fresh produce is just one of the many things Alstede Farms offers. It also has a farm shop with fresh produce, homemade ice cream, and other special treats. Alstede's also runs various events throughout the year featuring hay wagon rides, mazes, group tours, and more. You could even host a child's birthday party, a wedding, or a corporate event at the farm.
7. Great Country Farms: Bluemont, Virginia
You can easily have a fun day with a visit to Great Country Farms in Bluemont, Virginia. During strawberry season, which typically starts in the middle of May, you can visit the fields to pick your own fresh strawberries to use in all of your favorite recipes or, of course, just eat right off the stem. In addition to strawberries, Great Country Farm also allows customers to pick their own cherries, black raspberries, blackberries, peaches, apples, pumpkins, and potatoes.
Don't miss the farm's Strawberry Festival, which typically runs for the last few weekends in May. There are other fun activities too: You can buy a ticket to see the farm animals, including baby lambs, in the spring. Look out for information about other events, like the Father's Day Fishing Contest or the Fall Pumpkin Harvest Festival, on the farm website or when you visit in person.
8. Southern Belle Farms: McDonough, Georgia
You'll enjoy every moment of your time spent at Southern Belle Farms. This family-owned farm spans 330 acres and is conveniently located within an hour from Atlanta. Each season brings something new to be excited about at Southern Belle Farms. There is never a bad time to visit Southern Belle Farms, whether you're picking your own strawberries in the spring, grabbing juicy and delicious peaches straight from the tree in the summer, wandering through the pumpkin patch in the fall, or visiting Santa on the Farm in the winter.
Southern Belle Farms charges a $1 admission fee to pick your own fruit (plus the cost of the fruit itself). If you think you'll be heading back frequently to pick more, consider getting a U-Pick Season Pass for just $4.95. The pass is good for picking in any of the fields during any season within the year you purchase it. When you're at Southern Belle Farms, make sure that you stop by the Country Market too. You'll want to try some of the ripe and ready-to-enjoy produce, local honey, donuts, freshly canned jams, pickled vegetables, and so many other delicious goods.
9. Adam's Apple Orchard: Ault, Colorado
Are you dreaming of baking a homemade apple pie? What about making your own applesauce? How does apple crumb cake sound? If your mouth is watering, you should probably look into setting up a visit to Adam's Apple Orchard in Colorado. The orchard is just about 20 miles east of Fort Collins.
In addition to apples, the orchard also offers U-pick pears, plums, and pumpkins. It can be your one-stop shop for all of your fall produce. When planning your visit, be sure to stop by on a weekend, as Saturday and Sunday are the only days when U-pick is offered. After you've filled up several bushels of fresh-picked apples, don't forget to stop by the Country Store. There you'll find some other special treats that you'll just have to try, including jam, jelly, and salsa. The store also sells delicious and refreshing apple cider.
10. Kula Country Farms: Kula, Hawaii
Whether you're lucky enough to live in Hawaii or are planning to visit the gorgeous state, don't miss out on the opportunity to visit Kula Country Farms. Farm goers can head to the strawberry fields on Wednesdays and Saturdays to pick their own fresh strawberries. The fields are open between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the season (which typically runs from February through June). Then, pick as many strawberries as you want for just $5 per pound.
Picking your own strawberries will certainly be one of the highlights of a trip to Kula Country Farms, but there are other fun things to do during your visit as well. First, be sure to stop by the farm stand. Here, you'll find freshly-grown local produce from the farm, such as strawberries, blueberries, onions, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, asparagus, and more. The farm stand also sells baked treats, jams, honey, and other delicious items to try. Kula Country Farms also has a pumpkin patch where you can pick your own pumpkin.
11. Heider's Berry Farm: Woodstock, Illinois
Heider's Berry Farm is the perfect place to visit if you've been looking to pick your own berries for some scrumptious new berry recipes. Head to the farm to pick your strawberries or raspberries. Strawberry season typically runs between June and the first frost in September, and raspberry season starts in June and runs through the first frost in September. Heider's Berry Farm provides all the containers you'll need to pick. Families and supervised children are encouraged by the farm, making a visit to Heider's Berry Farm a fun outing for all.
At Heider's Berry Farm, you can also grab some pre-picked cherries, black raspberries, and rhubarb grown on the farm. It also offers clean and dry firewood, allowing you to stock up and get ready for the winter. One of the farm owners, John, also sells his wood creations, including bowls, furniture, and various art pieces.
12. Evan's Orchard: Georgetown, Kentucky
Evan's Orchard is the perfect place to visit on a beautiful spring, summer, or fall day in Kentucky. The Orchard offers several different U-pick options for its customers, starting in the middle of May with strawberry season. Blueberry season starts a few weeks later, in early June, and it is followed by Sunflower season in early August. Once fall comes around, be sure to head to the fall to pick your own pears or apples starting the second weekend in September, and then come back towards the end of the month or in October to pick up some nice pumpkins for making pumpkin pie or decorating for Halloween.
If you love apples, you'll be particularly excited to visit Evan's Orchard: It offers over 10 different varieties. When you're at the orchard, don't forget to check out other areas outside of the U-pick fields. Evan's Orchard has a large play area with tall slides, climbing features, swings, a ball pit, and much more for young children to enjoy. There is also a petting zoo with sheep, pigs, donkeys, and other animals that you can say "hi" to during your visit. Evan's Orchard has a café and market shop, so don't leave without grabbing something special to snack on or bring home.
13. Mrs. Heather's Farm: Albany, Louisiana
If you're near Albany, Louisiana, and want to find a local farm where you can pick your own fruit for tasty creations, look no further than Mrs. Heather's Farm. This farm is designed to be a family-friendly destination, and visitors can pick their own strawberries fresh from the bush or stop by the pumpkin patch to grab a pumpkin. The strawberry farm should be your first stop during strawberry season.
Not only can you pick strawberries to bring home, but you'll also be able to snack on a few as you pick. You never know what other exciting activities or information Mrs. Heather will have to share when you're ready to start picking. These activities could include learning more about how strawberries grow, hopping on the large jumping pillow, getting your face painted, or playing in the playground area.
In the fall, drive to the nearby Mrs. Heather's Pumpkin Patch for a fun fall festival. The $9 admission includes a fresh-picked pumpkin and plenty of time to explore the other areas of the farm, such as the hay maze, tunnel slide, spider web, seesaws, and more. You could even milk a cow during your visit.
14. Lyman Orchards: Middlefield, Connecticut
Lyman Orchards offers several opportunities throughout the year to pick your own juicy fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, honeyberries, jostaberries, apples, pears, peaches, and more. Always be sure to check on the picking conditions before stopping by. The farm offers a convenient 24-hour hotline with updated information about what is in season and is ready to pick to help you choose the ideal date for your visit.
No trip to Lyman Orchards is complete without visiting the farm market. Beyond the more traditional pies and produce that you'll find at most other farm markets, Lyman Orchards' farm market also offers deli sandwiches, salads, and sides. The market also serves delicious ice cream, including the signature bakery sundaes at the Creamery: Choose from a fudge brown sundae, a cider donut & caramel sundae, or a seasonal sundae featuring fresh-picked fruit. You can also opt for ice cream sandwiches, sorbets, and other offerings.