HartfordCT

Beardsley's have farmed the White Hills of Shelton since 1849, and they have replanted thousands of dwarf trees so that the picking is done standing up. What You Can Pick Apples - weekends only, 10am to 5pm In the farm's own words: "Our orchards are home to over 13,000 apple and 400 peach trees. Our peaches are not PYO, our apples are." Good to Know The trees are the point: "We have re-planted thousands of dwarf apple trees in our fields for our Pick-Your-Own orchard. The trees will only grow to a maximum of 10 to 12 feet for easy picking." No pets, backpacks, large bags or large purses over 10 inches in the pick-your-own orchard. The farm store is open daily 10am to 5.30pm, closing for the season at 1pm on Christmas Eve. There is a distillery, and a family area added "for those that are NOT distillery customers to enjoy their treats with an orchard view". Pro tip: 13,000 apple trees kept to twelve feet is a deliberate choice and it is the reason to bring small children here rather than to a standard orchard, where the good fruit is invariably eight feet up.

Belltown Hill Orchards on Matson Hill Road is famous for its apples, and it grows over 24 varieties for picking. It also grows kiwi berries, which is a thing almost no American farm does. What You Can Pick Apples - "over 24 varieties", from mid-June to late October across the whole picking season Blueberries - summer Sweet cherries - early summer Pumpkins - autumn The farm also grows blackberries, grapes, kiwi berries, pears, peaches, raspberries, rhubarb and plums. What It Costs "Most pick your own fruit is priced by the pound. Cherries are priced by the bag/person." Good to Know Open seven days a week, June to December, but picking is a separate matter: "Pick your own is NOT GUARANTEED DAILY. Hours are subject to change daily due to crop availability/weather, please call for accurate picking info." And plainly: "Management reserves the right to close the fields at any point in the day, due to crop availability or weather." Pro tip: ask about the kiwi berries. They are thumbnail-sized, smooth-skinned and eaten whole, they taste more intensely of kiwi than a kiwi does, and they ripen in September. Across nineteen American regions on this site only two farms grow them at all.

Bishop's Orchards at Guilford runs one of the most organised picking operations in New England, with a hotline updated daily and a printed field guide for every crop. What You Can Pick Strawberries - June Blueberries - summer Peaches - in season now Apples, pears and raspberries - late summer and autumn Pumpkins - autumn Flowers - "Mid July - First Frost" The farm publishes a Picking Guide PDF for strawberries, blueberries, peaches and flowers, which is a level of care almost nobody else takes. Good to Know Everything runs through one number. "Call 203-458-PICK daily Pick-Your-Own or click the link below for availability, hours, locations & pricing!" and "During harvest seasons, our Pick Your Own hotline is updated daily with availability, pricing, locations, hours and any other information you may need." On the schedule: "All dates listed below are general guidelines. Mother Nature always sets the final schedule, there's no exact way to predict when each crop will be ready and how long we will offer Pick Your Own." Credit, debit and cash. No cheques and no EBT at pick-your-own. There is at least one portaloo at every picking location, and "We currently do not have changing stations for small children." Pro tip: the picking happens at several locations, not just the Boston Post Road market, and the hotline tells you which one is open that day. Ring it before you set the satnav, not after.

Blue Hills Orchard at Wallingford opened its picking on 22 August 2026 and charges $2.49 a pound, weighed when you come back in. What You Can Pick Apples - "Pick Your Own 2026 begins Aug 22", at $2.49 a pound. "The varieties offered to pick will coincide with what is ripe on that weekend" How Picking Works "Our Pick Your Own activities will be operating Saturdays 10am-5pm and Sundays 10am-4pm. Customers may arrive at any point through these time slots to take part in the picking. Once you arrive, you must check-in to claim your spot on the wagon down to the designated picking area. The wagon will be cycling people in and out of the picking area all day... After customers are brought back in from the field, they must bring their fruit to be weighed and bought ($2.49 per pound)." Good to Know The farm is blunt about the field: "Please note that Pick Your Own is done outside in areas where bees, poison ivy, wildlife and other natural hazards are present. Pick at your own risk." Also: "Pick only where designated (do not enter 'closed' areas)", and no professional photography sessions. Pro tip: weekends only, and only two days a week, so the wagon queue is the whole experience on a fine October Saturday. Go on the Sunday, when the field shuts an hour earlier but far fewer people have made the drive.

Buell's Orchard at Eastford is picking two crops right now and runs one of the longest picking seasons in eastern Connecticut. What You Can Pick Peaches and blueberries - "Pick your own peaches and blueberries now available!" Strawberries - June Apples - autumn Pumpkins - autumn Good to Know Summer hours are Monday 8am to 7pm, Tuesday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 3pm, closed Sunday. The Monday evening is unusual and useful. The farm links to a news piece in which co-owner Jeff Sandness "talks about climate changes and how farmers are working to deal with it", which is a more candid thing to put on a farm website than most manage. Pro tip: closed Sunday and open until seven on Monday is the reverse of every other orchard in the region. If weekends are impossible, Buell's is the one farm here built for a Monday evening after work.

Dondero Orchards on Woodland Street has one of the longest crop lists in Connecticut and an unusually honest note about how the picking works when the trees are too far to walk to. What You Can Pick Strawberries - June Blueberries and black raspberries - summer Peaches and plums - late summer Apples and pears - autumn, many varieties Rhubarb, pumpkins, tomatoes and lettuce Good to Know On the October apples, in the farm's own words: "Many varieties of apples. Some varieties may be displayed in bins for you to select from because the trees are not with in walking distance for pick your own. They are all freshly picked and available at the same price as if you picked them." [sic] The farm writes proper variety notes. On Macoun: "The most asked for apple for eating, also good for culinary uses. It is a cross of the Macintosh and Jersey Black. It has a short season and it seems the trees produce a hardy crop only every other year." On Granny Smith: "Probably the most tart apple for the fall season... loved for eating by those who seek tart apples. Ripens: Mid October." Open for the season, closed Tuesdays. There is a bakery, a greenhouse, farm dinners and a CSA. Pro tip: the bin caveat is worth reading twice. Some of what Dondero calls pick-your-own in October is a tray of apples somebody else picked, sold at the same price. Ask at the counter which blocks are actually open to walk into that day.

Jones Family Farms at Shelton runs its year as four distinct seasons: strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins and Christmas trees, each with its own field and its own visit. What You Can Pick Strawberries - June Blueberries - summer Pumpkins - "mid/late September" Christmas trees close the year, and there is a winery on the farm. Good to Know The blueberries are finished. In the farm's own words: "Blueberry Season has Ended... It's been a great season! We look forward to seeing you for Pumpkin Season in mid/late September." The farm keeps a Crop Report and warns: "Our hours can change during the season due to weather and picking conditions. Please call ahead before visiting for daily information or if you have any questions." Two picking sites, Pumpkinseed Hill Farm on Beardsley Road and Valley Farm on Walnut Tree Hill Road, share one phone number and one website. Pro tip: the farm publishes separate Strawberry Season Tips, Pumpkin Season and Tree Season pages, including parking guidance for tree season. Read the one for the season you are going in; they are genuinely different operations on different fields.

March Farm at Bethlehem is a fourth-generation farm that writes the best crop notes in this region: it tells you what colour the fruit should be before you pick it. What You Can Pick Blueberries - "typically begins mid July and continues through August" Peaches - "typically begins in early-August and continues through mid-September" Apples - from the first weekend of September in the Farm Store Orchard, then mid-September onwards in the Hill Top Orchard Pumpkins - "typically begins late-September and continues through October" The Apples Two orchards, and the farm names the varieties in each. The Farm Store Orchard opens first with Cortland, Gala, Honeycrisp and McIntosh. The Hill Top Orchard follows with Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, McIntosh, Macoun, Mutsu, Crimson Crisp and Red Delicious. Good to Know On the peaches: "Peach picking requires a bit of a hike but is well worth the effort after sinking your teeth into the fuzzy-skin that is sweetly juicy with each bite." On picking ripe fruit, for blueberries: "be sure to look for berries that are very dark blue in color – green berries have not ripened fully and are not ready to pick"; and for peaches, "look for fruit that are dark yellow/red in color – green/white fruit have not ripened fully". Current hours are 10am to 6pm every day. There is a Hayloft Playscape, a Pond Side Animal Yard, a Hill Top Corn Maze, hay rides in autumn, concerts, workshops and yoga. Pro tip: the two apple orchards are two different experiences. The Farm Store Orchard is beside the car park and opens first; the Hill Top Orchard is the walk with the view and holds the Macoun and Mutsu. If you can only do one, the Hill Top is the one.

Red Fire Farm at Granby is certified organic and opens its picking to everybody, not only to its CSA members. What You Can Pick Strawberries - June, certified organic Blueberries - summer Cherry tomatoes and other crops - through the growing season Good to Know In the farm's own words: "We offer FREE weekly pick-your-own access to CSA members throughout the growing season, with organic strawberries, blueberries & lots more. General public picking available, too!" And: "We offer pick-your-own to CSA and the general public throughout the growing season on delicious crops like strawberries, cherry tomatoes & lots more!" The farm store is open daily at 7 Carver Street. Red Fire also sells at farmers markets across Massachusetts from April. Pro tip: CSA members pick free every week, which means the fields see a lot of traffic on member days. If you are coming as a member of the public, ring first and ask which day is quietest.

Sunnymount is the second of Rogers Orchards' two Southington farms, out on the Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, and it picks on the same calendar as Shuttle Meadow. What You Can Pick Apples - "Pick-Your-Own apple season starts Labor Day Weekend and will run until the end of October, weather permitting" Good to Know Rogers has been farming Southington for generations and runs a farm store at each site. The picking is Friday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Both farms share one website and one picking calendar but have different phone numbers: Sunnymount is on (203) 879-1206. Pro tip: if Shuttle Meadow's car park is full on the first Saturday of October, Sunnymount is twelve minutes away, picks the same fruit on the same days, and is the quieter of the two.

Scantic Valley Farm at Somers runs a Berry Hotline and puts a feather flag at the gate of a field that is not where the farmhouse is. What You Can Pick Strawberries - June Blueberries - summer Dahlias - "Dahlia season is here and runs thru October!" Pumpkins and winter squash - autumn Good to Know The strawberry field is not at the farm address. In the farm's own words: "The strawberry field is 1/4 mile north of the farmhouse at 327 Ninth District Road. Follow our arrow signs and look for the OPEN feather flag at the gate!" Hours move with the fruit: "In the beginning of the season our hours will be based on ripening and weather", and "Some hours may vary due to the heat and rain. If you have any questions regarding the berry season please visit our Scantic Valley Farm Facebook page, follow us on IG or call the Berry Hotline 860-749-3286 as these are updated frequently." The farm also raises beef in small batches, sells sides to order, and has a corn maze, fresh eggs, a refreshment stand, restrooms and a picnic area. Pro tip: the feather flag is the whole navigation system in June. If it is not at the gate a quarter mile north of the farmhouse, the field is not open, whatever the website says.

Lyman Orchards has been farmed by the same family since 1741, nine generations, on land overlooking the Connecticut River. It was voted Connecticut's best pick-your-own farm by CT Magazine and the best apple orchard in the nation by USA Today in 2025, and it grows two crops almost nobody else in America lets you pick. What You Can Pick In the farm's own words, "nearly 100 varieties of fruits from mid-June until the end of October": Honeyberries - early summer Jostaberries - early summer Strawberries - June Raspberries and blueberries - summer Peaches and nectarines - late summer Apples and pears - autumn What It Costs From the farm's daily picking update: $26 a peck bag and $11 a quart container. The sunflower maze is separately ticketed at $12 for ages 13 and over, $7 for ages 4 to 12, free under 3, and the farm gives "$1 of every ticket sold" to Connecticut Children's cancer and blood disorder treatment centre. Good to Know The 2026 season is open, daily 8am to 4.30pm. Ring the 24-hour picking hotline on 860-349-6015 before you go: "We update the message as often as necessary (especially in rainy or overcast weather)." The apples and peaches are eco-certified: "grown in ways that respect and preserve the ecology of our orchard." The Apple Barrel Farm Market is open year round and the Creamery seasonally. The corn maze opens 5 September. Pro tip: come in the third week of June for the honeyberries and jostaberries, which are the real reason this farm is unusual. A honeyberry is an oblong blue fruit that tastes somewhere between a blueberry and a raspberry and ripens weeks before either; a jostaberry is a gooseberry crossed with a blackcurrant. Across nineteen American regions on this site, Lyman is the only farm that offers either for picking.

Silverman's Farm at Easton runs a farm market and an animal farm alongside its orchard, and stays open every day from March to New Year's Eve. What You Can Pick Apples - autumn Peaches - late summer Pumpkins - autumn Good to Know In the farm's own words: "Our Farm Market and Animal Farm are NOW OPEN for the 2026 Season! We will remain open through December 31, 2026. 7 days a week 9AM-5PM." On the picking specifically: "Follow us on social media for the most up to date information on pick your own and crop availability. The timing of our pick your own season can vary. Mother nature always has the final say! Farm may close during inclement weather." Partial hours on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, and closed Christmas Day. Pro tip: the animal farm is the reason small children will forgive you for the drive, and it is included with a visit rather than ticketed separately. Do the picking first and the animals second, or you will never reach the trees.

Litchfield Hills Blueberry Farm grows one crop, weighs what you pick, and has already sold out this year. What You Can Pick Blueberries - "typically begins early July into late August" In the farm's own words: "Come and pick your own blueberries while you enjoy our beautiful view of the Litchfield Hills! We weigh what you pick and charge by the pound." Good to Know Closed for 2026. The farm's own notice: "We are picked out and closed for the 2026 Season. Thanks for Picking!" Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays in season, and the farm asks you to ring first: "Please call ahead; our crop info will be recorded on our answering machine." Pro tip: "picked out" is the phrase to watch for on a single-crop farm. It means the fruit is gone rather than the season is over, and on a good year it can happen in the first fortnight of August. Ring the answering machine in early July and go the week it opens.

Rose's Berry Farm opened in 1908 and is now, in its own words, "a pesticide free pick-your-own farm" under a family that has been in Glastonbury for six generations. What You Can Pick Blueberries - the farm's signature crop Strawberries - June Raspberries and blackberries - summer Apples and peaches - late summer and autumn Pumpkins - autumn Good to Know The farm changed hands twice in recent years and is candid about what that has meant. In 2018 Sandi Rose sold 50 acres to the Town of Glastonbury for open space, and neighbouring Belltown Hill Orchards now farms that back half. In 2022 she sold the farm to the Gondek family, who "have made the farm pesticide and round up free" and who write that "at this time the Town of Glastonbury has taken over their infrastructure needed to survive and thrive". Their focus, in their own words, is "sustainable farming, an inclusive community and farm education". Follow the farm's social accounts for hours: "Please follow us on Facebook & Instagram for the most up to date hours and information!" Pro tip: the Breakfast-With-A-View is the thing people come back for, served looking out over the Connecticut River valley from the top of the blueberry field. Check the site before assuming it is running, because the new owners are still rebuilding what the farm offers.

Scott's Orchard & Nursery on the New London Turnpike does something rare in this region: it publishes a price for every crop it picks. What You Can Pick Blueberries - $5.25 a pound Peaches - $2.99 a pound Nectarines - $2.99 a pound Apples - $2.49 a pound Pears and plums are picked here too, per the county directory. What Else is Available A garden centre, a hay maze, and horse-drawn hay rides on autumn weekends. Pro tip: four published per-pound prices is the most transparent pricing in the region, and it is worth using. Blueberries at $5.25 are the dearest thing on the board and the apples at $2.49 the cheapest, which is the reverse of how most farms in Connecticut price them.

Karabin Farms at Southington grows every one of its apples, heirloom and modern alike, on dwarf trees a child can reach, and invites you to eat one before you commit. What You Can Pick Apples - "2026 Pick your own apples begins in late August!", from Zestar in mid August to Gold Rush in late October Pumpkins - autumn In the farm's own words: "All apple varieties both heirloom and new are grown on dwarf kid friendly trees... Visitors are encouraged to sample the apples before they pick." What Else is Available Beef, pork, chicken and turkey raised on the farm, maple syrup boiled here, a corn maze, choose-and-cut Christmas trees, greenhouses and a CSA giving "families 14 weeks of the very best in fruit, vegetables, and meat". Good to Know Picking is weekends only: "Seasonal September & October: Saturday and Sunday only (weather permitting) 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM." The farm shop is open daily 9am to 5pm from 1 April to 23 December, and weekends only January to March. Pro tip: read the farm's month-by-month diary before you go. It is the best writing on any farm website in this region, and it will tell you about the hawk that moved into the barn, the 6,000 tomato plants started in March, and exactly when the maple syrup stops running.

Rogers Orchards runs two Southington farms and picks at both. Shuttle Meadow on Long Bottom Road is the one with the fall apple-picking programme. What You Can Pick Apples - "Pick-Your-Own Fruits season starts Labor Day Weekend and will run until the end of October, weather permitting" Pumpkins - autumn In the farm's own words: "Our apples ripen at different times throughout the season, offering a variety of flavors and textures." What Else is Available An on-site bakery: "From our signature pies in various sizes to our irresistible donuts made fresh daily... Our Apple Cider Donuts are a year-round favorite, while our weekend special Apple Fritter Donuts add an extra touch of indulgence to your Fridays through Sundays." Also hard cider and fruit baskets. Good to Know Picking is Friday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm, including Columbus Day Mondays. The farm store is open seven days, 9am to 6pm. Pro tip: the Apple Fritter Donut is a Friday-to-Sunday special and the picking runs Friday to Sunday, which is not a coincidence. Do both in one trip or you will be back.

Clark Farms at Bushy Hill Orchard at Granby runs its picking from a window on the porch and a tractor to the trees, and is refreshingly rude about Google. What You Can Pick Blueberries - from July Apples - from August, "usually pick until late October/Early November" In the farm's own words: "UPICK 2026: WILL RESUME IN JULY WITH BLUEBERRIES FOLLOWED BY UPICK APPLE SEASON IN AUGUST." How Picking Works "Check in at our UPICK apple window on porch, grab a bag and ticket for tractor (there is NO walking to orchard). Come back to the farm and grab some donuts, ice cream, cider, slushies, visit our cafe (Saturday/Sunday 9-4:30) for a bite to eat." What Else is Available A cafe serving breakfast at weekends 9am to 1pm, a cidery, greenhouses, a corn maze with tickets at $18 in advance and $22 at the door, and events including Breakfast with Santa and Breakfast with the Easter Bunny. Good to Know The farm's own warning, and it is worth heeding: "Please ignore GOOGLE hours as they don't always reflect the correct times (we can't control this)." Closed January to March. Pro tip: there is no walking to the orchard, only the tractor, so the picking runs on the tractor's timetable rather than yours. Arrive early in the day if you want a full field rather than a queue for the next trailer.

Gotta's Farm at Portland is a fifth-generation farm established in 1898, and it is straight with you about what it will and will not be picking this year. What You Can Pick Peaches - late summer Apples - autumn Pears - autumn What You Cannot Pick This Year Strawberries. In the farm's own words: "PYO Strawberries will not be opening for the 2026 season but we will be back for 2027!!!" What Else is Available Two seasonal retail sites, Gotta's Farm on Route 17 and the QP Market on Route 66, both in Portland. A farm stand bakery "with fabulous pies, breads, and cookies", plants and ornamentals, three regional farmers' markets, and Christmas trees. Good to Know "Gottas Farm and QP Market is open for the 2026 season!" The farm describes itself as "the proud growers of quality plants, fruits, vegetables and full ornamentals" and offers "strawberries, peaches, apples and pears that you can pick yourself when they are in season". Pro tip: a cider mill, a bakery and two shops on one small farm means the picking is only part of what is here. Go for the peaches in late August and come away with a pie you did not plan on.

Blue Jay Orchards at Bethel is 122 acres with over 8,000 producing trees and more than 20 apple varieties, and has been growing fruit in northern Fairfield County for over seventy years. What You Can Pick Apples - "Seasonal Opening September - December", over 20 varieties Pumpkins - autumn Good to Know The farm reopens on Labor Day weekend, 5 September. In its own words: "For over seventy years, our orchard has raised delicious, top-grade, fruit for our community. We are proud to be one of New England's seasonal traditions for families to come to visit our Farm and shop at our Market, to buy apples, cider, pumpkins, pies, and donuts, and perhaps enjoy 'pick your own'." The farm asks visitors to "read the orchard rules on Pick Your Own and On the Farm pages" before coming, and to call for orchard and farm market hours. Pro tip: not to be confused with Blue Jay Orchard at Hiram, Ohio, which is a different farm nine hundred kilometres away and also on this site. This one is the Connecticut one, on Plumtrees Road.

Starvish Farm grows one crop, keeps a blog about it, and has been through several bad springs in a row. What You Can Pick Strawberries - late May into early July Good to Know Picking happens on North Water Street, not on Pleasant Road. In the farm's own words: "Open at the 36 North Water street location in East Windsor... This location is where all the strawberry picking is. The Pleasant Road location is closed for renovation." Open daily, hours weather permitting, with conditions posted to the website and Facebook page. The blog is an unvarnished record of what a strawberry season is actually like. On one closure: "Some showers this morning so a delayed opening at 10am." On another: "We are closed and may not re-open until Monday. Way too much rain has caused the berries to become soft and need time to dry out and the plants to recover." And on the end of a bad year: "Unfortunately the berries didn't recover from all the rain we had last weekend. Too few berries and more rain coming." Pro tip: read the blog before you drive. It is a farm that posts "closed today because of rain" the morning it happens, which is worth more than any published opening time.

Maple Bank Farm has been "the cornerstone of Roxbury for generations", and its picking is a walk out into the Litchfield hills. What You Can Pick Blueberries - July and August Apples - autumn. "Pick-Your-Own Apples is open for the season!" Good to Know Picking is Saturdays and Sundays, 10am to 5pm. The farmstand is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5.30pm. In the farm's own words: "Experience pick-your-own Blueberries and Apples in season. Enjoy the farm and it's breathtaking views as you explore the Blueberry Patch in the summer or the Apple Orchard in the fall, hand picking delicious fruit that you and your family are sure to enjoy." [sic] Pro tip: the apple picking is already open, which is early for Litchfield County and worth knowing while everyone else is still waiting for September.

Crooke Orchards at Ashford specialises in heirloom and cider apple varieties, which is a rarer thing to be able to pick than it sounds. What You Can Pick Apples - "a diverse selection of apples, including heirloom and cider varieties" Peaches and nectarines - late summer Blueberries - summer Pumpkins and dahlias - autumn What Else is Available An on-site store carrying "seasonal produce along with freshly baked breads, dairy products and eggs, cider, honeys, maple syrups and jams. Also carrying a selection of handcrafted heirloom quality items from local artists and craftsmen to make everyday life more beautiful." Hayrides in autumn. Good to Know Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The address, 317 Bebbington Road, is the one the directory still lists against Horse Listeners Orchard, marked permanently closed in 2024. This is the succession, not a second farm. Pro tip: cider varieties are grown for tannin and acid rather than for eating, so ask which blocks are which before you fill a bag. A Kingston Black straight off the tree will make a remarkable cider and a disappointing lunch.

Holmberg Orchards at Gales Ferry runs a picking window of four hours a day, six days a week, and closes it at one o'clock. What You Can Pick Blueberries and raspberries - summer Peaches - late summer Apples and pears - autumn Pumpkins - autumn Good to Know In the farm's own words: "Summer Season is HERE! Picking is OPEN 9-1 TUESDAY TO SUNDAY." A nine-to-one window means the fruit is picked in the cool half of the day, which is the right way round for berries and unusual to see enforced. There is a farm market and a winery on the same site. Pro tip: one o'clock is a hard stop, not a wind-down. On a farm this size that means arriving at half past twelve gets you thirty minutes, so treat it as a morning outing or do not bother.

Autumn Harvest Orchard at Norfolk is certified organic, which makes it one of very few certified organic picking orchards anywhere on this site. What You Can Pick Apples - autumn What Else is Available Honey from hives on the farm. Good to Know Norfolk sits high in the north-west hills, which is the coldest corner of Connecticut and a late-ripening one. Ring before travelling: this is a small operation and it publishes almost nothing. Pro tip: certified organic apples are genuinely hard to grow in New England, where scab and codling moth make a wet summer punishing. A farm that manages it and still opens the rows to the public is worth the drive up into the hills.

Kosinski Farms at Westfield answers the question directly on its own FAQ, which is more than most farms manage. What You Can Pick "Do you offer Pick your own? Yes, We offer PYO blueberries in July and August and PYO apples in September and October." Blueberries - July and August Apples - September and October Good to Know Currently: "We currently have pick your own blueberries, and apple picking will start in September!" Open all year, Tuesday to Saturday 8am to 6pm and Sunday 8am to 5pm, at 436 Russellville Road. There is a CSA, with applications opening on 1 December for the following season, and field trips by arrangement. Pro tip: the address to use is Russellville Road in Westfield. The county directory still lists this farm at 227 North West Street in Feeding Hills, which is a different farm entirely on the other side of the river.

Pine Hill Orchards at Colrain farms 80 acres in the Franklin County hills and stays open every day of the year. What You Can Pick Apples - autumn The farm also grows peaches, plums, blueberries and pumpkins. What Else is Available A farm store open daily 9am to 6pm, and a deli open 9am to 4pm every day: "Sliced to Order Boar's Head Meats and Cheeses, Made to order Grinders, Hot Soups, Specials and more!" Good to Know In the farm's own words: "Pine Hill Orchards is open year round! We are a family owned and operated farm in beautiful Colrain, Ma. On 80+ acres we grow apples, peaches, plums, blueberries, pumpkins, and more!" Pro tip: a proper deli making grinders to order is not something you find at an orchard, and Colrain is a long way from anywhere. Pick in the morning and have lunch there rather than driving back down the hill hungry.

Couch Brook Farm at Bernardston grows certified organic blueberries in the far north of the Pioneer Valley, six miles from the Vermont line. What You Can Pick Blueberries - summer, certified organic Christmas trees close the year. Good to Know Closed for the season. In the farm's own words: "Closed for the plant season." The farm sells both u-pick and already picked. Pro tip: certified organic blueberries are easier to grow than certified organic apples and still uncommon to find open to the public. This is one of only three certified organic picking farms in this region, alongside Autumn Harvest at Norfolk and Red Fire in the valley.

Park Hill Orchard at Easthampton tends about 95 varieties of perennial fruit, including pluots, and is the home of the original cider slushie. What You Can Pick Peaches - picking now Apples - autumn. "Our apples are set up for Pick-Your-Own harvesting" The farm also grows raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, nectarines, plums, pluots, cherries and pears. Good to Know Open seven days a week, 10am to 6pm. In the farm's own words: "NOW OPEN seven days a week from 10:00 - 6:00. Peach Picking! Please sign up on our mailing list for notification." The mailing list is the way in to the rarer fruit: "Signup for announcements special fruit availability and exclusive u-pick opportunities. This is a low volume newsletter with two or three letters a month in season." Pro tip: "exclusive u-pick opportunities" is the phrase to notice. With 95 varieties on the ground, the plums, pluots and cherries come and go in days and are announced to the list rather than posted on the site. Sign up in June if you want any of them.

Apex Orchards sits on a Franklin County hilltop above Shelburne Falls with a view across three states, and it picks two crops at weekends. What You Can Pick Peaches - "Pick Your Own Peaches open Weekends Only" Apples - "Pick Your Own Apples Weekends" Good to Know The farm store is open daily 9am to 5pm, but the picking is weekends only for both crops. At 96km out this is the furthest farm in the region, up in the hills west of Greenfield. Pro tip: the view is the reason people drive up here, and it is best in the last hour before the store shuts. Pick in the morning, then come back to the top of the hill at four.

Red Fire Farm's Montague site is the northern half of a certified organic operation that runs picking at both its farms. What You Can Pick Strawberries - June, certified organic Blueberries - summer Snap peas, English peas, snow peas and herbs Good to Know Picking is open to the public as well as to CSA members: "We offer pick-your-own to CSA and the general public throughout the growing season." The Montague farm is on Meadow Road, sixty kilometres north of the Granby site and eighty-five from Hartford. Pro tip: three kinds of pea on one certified organic farm is unusual and they come in before the strawberries finish. Snap, English and snow all pick differently, so ask which rows are which rather than working it out in the field.

Kielbasa Orchards runs two orchards on Bay Road and picks at only one of them. What You Can Pick Apples - September to November, weekends Good to Know In the farm's own words: "We operate two orchards along Bay Rd. Our Amherst location is the source of all of the fruit we produce for retail sales. Our orchard in Hadley is where we operate pick your own and have a road side farm stand." So the address to drive to is the Hadley one, 290 Bay Road. The Amherst orchard grows the fruit that goes to shops. The farm describes itself simply: "A Pick Your Own Apple Orchard and a Family Tradition." Pro tip: two orchards on one road, and only the Hadley one lets you in. If a satnav sends you to Amherst you are at the wrong end of Bay Road and there is no picking there at all.