Are you looking for a fun way to spend a day outdoors? Why not consider picking your own fruit at a local farm near you? Fruit picking is a great outdoor family activity to try out in the Summer months. Keeping busy in the sun, breathing in the fresh countryside air and finishing the day literally eating at the fruits of your labour – doesn’t get any better than that right?
Not only is this activity a great way to connect with nature, but it also allows you to enjoy fresh, ripe fruit straight from the source. There are a variety of seasonal fruits & vegetables in Summer ready to be picked. So, if you are looking for ‘fruit picking near me’? Let’s jump straight into our top fruit-picking farms across the UK!
What are the benefits of picking my own fruit?
Fresh Produce
One of the biggest benefits of picking your own fruit is that you can be sure of its freshness and quality. When you pick fruit yourself, you have the opportunity to select only the ripest, juiciest fruit, ensuring that you’re getting the best possible product. Plus, there’s something incredibly satisfying about harvesting your own food straight from the tree or vine.
Support Local Farmers
Another benefit of picking your own fruit is the opportunity to support local farmers and businesses. By visiting a pick-your-own farm, you’re directly supporting the local economy and helping to sustain small-scale agriculture in your community. It’s a great way for children to learn where their food comes from and appreciate the hard work that goes into growing it.
Connects Kids With Nature
Lots of farms that host ‘pick your own’ events have farm shops, cafes and play areas too for your little ones. There is also the chance to learn about the countryside, farming and to teach your kids about how fruits and vegetables grow. Not to mention price wise it’s fairly cheap with most farms offering free entry and a ‘pay for what you pick’ policy. It’s a great interactive activity to really get stuck into and as fruit season is fast approaching, farms need your help!
Fruit Picking Near Me: Strawberry Farms
East Yonderton Farm, Inchinnan
East Yonderton Pick Your Own Fruit farm is just one example of a local farm near you where you can enjoy the experience of picking your own seasonal fruit. Located just a short drive from town, East Yonderton offers a variety of fruits to choose from, including an abundance of strawberries, blueberries, apples, and more. Their fields are well-maintained and easy to navigate, making it a fun and family-friendly activity for all ages. Situated near Glasgow airport, East Yonderton Farm has PYO strawberry fields and vegetables with peas, broccoli, potatoes, and even gooseberries in the summer! There’s always some quality fresh produce ready for you to take home. We all know you can’t beat the taste of homegrown!
The Balloon Tree Farmshop and Cafe, York
Here, you’ll find fruit picking, a children’s play area for fun play time, an animal corner and a cafe that boasts award-winning cakes! The Balloon Tree in Yorkshire basically sounds like the perfect family day out, especially in the summer holidays! We think picking your own fruit and munching the sweet treats you’ve found is essential for any childhood summer. As well as picking your own classic strawberries, they also offer blueberries, plums, and runner beans, amongst others, and the children’s play area is next to the cafe garden, so you can supervise your kids while enjoying a cup of tea.
Parkside Farm, Enfield
Well, you can pick your own strawberries at Parkside Farm in Enfield, and they sell chocolate dipping sauce in their shop… I need this in my life.
In addition to the freshest strawberries, there are blackberries, redcurrants, courgettes, onions, and lots more. There’s also a dedicated space for picnics. Think of all the fresh meals you can make with fresh veggies!
Trevathan Farm – Port Isaac, Cornwall
There’s always room for some extra helpers on the farm! Trevathan Farm is located near Port Isaac in the beautiful Cornish countryside. It’s a great place to collect fresh, ripe berries right from the fields.
Your little helpers will also have the chance to get involved in a wide range of farm activities alongside strawberry picking. Ever ridden a tractor? Take a trip around the farm on the tractor ride or head over to the animal pens – get your bottles at the ready! Feed adorable baby lambs and learn about these curious creatures.
Love fishing? This strawberry farm is right by a fishing lake, so once you’re done with the picking, you can enjoy the fruits you’ve collected by the water while securing the catch of the day.
Craigie’s Farm – Edinburgh, Scotland
How about all the folk up in Scotland? You’re a lucky lot, you’ve got Craigie’s Farm right nearby Edinburgh! Show your laddies and lassies where fresh fruit really comes from. Pick your own strawberries, raspberries, and gooseberries and enjoy buckets of berrylicious goodness!
Want to know about the kids’ extras? With tractor rides, nature Detective Trails and a kids’ play area – it’s safe to say the little ones will be begging for a second visit to Craigie’s farm. And the fun doesn’t stop there! Meet and greet some of the furrier residents on the farm. Say hi to piglets, pygmy goats, ponies and chickens at the farm.
Graveley Fruit Farm – Graveley, Hertfordshire
Strawberries are the main crop at Graveley Fruit Farm, so if you come in during the strawberry season, you’re guaranteed to find plenty of fruit to pick. Maybe you can bake some muffins or tarts with your delicious strawberries for a family afternoon tea?
To make your kids’ day special, the farm offers an adventure play area with a zip wire, haystack, and tractor rides on weekends. And you’ll get the chance to meet the farm pigs too!
The one experience you’ll hardly ever expect at a PYO strawberry farm is a hot air balloon flight, but at Graveley Fruit Farm, that’s also an option! Who knew you could head out to do strawberry picking near you and end up floating in the sky.
Stanhill Farm, Dartford
This family-favourite PYO patch offers strawberry picking from June to September. The farm offers lots of other PYO opportunities too throughout the year – vegetables included too. Collect runner beans, marrows, beetroot, tomatoes, pumpkins, raspberries and so much more! Not to mention the beautiful sunflower maize maze.
There’s no need to bring your own containers to Stanhill Farm as they are already supplied onsite.
Pick from a delicious range of fruit and other fresh seasonal produce! Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal events too, especially around Halloween… So, what do you say, a trip to Dartford?
Fruit Picking Near Me: Cherry Farms
Cairnie Fruit Farm, Fife
Cairnie Fruit Farm is perfect for berry season. The farm has pick-your-own cherries, but it also has loads more on offer, such as strawberries, plenty of raspberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries, pumpkin pickers, and even sunflowers. There’s also a cafe, fun yard, and mega maze! There’s an entry fee to pay, but this is a full family day out and looks like loads of fun and an excellent experience for all.
Trevaskis Farm, Cornwall
Trevaskis Farm in Cornwall has enough to keep everyone busy with fruit picking, a shop, farm park and a cafe that has a great looking kids menu. As well as PYO cherries you’ll find pumpkins, peas, sweetcorn and raspberries amongst others.
Copas Farms, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire
There are two Copas Farms, one in Berkshire and one in Buckinghamshire and both of them have PYO cherries as well as other fruit and vegetables including asparagus, runner beans and raspberries.
Think of all the jam and sweet treats you can make as a family!
There is a minimum charge of £3 per person however this is refunded off any produce you pick and buy.
Cammas Hall, Essex
Not only is Cammas Hall the winner of the Farm Retail Awards but it is a must-visit family day out in Essex! This popular farm is a great place to go cherry picking as well as lots of other delicious fruits like strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blueberries, blackberries, and blackcurrants. You can handpick fresh vegetables too like sweetcorn, pumpkins and onions.
After your PYO activity, why not rest up for a tasty snack like scones with your favourite fruit jams, sourced from the farm itself? The Tea Barn also sells paninis, jacket potatoes, sandwiches and a selection of Grandma’s Homemade Cakes! Take a trip to the Farm shop for more locally harvested goods and seasonal fruits.
There is also a maize maze to explore and exciting seasonal events throughout the year! You should always pre-book before arriving at Cammas Hall.
Fruit Picking Near Me: Apple Farms
Hillfield Nursery and Farm Shop, Norwich
You’d be hard-pressed to find a pick-your-own farm with a larger range of apples that you can pick, Hillfield Nursery has 250!
With lots of different fruit and vegetables that you can pick their season starts in May and finishes in October so if you’re local to Norwich then there’s an excuse to visit again and again with pears, rhubarb and quinces amongst the selection. Hillfield has a farm shop and hosts events such as their blossom walk through their orchards.
Highbury Orchard, Birmingham
Looking for somewhere to pick apples and learn about conservation at the same time? The impressive Highbury Orchard in Birmingham is located on the grounds of Joe Chamberlain & his family’s former home in Moseley, Highbury Estate.
Kids can enjoy Forest Education sessions while volunteering to pick apples and other scrumptious fruits like pears, other soft fruit and perennial herbs. There is a children’s community garden, fun adventure trails that lead to a play area. Keep your eyes peeled for beautiful trees and native British plants.
The Hop Shop at Castle Farm, Kent
The PYO at The Hop Shop looks designed for filling up your Instagram as it’s based on a beautiful lavender farm in Kent which you can tour during the summer months. During the autumn you can visit their pick-your-own orchard which has pears, corn on the cob and Kent Cob hazelnuts as well as apples.
The farm is also just a 50-minute drive from London! So, if you are planning a family staycation in Kent or London, make sure to drop into Castle Farm.
FAQs
When is the best time to pick apples?
The month of September is generally the best time of year to pick apples. While different varieties of apples ripen at different times, and the climate varies the harvest from year to year, early fall is almost always a reliable time to go apple picking.
When is the best time to pick strawberries?
Strawberries ripen from early summer to early autumn, depending on the variety. Pick when they’re bright red all over, ideally during the warmest part of the day, as this is when they’re at their most tasty. Eat them as soon as possible – they don’t keep well once ripe.
When is the best time to pick cherries?
Cherries ripen from early summer onwards, depending on the variety. Pick during dry weather if possible, and hold the stalk rather than the fruit, which bruises easily. Eat sweet cherries fresh or store them in a fridge in a sealed plastic bag for up to a week.
What do you wear to go fruit & vegetable picking?
Wear clothing you don’t mind getting stained and consider long-sleeved shirts and trousers, especially if you’ll be picking berries on thorny canes. Choose footwear that is comfortable for standing and walking and ones that you don’t mind getting dirty.
If you are picking in the Summer months, you’ll want to wear clothes that won’t make you overheat. Consider taking a thin waterproof mac too in case it rains.
We hope that’s inspired you to enjoy the countryside in Summer and pick up a punnet and head out to find some tasty treats – at whichever ‘fruit picking near me farm‘ you like best! You’ll have an amazing time at any of the farms we’ve mentioned!
Are you looking for more outdoor family fun this Summer? Then, you might like these blogs:
Splash Parks Near Me Lakes Near Me Forest Walks Outdoor Family Activities
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