Photos Courtesy Brown's Orchard, Weaver's Orchard
Endeavor to preserve both berries and memories while strolling fruit orchards aplenty, perambulating for fresh fruit during the warm summer months of July and August. Berries offer something for all the senses, from espying the vibrant orbs, to tasting their fresh flavor, to picking the fruit individually by hand. Versatile for snacking right away (don’t get caught with berry juice before paying!), baking later or even making jams and jellies to last seasons to come, berries are truly gifts that keep giving.
Strawberries and cherries may be harbingers of summer, but blueberries, raspberries and blackberries truly stamp the year's warmest season. Get out and enjoy nature, appreciate the orchards’ landscapes and relax during the small window of time that fresh berries are available. Pick extra, because they freeze well and open the window for creative concoctions later.
Fruit farms and orchards abound in surrounding areas. Some are simple, offering a straightforward picking experience without crowds, while others have thriving fruit markets; others even provide events and demonstrations offering a more holistic experience. There’s one to suit everyone, so get out and pluck those berries before it’s too late.
Avoid disappointment! Before venturing out to pick berries at any location big or small, be sure to check websites or Facebook pages for current information on availability.
Approximate picking dates:
*Don’t forget that Mother Nature can change her mind!
Red raspberries: Late June-mid July & September
Black raspberries: Late June-mid July
Blueberries: Early July-August
Blackberries: Late July-mid August
Weaver’s Orchard
Learn to make berry cobblers and crisps during a scheduled demonstration, pick your own blackberries and blueberries, or take the kids to a storytime: all are available at the orchard. Weaver’s offers a broader experience for individuals and families by immersing its visitors in the experience. A market is also on site, with everything from baked goods to meat and plants. Check the website to plan a trip sure to be remembered.
40 Fruit Lane, Morgantown, PA / weaversorchard.com / 610-856-7300
Shenk’s Berry Farm
For a honed-down experience consisting solely of harvesting berries, try Shenk’s, offering red and black raspberries at the beginning of July. Linda Shenk cautions, “summer raspberry season can be very short, and sometimes there’s plenty to pick, and other times not as many.” To assist in making sure the trip is worthwhile, they update their website daily during berry season. She adds, “raspberries are a smaller berry and take longer to fill a container.”
911 Disston View Dr., Lititz, PA / shenkberryfarm.com / 717-626-6194
Brown’s Orchard & Farm Market
With a cafe, market, and pick-your-own orchard, Brown’s offers a full experience as a family-oriented location south of York. The PYO is offered at a different location (nearby), but picnic tables are set up, so take a lunch (or grab something from the market or cafe) and have fresh picked berries for dessert. Sharon Watson suggests “seeing what else can be done with the fruit.” With so many options—like making jams, topping salads, freezing for a quick breakfast idea or incorporating into main dishes—you can get creative. “Go out in nature [and] see where your food comes from,” she adds. Their picturesque location and quality goods promise a respite from the hectic summer months. Check out the free Sunday summer concerts running May 28-October 15.
8892 Susquehanna Trail South, Loganville, PA / brownsorchards.com / 717-428-2036
Brecknock Orchard Farm Market
Orchard offerings at Brecknock include raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and a new addition, the yellow raspberry. Yellow raspberries have a more mild, citrusy flavor and are available in July. Wagons are available for taking children and/or containers into the field. Free bottled water is provided for PYO visitors. Farm tours are also offered in summer and fall for a fee. (Summer tours should be booked by calling in advance.)
390 Orchard Road, Mohnton, PA / brecknockorchard.com / 717-445-5704
Oak Grove Farms
Since the mid 1960s, Oak Grove Farms has been family owned and operated, providing blueberries as well as red and black raspberries. In addition to PYO, there is a country market, a bakery with all items made fresh daily and a retail greenhouse, presenting the possibility of leaving with both hands and the backseat full.
846 Fisher Road, Mechanicsburg, PA / oakgrovefarmsinc.com / 717-766-2216