The 22 best farms to pick your own fruits in upstate NY

Having an understanding of where your food comes from is part of a healthy lifestyle. Pick-your-own farms (PYO) and orchards provide the experience and satisfaction of harvesting your own produce and enable you to bring the farm-to-table concept to your home. More importantly, they offer a fun, cost-effective activity the entire family can enjoy.

Pick-Your-Own Tips

A little planning ahead can help you make the most of your PYO trip.

• Always call ahead to confirm that the farm has what you want.
• Take snacks and plenty of water.
• Dress in comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty. This goes for shoes, too.
• Practice safe sun (e.g., wear sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses).
• Be aware of farm rules (PYO minimum, no pets, etc.).
• Save money by bringing your own containers. Farms will typically weigh them, place a sticker on them, and deduct the weight of the containers from the weight of the crops.

Where to Go, What to Pick

To help you navigate the PYO world, CDPHP^® compiled the following list of local farms and orchards that offer this unique opportunity, as well as a guide to which fruits and veggies are available when and some seasonal recipes you can make with your newly acquired bounty. Please note that this list is not comprehensive. For a better idea of what each location offers, visit their website.

The month of June is when the upstate New York growing season really gets underway. Look for strawberries, rhubarbs, cherries, and snap peas, among other delicacies.

Featured Farm	Featured Crop	County
Altamont Orchards	Strawberries	Albany
Samascott Orchards	Rhubarb	Columbia
Kelder’s Farm	Snap Peas	Ulster
Buhrmaster Family Farms	Strawberries	Schenectady
Hand Melon Farm	Strawberries	Washington

Featured Recipes: Strawberries and Cream, Cherry-Walnut Tart, Rhubarb Applesauce

Nothing says summer like ripe, fresh tomatoes. Raspberries and blackberries are also at their prime. Pie, anyone?

Featured Farm	Featured Crop	County
Sand Flats Orchard	Blueberries	Montgomery
Gardenworks Farm	Blueberries	Washington
Bellinger’s Orchard	Tart Cherries	Montgomery
Bowman Orchards	Blackberries	Saratoga
Dubois Farms	Squash	Columbia
Cashin’s Farm	Raspberries	Montgomery

Featured Recipe: Raspberry & Kale Smoothie

Blueberries and sweet corn – two more summer essentials that you can find throughout New York state. Round out your August harvest with cucumbers and pears.

Featured Farm	Featured Crop	County
Kelder’s Farm	Cucumbers	Ulster
Indian Ladder Farms	Blueberries	Albany
Out of the Blue Berry Farm	Blueberries	Fulton
Dubois Farms	Tomatoes	Columbia
Bohringer’s Fruit Farm	Sweet Corn	Schoharie
Winney’s Farm	Blueberries	Washington

Featured Recipes: Lemon-Tarragon Grilled Corn, Blueberry-Apricot Shake

Apples – practically synonymous with New York state – are ready for the picking starting in September. You can also still find squash and grapes. Read our other blog for even more pick-your-own apple orchard locations listed by county.

Featured Farm	Featured Crop	County
Hurds Family Farm	Raspberries	Ulster
Samascott Orchards	Squash	Columbia
Kristy’s Barn	Apples	Rensselaer
Heller’s Farm	Grapes	Columbia
Windy Hill Orchard	Apples	Rensselaer
Rogers Family Orchards	Apples	Fulton
Prospect Hill Orchards	Apples	Ulster

Featured Recipes: Baked Cod with Summer Squash, Carrot-Apple Slaw

It’s officially fall, and that means pumpkins and more pumpkins! Several varieties of peppers are also still available.

Featured Farm	Featured Crop	County
Hand Melon Farms	Peppers	Washington
Hay Berry Farm	Pumpkins	Rensselaer

Featured Recipes: Spinach Pasta with Avocado-Pumpkin Seed Pesto, Grilled Asparagus & Peppers with Orange-Balsamic Dressing

Take Your Pic(k)

Calling all shutterbugs/PYO enthusiasts! We invite you to post a photo of your recent PYO trip to your favorite social media outlet and tag CDPHP.

2 Responses to “The 22 best farms to pick your own fruits in upstate NY”

1. 

   Mary Pratt June 26, 2023

   https://www.saratogaapple.com/

   They have you-pick apples and have allowed this for decades.

   Please add Saratoga Apple to your list.

   • 

     Johnathon Hall July 12, 2023

     Thanks for the recommendation, Mary! We have them listed on our apple picking blog here: https://blog.cdphp.com/healthy-living/38-pick-your-own-apple-orchards-you-could-visit-in-new-york-this-fall/