2024 Southeastern Virginia, Virginia Beach Peach U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Peach U-Pick Orchards in Southeastern Virginia, Virginia Beach in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for peaches that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a state have peaches orchards that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!

Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!

PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.

New! As inflation remains high, see this page for reliable (tested) brands of generic canning lids at lower costs, and cost-saving measures for getting fruit and vegetables and home canning.
 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

New! Road tripping and camping is a great way to have a fun, safe and inexpensive family trip. The national and state parks and monuments are open, and campgrounds usually cost between $10 and $40 per night. September to November is the best camping weather.  See our new website Road Tripping and Camping.com for tips, tricks, guides, checklists and info about parks, monuments and other places to visit.

New! We just went live with our latest website, FunFactoryTours.com - As they name implies, you can find a fun factory tour, including chocolate, automobiles, historical forts and sites, famous buildings, Active Federal facilities even fun geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

Chesapeake City

• Greenbrier Farms - Uses natural growing practices, apples, asparagus, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplants, flowers, nectarines, peaches, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, inflatables or bounce houses, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, group reservations
  225 Sign Pine Rd, Chesapeake, VA 23322. Phone: (757) 421-2141. Email: torib@greenbrierfarms.info. Open: Times change seasonally Call for Details. Directions: Take exit 8A from VA-168 South. Take Hillcrest Parkway to Edinburg Parkway. Turn left on Street Brides Road, then turn left on Sign Pine Road. Greenbrier Farms is at the end of Sign Pine Road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Greenbrier Farms Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: (757) 421-4550We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certificationis a working farm with more than 300 acres of plants, trees, fruits and vegetables. Our popuar pick-your-own strawberry field is a favorite for families throughout the Hampton Roads and Northeast North Carolina area. We have great fields, with plenty of berries to pick from! While you're here, the kids can play on the playground, visit our animal petting area, see ducks, chickens and Millie the pig, see antique tractors and generally enjoy running around the farm. (UPDATED: March 25, 2019)
• Mount Pleasant Farms - beans, blackberries, cucumbers, eggplants, peaches, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, Fresh eggs, gift shop, porta-potties, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  2201 Mount Pleasant Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322. Phone: (757) 482-0739. Email: info@mountpleasantfarms.com. Open: U - pick Season: Monday through Saturday 8 am to 6 pm, Sundays 8 am to 5 pm; Fall: Monday through Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Sundays 12 pm to 5 pm; Off Season: Wednesdays 3 pm to 6 pm, Fridays 10 am to 6 pm, Saturdays 10 am to 5 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Mount Pleasant Farms Facebook page. We use integrated pest management practices (IPM)(UPDATED: May 17, 2018) A visitor writes on May 24, 2013: "You can feed the chickens. there is talk of having soap making classes. The people are friendly and their apples are great. PEACH season is almost here! "

James City County

• Bush Neck Farm - Pick-your-own apples, blueberries, sweet corn, peaches, pumpkins.
  1502 Bush Neck Road, Williamsburg, VA 23188. Phone: (757) 258-0114. Email: mabrown12@cox.net. Open: Mid April to mid November; from 8 am to 4 pm, Monday to Saturday. Click here for a map and directions. Bush Neck Farm About 7 miles west of Williamsburg. At Lightfoot, next to the Outlet Mall, turn down Centerville Road, which is Route 614. Go 4.3 miles to Route 633, Jolly Pond Road. This road becomes Bush Neck Road, which dead-ends at the farm. U - Pick: Apples, Blueberries, Peaches, Pumpkins in season end of June through Mid-November. School Field Trips September through Mid-November Also, School tours May 1-November 10. Picnic area. A visitor writes on July 29, 2013: "July 2013 - Went twice during blueberry season and was amazed at how many blueberries there were. It was a long drive, but beautiful and well worth it! Abundant blueberries for $2/lb. No crowds to deal with and had no encounters with wasps, etc. Already planning to go again next year! (James City, VA)"A visitor writes on July 03, 2013: "Me and my two young kids had a great experience today at bush neck! David was very nice and the fruit was beautiful. We picked and smacked on blueberries and peaches and enjoyed the singing birds and georgeous property! It was a long drive out there but well worth the trip! We will definitely be back :-)"
  Comments from a visitor on May 05, 2011: (positive) "My 11yr old daughter and I went to Bush Neck Farms in Williamsburg last year. We had a great time and was pleasantly surprised to find the owner was her retired elementary school principal. The owners were very nice and accommodating. The peaches were in abundance and sweet. I believe they have only white peaches. The peaches & blueberries were easy to pick in well maintained groves. The blueberries were at the end of their season, but we still found plenty to pick. Will definitely go back again."
  Comments from a visitor on May 01, 2011: (positive) "We have been going to Bush Neck Farms several times a summer for 8 years. The owners are wonderful- they have watched our children grow up and care about our family. They love what they do and how they do it. The location is stunningly beautiful and the peaches and blueberries are amazing. By far our favorite picking location! "
  Comments from a visitor on July 13, 2010: (positive) "I visit Bush Neck Farm with my family every year. We always enjoy the blueberries, apples, and peaches. The prices are reasonable, not outrageous, and the owners- while they don't always seem bubbly or excited to see you- are good people. The gentleman that owns the farm and spends most of the summer out in the heat has always been patient and pleasant when I have been there. I hope that future visitors are not so quick to judge. "
  Comments from a visitor on July 11, 2010: "The farm is a half-hour drive from Rte.60. I note that one former visitor used the term "crumudgeonly" (sic)to describe the owners of this farm. I think the actual term should be "curmudgeonly." I would use the simple term "grouches." Be forewarned: They only accept cash AND only checks from James City County, Williamsburg, Poquoson and Yorktown!? They were skeptical about allowing use of our own picking containers as well. Needless to say, we moved on without their berries. There are friendlier farms in the surrounding counties."
  Comments from a visitor on July 01, 2010: (positive) "Went blueberry picking on June 30th. Delicious and plentiful! Also picked yellow transparent apples for applesauce. "

 

Peaches

Peach Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

In the U.S., Peaches typically peak during late June through July in the South, and July and August in the North. In order to produce good local peaches, producers depend on ideal spring and early summer weather conditions, and no late frosts. If you want to know which are the best varieties of peaches for home canning, see this page!

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - Peaches are affected by weather (both rain and cooler temperature) more than most crops. And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!
2. Leave early.  On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
3. Most growers furnish picking containers designed for peaches, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring containers.
   If you use your own containers, remember that heaping Peaches more than 14 inches deep will bruise the fruit on the bottom. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers.
4. Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.
5. You might want to ask whether the peaches are! There are two major types of peaches: "Freestone" and. "Clingstone". Freestone peaches and nectarines have flesh that slips easily away from the pit. Clingstones are a REAL pain, because the fruit tenaciously clings to the stone or pit! Most peach varieties grown today are freestone and are usually available (depending upon your location) from June through September. Some nectarines are freestone and some are clingstone. Freestone nectarines are available in June and July. Most plum varieties are clingstone. 

When you get home

1. Spread the fruit out on towels or newspapers and separate any mushy or damaged fruit to use immediately.
2. Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the others and freeze them up!
3. Even under ideal conditions peaches will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase
4. Now, get ready to make Peach jam or canned peaches - It is VERY easy - especially with our free
    - peach jam instructions - they're illustrated and easy and our page on
    - how to make home canned peaches from fresh!
   - Or see here to freeze peaches instead!
   - make your own home canned peach pie filling to use in the winter
5. Here's a great and easy peach pie recipe
   or peach-blueberry pie  or how about
   - peach salsa?
   - Peach chutney
   - Spiced peaches
   - peach butter
   - Peach honey
   - pickled peaches
   - peach syrup
   - peach juice
6. Here are some great and easy peach desert recipes, like easy peach cobbler.
7. If you want more information about the Giant Peach water tower in Gaffney, SC, click here.

Temporary Storage Tips

• Ripe peaches have a creamy or golden undertone and "peachy-sweet" fragrance.
• Peaches should be refrigerated and used within a few days.
• Putting peaches and nectarines in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature for a day or two can help soften firm fruit - but they won't become sweeter or ripen further - that stopped when they were removed from th etree.
• For best flavor, allow the fruit to ripen fully on the tree.
• Store at 33 F to 40 F  and high humidity (a vegetable drawer in the fridge).

How to tell if the peaches are ripe!

• Attached to the tree: Peaches are best picked when the fruit separates easily from the twigs. If it is hard to pull off the tree, it isn't ripe! Peaches will not ripen further once removed from the tree (they only "soften")
• Color: Green is definitely unripe, but you can't use red color as an indicator of how ripe a peach is. Different peach varieties have differing amounts of red blush in their natural coloring. Pick them when the ground color changes from green to yellow, orange, red (or a combination). The skin of yellow-fleshed varieties ripens to an orange tint, while the skin of white-fleshed varieties changes from greenish- to yellow-white.
• Softness: unless you like your peaches very firm, pick your peaches with just a little "give" when gently pressed. Peaches at this stage are great for eating, freezing, and baking. Peaches won't ripen very much after picking!
• Odor: It should smell sweet and ripe!

Tips on How to Pick Peaches

A peach is softer than most fruit, so it is important to pick a peach gently, with little pressure. Using the sides of your fingers rather your fingertips helps to avoid bruising.  Grab the peach firmly and pull it straight off the branch. DON'T drop the peach into the basket, but set it in gently!

Marks on the Peachs: Bugs (particularly squash bugs and stink bugs) bite fruit during development and this results in some imperfections in the peach. This is especially the case with organically raised fruit.  These look like dents in the peaches if the peaches were bitten by a bug when they were young. This causes a spot that does not grow properly and makes a wrinkle in the peach. There's nothing wrong with these peaches. They may look funny, but they will taste just as good as blemish-free peaches, and it's better not to have the pesticides!

How much do you need?

Raw measures:

• About 2 medium peaches = 1 cup sliced peaches.
• About 4 medium peaches = 1 cup pureed peach.
• About 3 medium peaches = 1 pound of peaches

Process yields (Raw amounts to processed amounts)

• 2 to 21/2 pounds of fresh peaches yields 1 quart canned
• 1 lb of fresh peaches typically yields 3 cups of peeled, sliced peaches or 2 cups or puree.
• It takes about 5 good sizes peaches or nectarines (or about 10 plums) to fill one quart jar of canned peaches.
• An average of 171/2 pounds of fresh peaches are needed per canner load of 7 quarts;
• An average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints.
• 1 bushel = 48 to 50 pounds, yields approximately 18 to 25 quart jars.

And a visitor contributes this: 6-7 peaches makes about 4 cups puree, so 2-3 peaches make about 2 cups puree. 1 peach equals about 1 cup puree.

Peaches - Average retail price per pound and per cup equivalent, Most recent data (2020)

Form	Average retail price *3		Preparation yield factor	Size of a cup equivalent	Unit	Average price per cup equivalent
Fresh *1	$1.72	per pound	0.96	0.342	pounds	$0.61
Canned
Packed in juice *2	$2.02	per pound	1	0.540	pounds	$1.09
Packed in syrup or water *3	$1.81	per pound	0.65	0.441	pounds	$1.23
Frozen	$3.39	per pound	1	0.331	pounds	$1.12
Note 1 - The USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR) reports that the inedible pit of a peach accounts for 4 percent of the retail weight, implying a preparation yield of 96 percent, when eaten raw.
Note 2 - Consumers are assumed to eat the solid fruit and drink the juice. All contents of the can are edible and count towards an individual's recommended fruit consumption.
Note 3 - The syrup (or water) is discarded prior to consumption. Based on the Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED), ERS assumes that 65 percent of the can's gross weight is solid and 35 percent is liquid. The FPED cup equivalent weight for canned fruit is the weight of the solids and not of the liquid medium in which it is packed. The preparation yield factor for canned peaches in the above table does not account for any further preparation that occurs prior to consumption.
Source: USDA, Economic Research Service calculations from 2020 Circana (formerly Information Resources, Inc. [IRI]) OmniMarket Core Outlets (formerly InfoScan) data; the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR), Legacy Release; and the Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) 2017–18 as well as the FPED's accompanying Methodology and User Guide.

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Peach pit tips

It's best to remove peach pits before you cook the peaches. Cherry, peach, and apricot pits also contain amygdalin; the latter two, in potentially harmful amounts. Fortunately, peach and apricot pits are sufficiently large and hard that few people intentionally swallow or chew them. (The unapproved anti-cancer drug See this page for more information&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/cam/laetrile">Laetrile is a semisynthetic derivative of amygdalin; a cheaper version of laetrile produced in Mexico came from crushed apricot pits.) See this page for more information.

 

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Local Honey Finder
• Local Meat, Milk and Eggs
• Venues: Farms, Wineries, Orchards for your event, wedding or party
• Easter egg hunts
• Children"s consignment sales
• Fruit and vegetable festivals
• Winery tours and wine tastings
• Horse rides, stables, lessons, trails
• Maple Syrup farms and sugarworks
• Bed & Breakfasts on Farms, Wineries, Ranches and Orchards
• Pumpkin patches
• Corn mazes
• Zombie Paintball venues
• Christmas Tree Farms & lots
• Environmental resources
• Consumer fraud information
• Wholesale food sources
• Resources for Farmers