2024 Berks County, Pennsylvania Plum U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
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Plum U-Pick Orchards in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 2024, by county
Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for plums that we know of in this area.
Not all areas of a state have plums 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.
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Berks County
The Berry Farm and Orchard - apples, apricots, blueberries, cherries, loganberries, nectarines, other berries, pears, peaches, plums, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (yellow), raspberries (black), raspberries (Spring, black), strawberries, Other fruit or veg, U-pick and already picked 86 Moselem Church Rd, Kutztown, PA 19530. Phone: (610) 597-8501. Email: staceymullen04@hotmail.com. Open: Late May to late October, see their website or Facebook page for hours and availability. Directions: Just North of the intersection of Rt. 222 & Rt. 662 in the Kutztown area. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. The Berry Farm and Orchard Facebook page. They have containers or you can bring your own. Tree fruit and more are also available on our Farm Stand. We have baby lettuces and herbs that are PYO too! Typical seasons (may VARY!)Strawberries - Late May to July. Early, mid, & late season varieties.Brambles -June & July. Raspberries - Red, black, purple, & yellow, elderberry, & blackberry.Blueberries -late June through July. Blue Crop and DukeCherries - late June, sweet for now. (Sours in 2 yrs.).Flowers - Sunflowers, Gladiolus, Zinnia's & more - June -AugSpecialty Salad Blends, Peppers, & Tomatoes - July - Aug2022 season information: PYO strawberry pricing: $4.00 lb less than 10 lbs, $3.75 LB more than 10 lbs (UPDATED: June 7, 2022, JBS) (ADDED: March 16, 2018)
Weaver's Orchard - Apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, kiwi berries, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries, U-pick and already picked, farm market 40 Fruit Lane, Morgantown, PA 19543. Phone: 610-856-7300. Email: info@weaversorchard.com. Open: Pick - your - own hours: Monday through Friday 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday 9 am to 5 pm Market hours remain Monday through Friday 8 am to 7 pm and Saturday 8 am to 5 pm. Directions: Located in Robeson Township, Berks County Pennsylvania. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx, SFMNP Vouchers. Weaver's Orchard Facebook page. Last admittance a half hour before close each day; Whenever the forecast is for temperatures to reach 90 or above our PYO hours will be 7 am to 2 pm on Monday to FridayPicking updates: Click here for picking updates. Strawberries Possibly opening May 31st, peak expected June 12th. Red & Black Raspberries Late June, Peak expected week of July 1st. Blueberries Late June, Peak expected around July 1st. Sweet & Sour Cherries; Sour cherries - Late June/early July; Sweet cherries - TBD. : is . Address: 40 Fruit Lane, Morgantown, PA 19543 GPS option: 685 Weaver Road, Morgantown, PA 19543 Morgantown: North on Route 10, approximately 5 miles to Weaver Road turn right. (I-76) Exit 298: North on Route 10, 5 miles to Weaver Road on right. 422 Reading: South on I-176 to Exit 7 Green Hills. South on Route 10, 5 miles to Weaver Road turn leftoffers farm fresh fruit from May-November and also features a market open year round; The market features produce year-round (homegrown and local in season - a bakery, deli, locally sourced all-natural meat and dairy products, freshly pressed apple cider - made on the premises, hand-dipped ice cream and more! The orchard is a perfect spot for events - from school tours and birthday parties to Easter egg hunts, tasting events, nutrition seminars, and fall festivals; From the Saturday after Labor Day until the end of October, Fall Family Fun Days allow customers to experience the orchard through pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, live music, hayrides delicious apple treats and many kid's activities - such as pony rides, tractor-train rides, moon bounce, zip line, straw barn, pumpkin painting and much more!We require wristbands for everyone entering the pick-your-own areas, which allows us to identify people who are in the orchard as paying pick-your-own customers. This leads to greater security for us and for our customers, ensuring that everyone who is on the property is accounted for. It is also a way for us to keep overall costs down by ensuring that everyone is paying for the fruit they pick. WRISTBANDS ARE FREE ON NON PEAK DAYS MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, excluding holidays. Wristbands are always free for children five years old and younger who are accompanied by a paying parent or legal guardian. Wristbands are $2 for customers 6 years old and up on peak days (Fridays, Saturdays, Independence Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day. (UPDATED: July 04, 2018) (UPDATED: May 01, 2018) Comments from a visitor on May 24, 2010: "I love this farm. It is your typically home grown uncommericalized farm. I have made it a point to buy local grown products and to help local farmers in the last year and this farm is the best out there. I did not eat peaches until I had one of their fresh off the tree peaches. I pick 140 pounds of apples with my family and we loved every ounce. I had strawberries this year from the farm and they were out of this world. We are going back this weekend to pick 40 pounds to make into yummie recipes from this website. The people are family friendly and my family just loves the farm and has no problem driving the hour to shop."
Plum
Plum Picking Tips, Recipes and Information
In
the U.S., Plums typically peak during July for Sugar Plums; August for Blue, Yellow and Red Plums. In order to produce good local
plums, producers
depend on ideal spring and early summer weather conditions, and no late frosts.
If you are looking for a plum
festival, see this page.
Before you leave to go to the farm:
Always call before you go to the farm - Plums 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!
Leave
early. On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
Some growers furnish picking containers designed for plums, 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 Plums 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.
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.
You might want to ask whether the plums are! There are two major types of
plums: "Freestone" and. "Clingstone". Freestone plums
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 plum
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.
Tips on How to Pick Plums
A
plum is softer than most fruit, so it is important to pick a plum gently, with
little pressure. Using the sides of your fingers rather your fingertips helps to
avoid bruising. Grab the plum firmly and pull it straight off the branch.
DON'T drop the plum into the basket, but set it in gently!
Typical
2019 Orchard Plum Pricing:
Average price is
$2.49 /lb.
Picking Tips:
How to tell if the plums are ripe!
Attached to the tree: Plums are best picked when the fruit
separates easily from the twigs. If it is hard to pull off the tree, it
isn't ripe! Plums 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 plum is. Different plum varieties have
differing colors, darker is usually better in any variety. Pick them when the
ground color changes from green to yellow, orange, red or even blue or
purple (or a combination).
Softness: unless you
like your plums very firm, pick your plums with just a little "give"
when gently pressed. Plums at this stage are great for eating, freezing,
and baking. Plums won't ripen very much after picking!
Odor: It should smell sweet and ripe!
Larger plums are riper.
Sugar plums grow in clusters, so carefully select the plum you
want out of the cluster.
Place them gently in a shallow wide container, no more than
8-inches deep, to avoid
crushing the fruit.
Marks on the Plums: Bugs (particularly squash bugs and stink bugs)
bite fruit during development and this results in some imperfections in the
plum. This is especially the case with organically raised fruit. These
look like dents in the plums if the plums were bitten by a bug when they
were young. This causes a spot that does not grow properly and makes a wrinkle
in the plum. There's nothing wrong with these plums. They may look funny, but
they will taste just as good as blemish-free plums, and it's better not to
have the pesticides!
When you get home
Spread the fruit out on towels or newspapers and separate any mushy or
damaged fruit to use immediately.
Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the others and
freeze them up!
Even under ideal conditions plums will only keep for a week in a
refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible
after purchase
It's best to remove plum pits before you cook the plums. Cherry, plum,
and apricot pits also contain amygdalin; the latter two, in potentially harmful
amounts. Fortunately, plum and apricot pits are sufficiently large and hard
that few people intentionally swallow or chew them. (The unapproved anti-cancer
drug
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.
Nutritional Information
plums are virtually fat free. A medium size plum contains less than
one gram of fat.
plums are naturally sodium free.
plums have no cholesterol.
plums are a low calorie snack. A medium size plum contains only 40
calories.
plums contain vitamin A which helps us see in dim light.
plums are considered a good source of fiber. The skin of a plum
provides both roughage and fiber.
Temporary Storage Tips
Ripe plums have a creamy or golden undertone and "plumy-sweet"
fragrance.
Plums should be refrigerated and used within a few days.
Putting plums 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).