2024 Central New Jersey Nectarine U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
Find a pick-your-own farm near you! Then learn to can and freeze! Since 2002! We update continuously; Beware the copycat websites!
Search pickyourown.org
Nectarine U-Pick Orchards in Central New Jersey in 2024, by county
Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for nectarines that we know of in this area.
Not all areas of a state have nectarines 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.
Search pickyourown.org
Mercer County
Lee Turkey Farm - Pick Your Own: Apples, cherries, nectarines, peaches, beans, peas, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, eggplants, peppers, broccoli, pumpkins, other vegetables, flowers, hayrides, corn maze 201 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor, NJ . Phone: (609) 448-0629. Open: May - December, 9 am till 6 pm Monday through Saturday and on Sundays from 2 pm till 6 pm; Please keep in mind that if you are coming to pick you must be at the farm no later than 5:15pm to enter the fields and orchards. Directions: On Hickory Corner Road, 1 mile W of Route 130. We also have a roadside market farm stand with Apples, cucumbers, cabbage, fruits, vegetables. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Red Delicious, Red Delicious, StaymaWinesap. We also have Hay rides; walking tours; corn maze; oven-ready turkeys. We also have Hay rides; walking tours; corn maze; oven-ready turkeys. Strawberries are usually available from mid May through mid June. . Click here for a map and directions. Lee Turkey Farm Facebook page. On Hickory Corner Road, 1 mile W of Route 130. We also have a roadside market / farm stand with Apples, cucumbers, cabbage, fruits, vegetables. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Red Delicious, Red Delicious, Stayma/Winesap. We also have Hay rides; walking tours; corn maze; oven-ready turkeys. We also have Hay rides; walking tours; corn maze; oven-ready turkeys. Strawberries are usually available from mid May through mid JuneFacebook pagePick Your Own Club/Picking Card: Before entering our fields and orchards, you must be a member of the Pick Your Own Club. The "Club" is nothing new. We have been doing this since 1972. The purpose of our Pick Your Own Club is to ensure that all of our customers understand the rules of our farm. We realize that no one particularly likes to follow rules, but ours are pretty easy to follow. After the form is filled out, there is a $2 charge for membership, and you will receive a picking card that acts as your pass for the entire season and shows that you filled out the liability form. Just $2 for the entire family for the entire year. Bring your picking pass with you whenever you come to pick, or you will be required to fill out the form again and purchase a new oneA visitor writes on September 06, 2014: "The blackberries that I got form the farm, worth $5, were a waste of money. It had plenty of worms..oh god! thrown them all.. please never bring berries from this farm. Also, last time I bought Nectarines from market, they were super sour. If you need Nectarines, pick by yourself (they are good), but the one in the market are not ripened.Peaches are good; apples are not so sweet.(while some are super sour, taste and then pick). EGG PLANTS ARE TOO GOOD. Please, never pick blackberries, they are just so suspicious to eat..eaweeeee. I have been to this farm twice,in future will go only for necters and peaches. good luck for your next pick up." Comments from a visitor on September 19, 2009: "My fiancee and I love to pick your own fruit. I was searching your website for a place that was close to home and we found . It's a GREAT place. It has a mom and pop feel. The staff is very friendly and are always willing to help you. The fruit was delicious and very plentiful. We went peach picking in September and there were so very many trees that still had so much fruit on them. I enjoyed the low prices on the pick your own. This is a GREAT find. People should check this place out!!"
Middlesex County
Giamarese Farm - apples, nectarines, peas, peaches, pumpkins, strawberries, greens, Other fruit or veg, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs 155 Fresh Ponds Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816. Phone: 732-821-9494. Email: GiamareseFarm@gmail.com. Open: Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 6 pm, Sunday 10 am - 3 pm, Closed Mondays, Pick-Your-Own Apples & Pumpkins 7 Days a Week in October, 10am to 6pm; Farm Market and pick - you - own hours vary. Directions: Route 1 to Main Street Milltown, 3rd Traffic Light, Right onto Kulthauvenue bear right at fork onto Fresh Ponds Road. GPS: 40.429202-74.451783.Avenue bear right at fork onto Fresh Ponds Road. GPS: 40.429202-74.451783. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, WIC Vouchers. Giamarese Farm Facebook page. Picking updates: Click here for picking updates We also have Free hay rides on weekends in Oct.; education farm tours (September & Oct.); corn maze; Indian corn, jams; jellies; milk; bread; Christmas trees (6 varieties); baked goods; Halloween & Christmas decorations
Monmouth County
Battleview Orchards - Pick Your Own: Strawberries, sour cherries, peaches, nectarines, apples, pumpkins 91 Wemrock Road, Freehold, NJ . Phone: (732) 462-0756. Open: see their website for current hours. Directions: Route 9 to Route 33 W, 1 mile , at 2nd light, make a right on to Wemrock Road, Battleview Orchards is 1500 feet on right, or NJTPK Exit 8, 10 miles E on Route 33, overpass on right, follow Freehold Business District signs, 1 mile left at traffic light. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Jonathan, Macoun, McIntosh, Red Delicious, StaymanWinesap. Battleview Orchards, a family owned and operated farm, located in Freehold, New Jersey, harv - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions. Battleview Orchards Facebook page. Nectarines
Nectarine
Nectarine Picking Tips, Recipes and Information
Nectarines typically peak during early summer: In the U.S., that's late June through July in the South, and
July and August in the North. In order to produce good local Nectarines, 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
nectarines for home canning, see this page!
Before you leave to go to the farm:
Always call before you go to the farm - Nectarines 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!
Most growers furnish picking containers designed for nectarines, 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 Nectarines 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 nectarines are! There are two major types of
nectarines: "Freestone" and. "Clingstone". Freestone nectarines 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 nectarine
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
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 nectarines will only keep for a week in a
refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible
after purchase
Ripe nectarines have a creamy or golden undertone and "peachy-sweet"
fragrance.
Nectarines 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 33F to 40F and high humidity (a vegetable drawer in the
fridge).
How to tell if the nectarines are ripe!
Attached to the tree: Nectarines are best picked when the fruit
separates easily from the twigs. If it is hard to pull off the tree, it
isn't ripe! Nectarines 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 nectarine 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 nectarines very firm, pick your nectarines with just a little "give"
when gently pressed. Nectarines at this stage are great for eating, freezing,
and baking. Nectarines won't ripen very much after picking!
Odor: It should smell sweet and ripe!
Tips on How to Pick Nectarines
A
nectarine is softer than most fruit, so it is important to pick a nectarine gently, with
little pressure. Using the sides of your fingers rather your fingertips helps to
avoid bruising. Grab the nectarine firmly and pull it straight off the branch.
DON'T drop the nectarine into the basket, but set it in gently!
Marks on the Nectarines: Bugs (particularly squash bugs and stink bugs)
bite fruit during development and this results in some imperfections in the
nectarine. This is especially the case with organically raised fruit. These
look like dents in the nectarines if the nectarines were bitten by a bug when they
were young. This causes a spot that does not grow properly and makes a wrinkle
in the nectarine. There's nothing wrong with these nectarines. They may look funny, but
they will taste just as good as blemish-free nectarines, and it's better not to
have the pesticides!
How much do you need?
Raw measures:
About 2 medium nectarines = 1 cup sliced nectarines.
About 4 medium nectarines = 1 cup pureed nectarine.
About 3 medium nectarines = 1 pound of nectarines
Process yields (Raw amounts to processed amounts)
2 to 21/2 pounds of fresh nectarines yields 1 quart canned
1 lb of fresh nectarines typically yields 3 cups of peeled, sliced nectarines
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 nectarines.
An average of 171/2 pounds of fresh nectarines 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 nectarines makes about 4 cups puree, so 2-3
nectarines make about 2 cups puree. 1 nectarine equals about 1 cup puree.
Nectarines - 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 nectarine 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 nectarines 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.
---
Nectarine pit tips
It's best to remove nectarine pits before you cook the nectarines. Cherry, nectarine, peach,
and apricot pits also contain amygdalin; the latter two, in potentially harmful
amounts. Fortunately, nectarine, 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.