2024 Boise and Southwestern Idaho Apricot U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Apricot U-Pick Orchards in Boise and Southwestern Idaho in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for apricots that we know of in this area. Not all areas of any state, nor even every state, have apricots 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.

Canyon County

• Cherry Hill Farms - Minimizes chemical and pesticide use, apples, apricots, nectarines, peaches, beans, pie or tart cherries, corn (sweet), cucumbers, hot peppers, sweet peppers, carving pumpkins, pie pumpkins, summer squash, paste or Roma tomatoes, tomatoes, other vegetables, Other vegetables, sunflowers, zinnias, flowers, herbs or spices, events at your location (call for info)
  15228 Chicken Dinner Rd, Caldwell, ID 83605. Phone: (385) 375-7477. Email: chfsocialmedias@gmail.com. Open: From the end of July to the end of October. Directions: Go to the crossroads of Chicken Dinner Road and Apricot Road Follow the signs to the fruit stand. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Cherry Hill Farms Facebook page. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. We minimize use of pesticides and other chemicals. (UPDATED: June 06, 2022) (ADDED: September 12, 2020)
• Northbound Farms - Uses Integrated pest management, apricots, cherries,
  19847 Apricot Lane, Caldwell, ID 83607. Phone: (208) 459-4590. Email: nthbndfarm@aol.com. Open: Saturday 622 through Monday 624 7:00 am until Sunset Closed Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Reopen Friday June 28 and through the weekend if we still have fruit. Directions: Take highway 55Karcher Road West out of Nampa towards Marsing. About 10 miles out you go around a big left curve and drop into the Snake River Valley. One mile past that curve turn left onto Apricot Road. We are 14 mile up the hill. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Saturday 6/22 through Monday 6/24 7:00 am until Sunset Closed Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Reopen Friday June 28 and through the weekend if we still have fruit. Take highway 55/Karcher Road West out of Nampa towards Marsing. About 10 miles out you go around a big left curve and drop into the Snake River Valley. One mile past that curve turn left onto Apricot Road. We are 1/4 mile up the hill. We use integrated pest management practices (IPM). $1.75 per lb. Never a cover charge! Always free samples! Please bring your own take home containers. Check back for apricots about the end of July. (UPDATED: June 18, 2019)
• The Orchard at Lake Lowell - apricots, cherries, peaches, plums, watermelons, Fresh eggs, U-pick and already picked
  13003 Lake Shore Dr, Nampa, ID 83686. Phone: 208-409-3675. Open: permanently closed. Directions: From Highway 45 \(12th Avenue\) in Nampa, turn west on Lake Shore Dr. Drive 4.5 miles and we are on the North side of the road. Great view of Lake Lowell. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . daily 10 am to 6 pm. From Highway 45 (12th Avenue) in Nampa, turn west on Lake Shore Dr. Drive 4.5 miles and we are on the North side of the road. Great view of Lake Lowell. We use very minimal spray for the fruit trees. Peaches and watermelon late summer. Check our Facebook page for the most current info. Please bring your own boxes for the fruit. We have ladders and baskets for picking. Please bring sturdy shoes. No public bathroom. Formerly known as Shoemaker Orchard. Notes June 29, 2019: We still have a lot of beautiful cherries so feel free to stop by and pick some up:) remember u-pick is $1.50/lb and we pick is $2/lb and we will be here everyday from 10am-6pm!(UPDATED: August 21, 2018) (ADDED: June 04, 2017)A visitor writes on June 29, 2019: "My family just went and picked several pounds of cherries within the past hour. It appears that this orchard has changed hands over the past few years and I believe it was an old/previous owner who said this was . The Facebook page for this orchard is titled orchard at lake lowell 2019. And the cover picture are the people we met at the orchard "(UPDATED: June 29, 2019)

Gem County

• Grandma Jo's Plaza Farm Store - apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries (Autumn, red), porta-potties are available
  2850 N Plaza Rd, Emmett, ID 83617. Phone: 208-365-7255. Email: countrygrandmajo@yahoo.com. Open: Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday: 8 am to 2 pm. Directions: Driving Directions: \(from BoiseNampa areas\) Beginning at junction of highway 44 and highway 16, [Between Star and Eagle] turn onto EMMETT HWYID 16-follow 14 miles. At bottom of Freezeout hill in Emmett Valley, turn RIGHT onto SUBSTATION ROAD, \(at the light\) turn RIGHT at MAIN STREET [first stop sign]. MAIN STREET will come to a T, turn LEFT onto N. PLAZA RD follow approx. 3 12 miles, turn RIGHT onto dirt road with the big GRANDMA JO\'S sign. \(Please drive slowly.\)Follow about 38 mile. For a map to our farm, . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Grandma Jo's Plaza Farm Store . Driving (from Boise/Nampa areas) Beginning at junction of highway 44 and highway 16, [Between Star and Eagle] turn onto EMMETT HWY/ID 16-follow 14 miles. At bottom of Freezeout hill in Emmett Valley, turn RIGHT onto SUBSTATION ROAD, (at the light) turn RIGHT at MAIN STREET [first stop sign]. MAIN STREET will come to a T, turn LEFT onto N. PLAZA RD follow approx. 3 1/2 miles, turn RIGHT onto dirt road with the big GRANDMA JO'S sign. (Please drive slowly.)Follow about 3/8 mile. For a map to our farm, Everything is early this year!! Blackberries are abundant right now; Peaches, pears, nectarine and plums will be mid-August this year instead of late August. Visit our facebook page for constant updates. Like the page to get notified of new postings. (UPDATED: July 29, 2016)
• Tyler's Rocky Point Orchard - Blueberries, cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, tomatoes, squash, pumpkins, apples (Red and Golden Delicious).
  145 E. South Slope Road, Emmett, ID 83617. Phone: (208) 365-6160. Email: scottharrisontyler@gmail.com. Open: Mid June- October 31, every day from 9am-1pm, then again from 6-8pm. Click here for a map and directions. . . In June and early July, we have Apricots, Pluots and lots of Cherries avaiable to pick. Peaches come next, Apples in the Fall. Please bring a ladder if you have one. We are closed on July 4th. 2018 prices are Cherries $2lb, Apricots and Pluots $1.50lb. (UPDATED: July 17, 2018, JBS)

 

Apricot Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

In the U.S., Apricots typically peak from June through July in the South, and July and August in the North. In order to produce good local apricots, 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 apricots for home canning, see this page!

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - Apricots 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 apricots, 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 Apricots on top of each other will bruise the fruit on the bottom. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers, so you can spread them out.
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 apricots are! There are two major types of apricots: "Freestone" and. "Clingstone". Freestone apricots 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 apricot 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. 

How to tell if the apricots are ripe!

• Attached to the tree: Apricots are best picked when the fruit separates easily from the twigs. If it is hard to pull off the tree, it isn't ripe! Apricots 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 apricot is. Different apricot 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 apricots very firm, pick your apricots with just a little "give" when gently pressed. Apricots at this stage are great for eating, freezing, and baking. Apricots won't ripen very much after picking!
• Odor: It should smell sweet and ripe!

Tips on How to Pick Apricots

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

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

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 apricots 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 Apricot jam or canned apricots - It is VERY easy - especially with our free  directions and recipes:

Apricot Canning, Freezing and Recipes

• How to make Apricot jam
• Canning apricots
• How to freeze apricots
• Here are some great and easy apricot desert recipes, like easy apricot cobbler.

How much do you need?

Raw measures:

• About 6 medium apricots = 1 cup sliced apricots.
• About 4 medium apricots = 1 cup pureed apricot.
• 1 pound fresh apricots = 8 to 12 whole fruits

Process yields (Raw amounts to processed amounts)

• 2 to 21/2 pounds of fresh apricots yields 1 quart canned
• 2-1/2 pounds fresh apricots = 2 to 3 pints frozen
• 1 lb of fresh apricots typically yields 3 cups of peeled, sliced apricots or 2 cups or puree.
• It takes about 5 good sizes apricots or nectarines (or about 10 plums) to fill one quart jar of canned apricots.
• An average of 17 -1/2 pounds of fresh apricots 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.

Apricots-Average retail price per pound and per cup equivalent

Canned Apricots

• 16-ounce can apricots = 2 cups drained

Dried Apricots

• 6 pounds fresh apricots = 1 pound dried apricots
• 1 pound dried apricots = 2-3/4 cups
• 1 pound dried apricots = 5 cups cooked
• 6 ounces dried apricots = 1 cup
• 6 ounces dried apricots = 2 cups cooked

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