2024 Dutchess County in Southeast NY Cherry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
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Cherry U-Pick Orchards in Dutchess County in Southeast NY in 2024, by county
Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for cherries that we know of in this area.
Not all areas of a state have cherries 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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Dutchess County
Fishkill Farms - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, apples, apricots, beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, cherries, cucumbers, currants (red and black), eggplant, flowers, lavender, melons, nectarines, pears, peaches, peppers, plums, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, watermelons, Fresh eggs, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, picnic area, picnic area you may bring your own food, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours, group reservations 9 Fishkill Farm Rd, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533. Phone: (845) 897-4377. Email: info@fishkillfarms.com. Open: hours, days and dates. Directions: Fishkill Farms is located in Dutchess County in the Hudson Valley, just over an hour north of New York City. Take the Taconic Parkway to I-84 East and get off at Exit 15. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. Fishkill Farms Facebook page. . Early June - Late October Everyday* 9am to 5pm *while supplies lasts. Click here for current open Picking updates: Click here for picking updatesFor a map to our farm, Early June: Strawberries and sugar snap peas June-Late September: Vegetables July-August: Flowers Mid July: Cherries July: Raspberries and Blackberries August: Peaches and Nectarines, Tomatoes and Eggplant Mid August-Late October: Apples Early September: Sunflowers September-October: PumpkinsAll vegetables, berries, eggs and 1/3rd of our orchard are certified organic by NOFA NY. is a historic 270-acre farm located in the beautiful Hudson Valley region. Our mission is to grow fresh and flavorful produce for our local community, using holistic farming practices. Our produce is available through pick-your-own, farmers markets, our CSA program, and restaurants. Our farm store is open year-round, 7 days a week from 9 am to 6 pm offering apple cider donuts, fresh-baked pies, artisanal meats & cheeses, locally produced wines beers, liquors and hard cider.Fishkill Farms is one of the oldest and most historic orchards in the Hudson Valley. Varieties of New York Apples: Macintosh, Red Delicious, Spartan, Empire, Macoun, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Rome. We charge a $5 admission fee for fruit and vegetable picking for adults and children over the age of 12.
Mead Orchards - apples, blueberries, cherries, peaches, pumpkins, strawberries, U-pick and already picked, picnic area 15 Scism Road, Tivoli, NY 12583. Phone: 845-756-5641. Email: info@meadorchards.com. Open: hours, days and dates. Directions: From Westchester County and New York City Metro Area: Take Taconic Parkway north to the Pine PlainsRed Hook exit. Go west onto Route 199 to Red Hook -- go 8 miles. Turn North \(right\) at the Red Hook Village traffic light onto Route 9 -- go 4 miles. Turn west \(left\) onto County Route 78 -- go 14 mile. Right onto Scism Road -- go less than 100 yards and you will see our big red barn on the left. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Fax: 845-756-4008. Strawberries /June - Monday through Friday, 3 pm to 7 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 6pm; All other fruit son weekends only from Mid - June through October - Weekends 10 am to 6 pm. Click here for current open From Westchester County and New York City Metro Area: Take Taconic Parkway north to the Pine Plains/Red Hook exit. Go west onto Route 199 to Red Hook -- go 8 miles. Turn North (right) at the Red Hook Village traffic light onto Route 9 -- go 4 miles. Turn west (left) onto County Route 78 -- go 1/4 mile. Right onto Scism Road -- go less than 100 yards and you will see our big red barn on the leftStrawberries - June; Cherries - End of June through middle of July; Blueberries - July through August; Peaches - July through September; Apples - August through October; Pumpkins - OctoberOpen in October on Weekends Only, 10 am- 6 pm; plus Labor Day - Monday Sept 2 and Columbus Day -Monday Oct 14. IMPORTANT NOTICE: (Oct 9) The apple varieties available to pick this weekend may have changed from our published schedule. When we set up our picking schedule, we use our past experience, and our best educated guess (weeks ahead of their expected harvest time) to judge which varieties will most likely be ripe on which weekend. Usually we're pretty close.. not so much this year. It's nature, folks! We apologize for the inconvenience, and appreciate your understanding. If you're expecting to pick a specific variety the weekend you're coming, PLEASE CALL toward the end of the week to verify if it's available. There is no entrance fee for Pick-Your-Own. Strawberry, Blueberry, and Cherry pickers will find containers and will pay at the tents in the orchards. For Peaches and Apples, pickers will stop at our farm stand near the barn to pick up containers and get directions, and then drive up into the orchards. You will pay for your U-Pick items at the farm stand. You may also park and walk -- just keep in mind there are some hills, and fruit can be heavy to carry. A visitor writes on October 13, 2013: "Regular visit every year. Few bells and whistles. My kids still love it, always fun to find the wooly caterpillar and no crowds or traffic jams. Excellent quality of produce. about a dozen varieties. Red Delicious, stayman winesap, Mutsu (Crispin), Fuji, Cameo, Golden delicious, CrimsonCrisp, Jonathan and a couple others., "
Oriole Orchards - apples, cherries, peaches, pears, plum, prunes, nectarines PO Box 24, Red Hook, NY . Phone: 845-758-9355. Open: June-October 9:00 - 5:00 dailyApple varieties include McIntosh, Ida Red, Red Delicious, Mutsu, Rome, Winesap, Greening, Cortland, Macoun, Golden Delicious, Spy-Gold, and Paula Red. Click here for a map and directions. . Open
Rose Hill Farm - Uses integrated pest management practices, apples, apricots, blueberries, cherries, peaches, plums, pumpkins, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, U-pick and already picked, concessions or refreshment stand 19 Rose Hill Farm, Red Hook, NY 12571. Phone: 845-758-4215. Email: info@pickrosehillfarm.com. Open: Late June through Late August, Thursday through Sunday from 8am to 1pm; Late August through October, Friday through Sunday from 9am to 6pm; Please check our website for updated opening dates and hours; Please contact us to make special arrangements or with any questions!. Directions: from NYC: Take Taconic State Parkway N to NY-199 W in Milan \(toward Pine PlainsRed Hook\). Turn left onto NY-199 W. Turn right onto Echo Valley Road Turn right onto Fraleigh Lane Turn left into Rose Hill Farm. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. Rose Hill Farm Facebook page. from NYC: Take Taconic State Parkway N to NY-199 W in Milan (toward Pine Plains/Red Hook). Turn left onto NY-199 W. Turn right onto Echo Valley Road Turn right onto Fraleigh Lane Turn left into Please contact us for special inquires including weddings, school visits and other group events!. . Located in the Hudson Valley village of Red Hook, NY, is a historic family owned Pick Your Own fruit orchard established in 1798. As of 2016, farm is under new ownership and management. This farm has been in the same family for over 200 years, Peter Fraleigh having purchased in 1798. David and Karen Fraleigh are the sixth generation of their family to operate. A.K.A, Fraleigh's. Annual Ripening Schedule (approximate): Late June - Early July: Over Twenty Varieties Of Sweet And Tart Cherries.Early July - Mid August: Five Varieties Of Blueberries.August - Early Sept: Peaches And Plums.Late August: Gingergold And Paula Red ApplesEarly Sept: Honeycrisp, Gala, Macintosh, Jonamac, SpartanMid Sept: Honeycrisp, Gala, Macintosh, Jonamac, Spartan, Empire, Jonagold, Cortland, FujiLate Sept: Gala, Jonagold, Empire, Red Delicious, Shizuka, Twenty OzEarly Oct: Empire, Red Delicious, Macoun, Shizuka, Golden Delicious, Mutsu, Ny 428Mid Oct: Mutsu, Golden Delicious, Cameo, Rome, Fortune, Northern SpyLate Oct: Fuji, Rome, Grannysmith, Gold Rush, Lady Apple (UPDATED: June 28, 2016)
Cherry
Cherry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information
If
you are about to pick cherries either directly from a tree, or from a local
orchard or market, here's what you need to know to pick the best cherries.
Cherries are a fairly early crop, flowering soon after the last
frosts in April and May, setting fruit in June, usually at the same
time as strawberries in most areas (but
check your area's
harvest calendar and call the farm or orchard you are planning
to go to a few weeks ahead).
Types of Cherries
There are two types of cherries: sweet cherries and
sour cherries (also called tart or pie
cherries). The difference is simple:
Sweet cherries taste
sweeter and are eaten fresh.
Pie cherries are very tart and most
people prefer to use them in pies, jams, preserves, jellies and
butters, adding sugar to sweeten them.
See further down this page for a list of common cherry varieties and
their uses. Washington State, California and Oregon are the primary
sweet cherry growing states; they produce almost 90 percent the
U.S.'s cherry crop. Michigan produces about 74 percent of tart
cherry production. We have a master table of cherry varieties, sweet and sour (pie) in the
order in which they ripen.
Cherry
picking tips
Pick ripe: Cherries, like peaches, continue to increase in size until they are
ripe. They should be picked when they are of maximum size and
full-flavored.
But not under-ripe: Cherries picked before they are fully mature will not ripen
off the tree.
And not over-ripe: when they become soft, mushy or discolored.
Pie or sweet: There are 2 main types of cherries: sweet cherries that taste sweet and tart when you eat them fresh, and sour (also called pie cherries)
which are too tart for most people to want to eat fresh.
For all varieties of sweet cherries, the darker the cherry is the sweeter it will be. If you like more sour cherries the lighter red and
less ripe, the more tart it will be.
Stem separation: Sweet cherries become firm when ripe (the stems usually stay
attached when you pick a sweet cherry), and sour cherries part easily
from the stem.
Leave the stems on sweet cherries: Cherries that are to be shipped will keep longer if the stems are left
attached. They will store in the refrigerator for two to three days.
Appearance: Look for heavy, firm cherries with a shiny skin and fresh
stem.
But for immediate use, they can be picked with or without the stems.
How to pick the cherries from the tree
Gently grasp the berry with your fingers and thumb, and
tug gently.
If it is ripe, it will easily come off in your hand, with the stem
attached.
Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 cherries.
Carefully place - don't throw - the fruit into your containers. Repeat the
picking process with both hands.
Don't overfill your containers or
try to pack the cherries down.
General Picking Tips
Whether you pick Cherries from your own
trees, a market or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here
are a few tips to keep in mind:
Part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden cherries ready for harvest.
Avoid placing the picked cherries in the sunshine any
longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or
shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat.
Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Cherries may be kept fresh
in the refrigerator for two or three days, depending upon the initial
quality of the berry.
Before you leave to go to the farm:
Always call before you go to the farm - Cherries are affected by weather
(especially rain and cooler temperatures) more than most crops. And when
they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so
CALL first! Always call before you go to the farm - Cherries are affected by weather
(especially rain and cooler temperatures) more than most crops. And when
they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so
CALL first!
Get
there early. On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
Bring containers -
Most growers furnish picking containers designed for Cherries, 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 Cherries more than
3 inches deep will smush the lower cherries.
Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large
pots make good containers. I like the Glad storage containers like the one
at right.
Drinks and snacks - 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.
When you get home
DON'T wash the cherries until you are ready to use them. Washing makes them
more prone to spoiling.
Chill: Cherries are more perishable than blueberries or strawberries, so
make a point of refrigerating them as immediately as possible after
purchase. Temperatures between 34 F and 38 F are best, but, be careful not
to freeze cherries! (Fresh cherries are highly prone to freeze
damage).
Spread out: Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft
or rotting cherries
Eat or freeze: Even under ideal conditions cherries will only keep for a
few days in
a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, consume or freeze them as soon as
possible after purchase.
Blackgold - very late mid-season. Good for
eating fresh. Self-fertile.
Brooks - a large, firm red cherry that tolerates hot climates. Sweet with both complex flavors and a sweet tart blackberry-like
taste.
Chelan - deep, mahogany red, heart-shaped, medium sized, sweet fruits, like Bing. Sweet, between 16 and 18 % sugar.
Coral Champagne - very large, red, super sweet fruit that is often preferred to Bing. Firm, but juicy flesh with a coral pink color
center.
Emperor Francis are White or Blush Sweet
Cherries, Early season, perfect for canning, making
jellies and jams, or making homemade maraschinos.
Hartland, an early season dark cherry. A
Windsor cross, it was developed in New York
Hedelfingen is a later season sweet cherry.
It has large, black fruit.
Kristin cherries are a a mid-season cherry
developed in New York.
Lambert Cherry is a large, black, late
harvest cherry of very good quality, compared to Bing.
Lapins Cherry is a self-fruitful, large,
dark red sweet cherry from Canada with firm, good flavor. Ripens
a few days after Bing and needs only 400 chilling hours or less
to produce fruit.
Orondo Ruby - A ruby red color with some gold coloring, this is a sweeter, brighter variant of the Rainier cherry. Marcus Griggs of
G&C farms found this in his Rainier cherry orchard. They have a brighter red color to them and a sweeter and a bit more acidic.
Rainier cherries are golden yellow
with a pink or red blush. Rainier cherries are large and
sweet.
Royalton cherries are large, dark cherry
mid-season cherries
Sam - early ripening, large, black sweet
cherry. Ripens 11 days after Vista.
Skeena
cherries are a late ripening variety. They are dark red, firm and juicy.
Somerset cherries are medium sized, later
season cherries that are dark and firm.
Sonata - Very large, black, and moderately
sweet fruit. Self-fertile.
Staccato cherries are a deep purple-red and also a late season variety.
Staccato cherries are large and one of the sweetest varieties.
Stella are a large, sweet, dark-red fruit
that ripens in mid-season
Sweetheart cherries are a large, bright red late-season
variety, medium sweetness
Sunburst - large, firm fruit. Old
productive variety. Self-fertile.
Symphony - bright red, medium-sweet very
large fruit. Late season. Self-fertile.
Tehranivee - mid-season cherry developed in
Ontario, Canada. Cracking can be a problem. Self-fertile.
Ulster - medium-sized, firm, dark cherry,
Ripens about 2 days after Vista.
Vandalay - Large, red fruit with an unusual
kidney shape. From Canada. Self-fertile.
Viscount - medium-large, firm, good, dark
red cherries. Late season ripening.
Vista - the cherries are very dark, almost
black. Large excellent-quality fruit. Mid season, ripens around
the last week in June.
Viva - dark red, 3/4 inch fruit from
Canada. Ripens around July 4.
White Gold are a blush cherry of moderate
to large size.
Pie, Sour or Tart Cherries (all different names for the same
thing!)
Balaton Ujfeherto Furtos is a Hungarian
sour cherry with firm fruit that is suited to picking by hand
and eating fresh. Red skin and flesh. Ripens about 7 to 10 days
after Montmorency
Danube Erdi Botermo has dark red fruit with
a unique sweet-tart flavor. Delicious eaten fresh or in baked
goods. Ripens about 1 week before Montmorency.
Dark-juice-tarts has juice that is red
rather than clear in color.
Jubileum - new, from Hungary. Very large
with a dark red flesh. Sweet for a tart cherry, not quite as
tart as Montmorency.
Meteor - Medium-sized fruit with an odd
shaped pit. Ripen s3 to 7 days after Northstar.
Montmorency, the most commonly grown,
traditional cherry for pies, baking and canning. Ripens around
the last week of June to the first week of July.
Morello Sour Cherry is a late-ripening tart
dark red to nearly black cherry used for cooking, and sometimes
eaten fresh when fully ripe. Fruits in warm climates ( 500 hours
or fewer chilling hours below 45 F) Self-fruitful. USDA
Northstar - Medium-sized, dark red fruit.
Surefire - A new late blooming variety from
Cornell. Bright red, medium sized fruit.
Cherry Facts and Tips
Cherries come in many colors besides red: there are also dark red
(almost black),
yellow, blush (mixed) and gold cherries.
Cherries are a very healthy food; they are high Vitamin C and naturally
have no fat, cholesterol or sodium. They are also a good source of ivitamin
A, calcium, protein, and iron.
Cherries are an antioxidant-rich foods.
One cup of cherries is less than 90 calories and 3 grams of fiber.
One cup of cherries has 260 mg of potassium which plays a key role in
muscle, heart, kidney, and nerve cell functions.
Cherries are high in fiber. Half to one pound of cherry fruit per
day can provide twenty to thirty grams of fiber which is adequate for an
adult daily nutrition requirement.
Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase as Cherries quickly
mold when left at room temperature, and only last a couple of days in the
refrigerator.
You can easily freeze cherries that you cannot use right away - just
wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a ziplock bag, removing as much
air as possible. Those vacuum food sealers REALLY do a good job of this!
The cherries will keep for many months frozen without air. See my How to freeze berries
page
Anthocyanins in cherries are what give the fruit its red color and help
protect the heart and surrounding tissues
Some research has found eating cherries to reduce pain and inflammation
associated with arthritis and gout