2024 Northeast New Jersey Peach U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Peach U-Pick Orchards in Northeast New Jersey 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 any state, nor even every 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.

Bergen County

• Demarest Farm - apples, peaches, pumpkins, prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, birthday parties, school tours
  244 Werimus Road, Hillsdale, NJ 7642. Phone: 201-666-0472. Email: demarestfarm@demarestfarms.com. Open: 8 am to 7 pm, seven days a week, mid April until Thanksgiving; Apple and pumpkin picking open to the public weekends, 10 am to 4:30 pm and weekdays 3 to 4:30 pm; Daytime reservations available for groups of 10 or more Monday through Friday; Call for peach picking dates and times. Directions: Garden State Parkway north to exit 168. Make a left off the exit. Go to the blinking light and make a right. Demarest Farm is located about a half-mile down the road at the first traffic light. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Demarest Farm Facebook page. . Fax: 201-666-0553. . Nursery in spring; Car show in August; Peach picking hayrides late July thru August Apple picking hayrides run thru September Pumpkin picking hayrides run late September thru Halloween; Country Fair first weekend in November Games and rides for kids. s is Bergen County's only pick your own peaches, apples, and pumpkins, s Facebook page. Farm market offers from scratch salad bar, bakery, deli, ice cream shoppe, and lots of other goodies like fresh cider and donuts. Large variety of seasonal homegrown and local produce available. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, McIntosh, Red Delicious, Stayman/Winesap NOTE: There are admission fees to enter the orchard to pick, in addition to the cost of the fruit you pick.For example, in 2019, for apples, it is $7 per person (Age 2 and over) plus $10 to pick approximately 10 lbs of apples. If there are 4 of you, that would be a total of $3.80 per pound of apples. For that price, you DO get parking, entrance to apple orchard, hay wagon ride, two petting zoos, adventure playground, corn box, photo display area, crooked house village, wooden playsets, and picnic area with tables
  Comments from a visitor on October 23, 2010: "Please take CASH..rides, activities and some food require cash only."

Morris County

• Alstede Farms - apples, apricots, beans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, corn (sweet), cucumbers, currants (red and black), eggplant, flowers, gooseberries, herbs or spices, melons, nectarines, onions, other berries, peas, peaches, peppers, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (yellow), raspberries (Spring, yellow), raspberries (Autumn, yellow), raspberries (black), raspberries (Spring, black), raspberries (Autumn, black), summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables,
  1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester, NJ 7930. Phone: 908-879-7189. Email: info@alstedefarms.com. Open: PYO Hours: Spring & Summer: 9 am to 6 pm, Fall: 9 am to 5 pm check website to see when hours change Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx, WIC Vouchers, SFMNP Vouchers.
  Alstede Farms Facebook page. . . PYO Hours: Spring & Summer: 9 am to 6 pm, Fall: 9 am to 5 pm (check website to see when hours change) Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. We are also a CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture. The basic idea of CSA farming is a cooperative relationship between the farmer and his customers. Based on an annual commitment to one another, community members provide a pre-season payment to purchase a share of the harvest . The member then receives a weekly box of a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruit through the growing season, harvested at the peak of ripeness and flavor. We strongly recommend purchasing tickets for all Pick Your Own (PYO) activities in advance, online, utilizing our website. We can not guarantee PYO entry for walk in guests. Any (PYO) entry ticket that is purchased at the PYO sheds will incur a $5.00 per ticket convenience fee.Click here to view our updated Pick Your Own policies.Click here to purchase advance tickets.(UPDATED: September 7, 2021, JBS) (UPDATED: April 23, 2018)
  Comments from a visitor on July 19, 2019: "Blueberries and raspberries are $6.99/lb, which is high, but Peaches are $2.79/lb is is a good price."
  Comments from a visitor on August 12, 2012: "No longer is the price $3.00 (and optional $2.00 hayride). It is $5.00 each to enter farm with $3.00 credit per person. I said I did not need hayride to bring me to the apples and peaches that i could walk myself, but price is still $5.00. Taking hayride to fruits/ veggies OR NOT it is still $5.00 (with the $3.00 credit). Pretty expensive though, spent close to $100.00 on apples and peaches.."
  Comments from a visitor on September 22, 2010: "In reply to the post from Sept 11th 2010. I agree that at first it was a little unsettling to have to pay up front for the privilege of picking my own stuff. They charge $3.00 per person for admission to the fields and an additional $2.00 per person if you want to take the hayride. The hayride is completely optional, as the orchards/berry fields are easily within walking distance of the main areas and they actually give you back the $3.00 per person as credit towards paying for whatever you picked, you just need to hand over your ticket stubs to the cashier. My $30.00 worth of apples (My 3 yr old son had to pick an apple from every tree, lol) was reduced to only $12.00 after the credit. All in all, my family and I have a great time here and we come back every year for apples and pumpkins. We highly recommend it!"
  Comments from a visitor on September 11, 2010: "We visited today to pick our own fruit, something I have done multiple times per year with my daughters since we moved here 9 years ago. Sadly we were greeted with the new policy of paying $5 per person just to go out to the fields to pick..then you pay for the lbs of fruit on top of that. Can you imagine paying $20 for some raspberries?? That's what it would have cost us if just me and my 8 year old went out to the field and filled a basket! OUCH We didn't pick fruit and we didn't stay. What you used to be a fun simple low cost place to take your children has become a money hungry pit and almost commercial like. I can understand when they want to charge for the kids to play on the blow up rentals they have or ride the ponies but WHY would you charge a customer $5 to go out to the field and pick the berries FOR YOU and then pay for them? I know there are plenty other farms that don't do that and that's a shame. Shame Shame Shame"
  Comments from a visitor on June 27, 2009: "We love this farm!"
  Comments from a visitor, May 30, 2008: "They are open all year and have a fabulous store (if you don't want to get out in the brambles and pick your own) They are kid friendly with hayrides, horse rides, festivals, corn maze. They take credit cards and have restrooms. They make their own homemade ice cream (oh boy is it good!). They have farm markets in local communities throughout central NJ. You can even cut your very own wildflowers to take home in a bouquet! :D They are a great farm in a great little town (which also has a Sally Lunn's Tea Room and many wonderful little antique stores and old fashioned privately owned boutique stores."
• Hillview Farms - Pick Your Own: blueberries, peaches, apples, pumpkins, and flowers
  223 Meyersville Road, Gillette, NJ . Phone: (908) 647-0957. Open: from daily including weekends 9 am to 6 pm; however, our fields close to the public at 5 pm. Directions: I-78 Exit 40 towards Gillette, 5 miles on right. The roadside market has apples; pumpkins; vegetables, tomatoes. July: Blueberries. August: Peaches & Zinnias. September: Apples. October: Apples & Pumpkins. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Jonathan, Macoun, McIntosh, Red Delicious, StaymanWinesap. We also have Donuts; cider; bakery items. Blueberry picking lasts through July; Peach picking lasts early August through early to mid September; Apple picking lasts late August to end of October; Pumpkin picking lasts throughout October; Flower picking \(zinnias\) lasts July through September. We also have hayrides every weekend in October that go through the farm to the apple orchards and pumpkin patches. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Hillview Farms Facebook page. . from daily (including weekends) 9 am to 6 pm; however, our fields close to the public at 5 pm. I-78 Exit 40 towards Gillette, 5 miles on right. The roadside market has apples; pumpkins; vegetables, tomatoes. July: Blueberries. August: Peaches & Zinnias. September: Apples. October: Apples & Pumpkins. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Jonathan, Macoun, McIntosh, Red Delicious, Stayman/Winesap. We also have Donuts; cider; bakery items. Blueberry picking lasts through July; Peach picking lasts early August through early to mid September; Apple picking lasts late August to end of October; Pumpkin picking lasts throughout October; Flower picking (zinnias) lasts July through September. We also have hayrides every weekend in October that go through the farm to the apple orchards and pumpkin patches.
  Comments from a visitor on June 18, 2011: "We picked blueberries once. It was fun for my kids. I am updating this because you have the farm listed, but now I am including the web address."
  Comments from a visitor on August 02, 2008: "This is the fifth pick-your-own place we have explored in New Jersey, and it was the best! We climbed a short distance up a hill, past chickens and peacocks to donut peach trees laden with fruit. Later, we walked down the hill to blueberry bushes still full (August 2) with berries. We will be checking back regularly to see other peach varieties and apples become open to picking."
• Wightman's Farms - peaches, kale, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, pumpkins; apples, spring onions
  1111 Mount Kemble Avenue, Morristown, NJ . Phone: (973) 425-9819. Email: wightmansfarms@yahoo.com. Open: picking on Saturdays and Sundays 9 am to 5 pm; Call 973 425-9819 to confirm picking availability; the Market: Daily, year-round except Christmas, 8 am to 6 pm. Directions: I-287 to Exit 30B, right at light, 13 miles on left; S on Route 202 from Morristown; N on Route 202 from Bernardsville. We also have a roadside market farm stand with Apples: all varieties; fruits; vegetables. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Jonathan, Macoun, McIntosh, Red Delicious, StaymanWinesap. We also have Jersey Fresh Cooks cookbook; apples - weekends only after Labor Day thru Oct.; hay rides & pumpkins - weekends only September 14 thru Oct.; group tours on weekdays by appt.; corn maze; picnic area; gourds; Indian corn; corn stalks; bedding plants; hanging baskets; . Click here for a map and directions. . Alternate phone: (973) 425-0840 Hotline. . picking on Saturdays and Sundays 9 am to 5 pm; Call to confirm picking availability; the Market: Daily, year-round except Christmas, 8 am to 6 pm. No PYO During the Week. I-287 to Exit 30B, right at light, 1/3 miles on left; S on Route 202 from Morristown; N on Route 202 from Bernardsville. We also have a roadside market / farm stand with Apples: all varieties; fruits; vegetables. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Jonathan, Macoun, McIntosh, Red Delicious, Stayman/Winesap. We also have Jersey Fresh Cooks cookbook; apples - weekends only after Labor Day thru Oct.; hay rides & pumpkins - weekends only September 14 thru Oct.; group tours on weekdays by appt.; corn maze; picnic area; gourds; Indian corn; corn stalks; bedding plants; hanging baskets; Christmas trees; wreaths; roping; decorations; hardy mums; perennials; Easter flowers; dried flowers, fresh bouquets; apple cider; gourmet foods; honey; maple syrup; birdhouses & feeders; bird seed; hickory-smoked meats; cheeses; deli meats; home-made salads; bakery (pies, donuts, muffins, cookies, brownies) . Every person over the age of 3 years old should have a membership card to enter the fields and orchard. Then you pay for what you pick and enjoy your local harvest! 2018 ​Strawberries are $3.99 a pound. Pick Your Own only on Saturdays & Sundays beginning the first weekend in Mid June through October. A current years Pick Your Own Club Membership is required for entry into the orchard and you must have your membership card with you for access to the orchard in future trips. Wrightman Farms Facebook page. (UPDATED: August 8, 2022, JBS)2022 Price update: there is a One-time "membership" Entry fee * of $10.00/Person Ages 3 & Up. this is good for the entire season (Pay once & pick often)! the entry fee grants you access to the picking areas based on seasonality. sign up early!the one-time "membership fee" offer ends on august 31st. after august 31st it's $10.00 per visit (If you bought the membership then you do not have to pay again). the membership is good for entry for the entire season.
  Comments from a visitor on August 28, 2010: "We went to this farm to pick apples with our children. I looked at the website before visiting to get an idea but there was no information on pricing. Before you go you should know the first thing they ask you to do is join as a member $11 for a family of 5. You cannot pick fruit unless you are a member. At first this was very disturbing but my husband convinced me to just join because we were already here with the kids. What I realized was that the $11 was to enter the fields to pick apples and peaches and also where they have several areas set up for children to play, ie mazes, slides, corn pit, tunnels and picnic area. The apples and peaches are still priced by the pound but you don't have to wait on long lines and purchase tickets for the kids, everything is included. I ended up spending $35 total and got 18 pounds of fruit and a nice day out with the family. And the membership is a card that allows you to return to pick your own fruit any weekend, so my family will probably go back. One problem that I see for families with little kids in strollers it to get to the peach trees you have to hike up 1/2 a mile up a steep gravel washed out road. I was glad to have my hiking boots on and ended up carrying my 2 year old up and down the steep hill. I saw a lady wearing high heels pushing a stroller trying (but could not) get up the hill and that looked painful. Do not wear flip-flops either.. you need boots or sneakers."

 

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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

 

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