2024 Chester County and Delaware County, Pennsylvania Peach U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Peach U-Pick Orchards in Chester County and Delaware County, Pennsylvania 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.

Chester County

• Highland Orchards Farm and Market - apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, corn (sweet), nectarines, pears, peaches, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (black), raspberries (Spring, black), rhubarb, strawberries, Other fruit or veg, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties, restrooms, picnic area, picnic area you may bring your own food, face painting, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours, group reservations
  1000 Marshallton Thorndale Road, West Chester, PA 19380. Phone: (610) 269-3494. Email: events@highlandorchards.net. Open: The last shuttle leaves 1 hour prior to Market closing; Fields close 30 mins before Market closing. Directions: From PHILADELPHIA -- King of Prussia Take Schuykill Expressway West, to 202 South, to Route 30 West, to Route 340 Thorndale Exit. Turn left off of exit ramp onto Bondsville Rd 340E. Stay on the road, the road name changes. Go Apx. 6 miles to Highland Orchards on the right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx, SFMNP Vouchers.
  Highland Orchards Farm and Market Facebook page. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. From PHILADELPHIA -- King of Prussia Take Schuykill Expressway West, to 202 South, to Route 30 West, to Route 340 Thorndale Exit. Turn left off of exit ramp onto Bondsville Rd/ 340E. Stay on the road, the road name changes. Go Apx. 6 miles to Highland Orchards on the right. Fall Harvest Weekend Celebrations run September 15 until Halloween; Food vendors, artisan crafters, and PickYourOwn activities every weekend;. We use integrated pest management practices (IPM). . No appointment is necessary to pick, but you might want to call on the day you would like to pick to confirm picking status. Particularly if driving a distance as conditions can change daily. You register to pick in our Farm Market before going to the field. Registration closes at 5pm. We ask that you pay for what you pick. (UPDATED: May 29, 2018)

Delaware County

• Ablin Acre - apples, blackberries, grapes, pears, peaches, summer squash, tomatoes, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises)
  1882 Larkin Road, Boothwyn, PA 19061. Phone: 610-494-0987. Email: abport62@gmail.com. Open: Each Friday 9am to 3pm June 15 thru October 31 beginning 2016. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. .
• Indian Orchards - Uses natural growing practices, apples, apricots, beans, blackberries, blueberries, carrots, figs, melons, nectarines, pears, peas, peaches, peppers, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (black), summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, Honey from hives on the farm, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, restrooms, picnic area, picnic area you may bring your own food, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, group reservations
  27 Copes Ln, Media, PA 19063. Phone: (610) 564-0794. Email: indian.orchards.farm@gmail.com. Open: Monday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm. Directions: 27 Copes Ln, right off of PA-352, which connects with I-95 and US-1. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Indian Orchards Facebook page. . . Already picked or Pick your own fruit--July thru November. Our Fruits and vegetables are grown using organic techniques, natural, sustainable, minimally sprayed; we also use IPM or integrated pest management as well. Typical, average, approximates Harvest dates (call before you go!) : June: RaspberriesJuly: blueberries, raspberries, peaches, blackberries, vegetables (including bell peppers, cucumbers, and hot peppers - tomatoes show up sometime in July)Indian Orhcards Pick your own raspberriesAugust: blackberries, plums, nectarines, peaches, pears, apples, vegetables (tomatoes have definitely joined the veggie crowd) September: raspberries, blackberries, peaches, plums, nectarines, pears, apples, pawpaws, vegetablesOctober: Cider, Organic Apples, Pumpkins & Mums at the farmstand. Raspberries, pears, *apples (available at farmstand, but see note above - PYO apples are done for 2017), persimmons November: Apples and cider (freshly pressed, on-site weekly!), pumpkinsDecember: Christmas trees & holly (we cut Christmas trees in advance, or you can select your own and have us cut it for you) (UPDATED: July 14, 2016)
• Linvilla Orchards - Apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplant, grapes, melons, nectarines, pears, peaches, peppers, plums, raspberries, summer squash, strawberries, tomatoes, Christmas trees-you choose and you cut, Precut Christmas trees, Living Christmas trees (to plant later), Christmas wreaths and boughs, Mistletoe, Santa appearances, Christmas decorations, saws provided, trees bagged, trees tied, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, train rides, corn maze, straw or hay bale maze, child-sized haybale maze, and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, tractor-pulled hay rides, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo
  137 W. Knowlton Road, Media, PA 19063. Phone: . Email: info@linvilla.com. Open: 8am to 6:45pm daily; Last hayride departs at 6pm sharp to begin picking; The fields will close promptly at 6:45pm; Crop availability changes quickly due to weather, the number of visitors, how much they pick or the abundance of a particular crop at any given time. Directions: From Philadelphia via Interstate 95, Take 95-South to Exit-6 \(352 320-Widener University\)., Follow signs for 352-North., Follow 352-North for approximately 4 miles through Brookhaven borough., Look for the Pathmark K-Mart Shopping Center on your right., Continue about 12 mile to the next traffic light, which is Knowlton Rd., Turn left onto Knowlton Road - Linvilla Orchards is 34 mile on the right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
  Linvilla Orchards Facebook page.

 

Peaches

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