2024 Toronto area of Ontario Saskatoon U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Saskatoon U-Pick Orchards in Toronto area of Ontario in 2024, by county

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

New! As inflation remains high, see this page for reliable (tested) brands of generic canning lids at lower costs, and cost-saving measures for getting fruit and vegetables and home canning.
 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

New! Road tripping and camping is a great way to have a fun, safe and inexpensive family trip. The national and state parks and monuments are open, and campgrounds usually cost between $10 and $40 per night. September to November is the best camping weather.  See our new website Road Tripping and Camping.com for tips, tricks, guides, checklists and info about parks, monuments and other places to visit.

New! We just went live with our latest website, FunFactoryTours.com - As they name implies, you can find a fun factory tour, including chocolate, automobiles, historical forts and sites, famous buildings, Active Federal facilities even fun geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

Durham (Clarington, Oshawa, Scugog, Whitby)

• Pingle's Farm Market - Apples, pumpkins, raspberries, saskatoons, strawberries, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, corn maze, haunted corn maze, child-sized haybale maze, and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, horse-drawn hay rides, wagon rides, face painting, petting zoo
  1805 Taunton Road East, Hampton, ON L0B 1J0. Phone: 905-725-6089. Email: farmerwally@internet.look.ca. Open: May, June, July, August, September, October, 7 days a week, 10 am to 6 pm weekdays, Saturday, Sunday and holiday Monday from 9 am to 6 pm; Fun Farm on weekends from 10 am to 4 pm; Including all holidays from May 1st to October 31st. Directions: We are located at Courtice and Taunton Roads. just outside of Oshawa. Take the 401 to the Courtice Road exit, take courtice road north, all the way to the end, and turn right, you can\'t miss us. There is also a sign on the hwy. with directions.There is a farm market, gift shop, and bakery. There is a petting zoo, trike track, toys in a big pile of sand, giant checker board, bunnyville, and many activties for the children. Great fun for the whole family. PYO Strawberries usually around the middle of June. Call ahead to verify crop is dependant on the weather. Fall Raspberries are ready end of august beginning of September and last until the first frost or October 31st when we close. Pumpkins are for PYO or ready pick on weekends in October there is wagon rides to the pumpkin patch! Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard. Easter weekend we are . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard. . Fax: 905 725 9040. or vetzal1@yahoo.com. We are located at Courtice and Taunton Roads. just outside of Oshawa. Take the 401 to the Courtice Road exit, take courtice road north, all the way to the end, and turn right, you can't miss us. There is also a sign on the hwy. with directions.There is a farm market, gift shop, and bakery. There is a petting zoo, trike track, toys in a big pile of sand, giant checker board, bunnyville, and many activties for the children. Great fun for the whole family. PYO Strawberries usually around the middle of June. Call ahead to verify crop is dependant on the weather. Fall Raspberries are ready end of august beginning of September and last until the first frost or October 31st when we close. Pumpkins are for PYO or ready pick on weekends in October there is wagon rides to the pumpkin patch! Easter weekend we are OPEN, we have activities for children 12years and under. Friday to Sunday, bakery is Friday to Monday. We have school tours, wagon rides, fall raspberries, apple picking, fun fall weekends with every expanding activities on the farm. is proud to offer a variety of pick-your-own Ontario farm fresh produce including: strawberries, apples, fall raspberries, and pumpkins. Pick your own apples is open the second weekend in September. Pick your own pumpkins opens on October 1st. Pingle's provides a free wagon ride to the strawberry patch and pumpkin patch when both, respectively, are in season. All other pick-your-own produce is within walking distance from the Pingles Farm Market store. Please call ahead for wagon availability and information. (UPDATED: August 31, 2020 JBS)

Halton (Burlington, Darbyville, Halton Hills, Milton, Oakville)

• Andrew's Scenic Acres - apples, asparagus, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, corn (sweet), currants (red and black), flowers, tulips, gooseberries, grapes, other berries, pears, peaches, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (yellow), raspberries (Autumn, yellow), raspberries (black), raspberries (Autumn, black), rhubarb, saskatoons, summer squash, strawberries, winery
  9365 10th Sideroad, Milton, ON L9T 2X9. Phone: 905-878-5807. Email: Farm@AndrewsScenicAcres.com. Open: Seasonally available, starting in Spring and ending in Autumn; May to October. Directions: Take hwy 401 to Trafalgar north \(exit#328\). Drive north ~ 7km to Sideroad #10 \(Ashgrove\). Drive west to the farm. Or North of 401 on Reg rd#25. Drive east on road #10.- R.r.#5 located in Halton Hills \(for GPS\) . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Cheque, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  Andrew's Scenic Acres Facebook page. . Fax: 905-878-4997. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Take hwy 401 to Trafalgar north (exit#328). Drive north ~ 7km to Sideroad #10 (Ashgrove). Drive west to the farm. Or North of 401 on Reg rd#25. Drive east on road #10.- R.r.#5 located in Halton Hills (for GPS) We also have Elderberries and wide range of flowers available for pick your own. Our family operated farm was established in 1980. We now proudly grow 175 acres of luscious fruit and vegetables. Our home farm is dedicated 100% to pick your own crops starting the first weekend in May with tulips, rhubarb and asparagus. Strawberries start ripening in June, followed by raspberries, cherries, currants, gooseberries, blueberries, elderberries, gourds, Indian corn and pumpkins. A diverse selection of cut your own flowers for bouquets include: sunflowers, celosia, gladioli, dahlias, roses, lilies, peonies and iris. Fun For The Children includes-Hay Rides, Haunted Forest, Animal Coral, Pony Rides, Straw Jump, Corn Walk and Pick Your Own. Acres and Acres of PYO orange and white pumpkins. Andrews' Winery, formerly Scotch Block Winery, produces quality fruit wines from fruit grown on the farm, including award-winning strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, cherry, apple and currant wines. We're up to 75 national awards now for our unique wines and Hard Cider (UPDATED: August 31, 2020 JBS)

York (Aurora, Georgina, King, Maple Hill, Markham, Newmarket, Vaughan, Whitchurch-Stouffville)

• Brooks Farms - apples, beans, corn (sweet), currants (red and black), gooseberries, nectarines, other berries, peas, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (black), raspberries (Spring, black), raspberries (Autumn, black), saskatoons, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, Honey from hives on the farm, Maple Syrup from trees on the farm, Fresh eggs, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, picnic area, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  122 Ashworth Road, Mount Albert, ON L0G 1M0. Phone: 905-473-3246. Email: info@brooksfarms.com. Open: Mid February til end of October Hours Change Seasonally, Please visit our website for up to date hours and additional information. Directions: North on highway 404 to Newmarket. Exit on Vivian Road and go east to highway 48. Go north to Mount Albert Road, then east past Mount Albert 3 km to 122141 Ashworth Rd. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  Brooks Farms Facebook page. . North on highway 404 to Newmarket. Exit on Vivian Road and go east to highway 48. Go north to Mount Albert Road, then east past Mount Albert 3 km to 122/141 Ashworth Rd. The dates listed below are approximately & vary depending on the year. Summer Strawberries: Mid June - Mid July. Peas (Regular, Snow & Sugar Snap): Mid June - Mid July. Summer Raspberries (Purple, Red & Black): Beginning of July - Mid August. Saskatoon Berries (Lasts for approx. 1 week): Beginning of July. Gooseberries: Mid July - Mid August. Red & Black Currants: Mid July - Mid August. Raspberries & Strawberries (ever bearing): Mid August - Frost. Apples (Ida Red, Macintosh, Golden Delicious, Royal Gala & Honey Crisp): Mid Sept- End of September. Squash (Acorn, Spaghetti, Hubbard & Butternut ) : Mid Sept- End of Oct. Pumpkins: Month of October.

 

Saskatoon

Saskatoon Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Saskatoons, also known as serviceberries or Juneberries, are delicious and nutritious berries native to North America, mostly in the western Canada and northwestern U.S. . These small blue-purple berries grow on shrubs or small trees and have a unique flavor that is often described as a combination of blueberries, raspberries, and almonds. Here's what you need to know about saskatoons, how to use them, when to harvest them, and how to do it:

Flavor and Uses:

Saskatoons have a pleasantly sweet and slightly tart taste, making them a versatile ingredient in various culinary creations. They can be enjoyed fresh, added to fruit salads, used in baked goods such as pies, muffins, and tarts, or even incorporated into jams, jellies, and sauces. Saskatoon berries also freeze well. They can be substituted for blueberries in recipes.

If you're looking for great, easy to follow recipes to make jam, jelly, freeze or make saskatoon pie from Saksatoons / Juneberries, see these pages:

• How to make saskatoon jam
• How to freeze saskatoons
• World's best and easiest saskatoon pie
• How to Can Saskatoons
• How to make saskatoon jelly
• How to make and can saskatoon syrup
• How to make home-canned saskatoon pie filling to use later
• Saskatoon buckle coffee cake: illustrated directions for this great crumb-topping saskatoon coffee cake

Harvesting Season:

The exact timing of saskatoon berry harvest can vary depending on your location and climate, but it generally occurs in the summer months. In most regions, you can expect to start harvesting saskatoons from late June to early August. Keep an eye on the berries as they ripen to determine the best time for harvesting.

Determining Ripeness:

Ripe saskatoon berries are plump, firm, and have a deep purple-blue color. They should come off the plant easily when gently pulled or twisted. Look for berries that have a uniform color and avoid those that are still green or red. Taste a few berries to ensure they have reached the desired sweetness before harvesting the entire crop.

How to pick or harvest:

To harvest saskatoon berries, simply hold the branch beneath the cluster of ripe berries and gently pluck them off with your fingers. It's best to place a container or basket beneath the branch to catch the berries as they fall.

The easiest and fastest way to pick them is hold your bucket under them in one hand and with your other hand, cup a ripe bunch and gently rub them with your fingers.  The ripe berries will drop into your bucket, while the unripe ones will remain attached to the bush.

Be careful not to squeeze or crush the berries while harvesting to maintain their shape and quality.

Handling and Storage:

Handle saskatoon berries with care as they are delicate and can bruise easily. After harvesting, sort through the berries and remove any damaged or overripe ones. Store the freshly picked berries in a shallow container, preferably in a single layer, to prevent crushing and allow for proper airflow. Refrigerate the berries and consume them within a few days for optimal freshness. If you have an abundant harvest, consider freezing the berries for longer-term storage.

• Once picked, don't place the berries, still warm from the sun, in a closed bag or container. Leave the container open so moisture doesn't form in the container.
• Don't wash berries until just before using, to prevent berries from becoming mushy.
• Chill berries soon after picking to increase shelf life. Store your fresh saskatoons in the refrigerator as soon as you get them home, without washing them, in a covered bowl or storage container. If refrigerated, fresh-picked saskatoons will keep 10 to 14 days.
• Freeze berries in freezer containers without washing to keep the skins from toughening.  Place berries one layer deep. Freeze, then pour the frozen berries into freezer containers. Because unwashed saskatoons freeze individually, they can be easily poured from containers in desired amounts. Remember both frozen and fresh berries should be rinsed and drained just before serving. Just before using, wash the berries in cold water.

 

 

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