Oh, sweet summertime! One of my favorite things about the summer season is fresh food: fruits and vegetables to be exact. Lucky for me (and for you, too!) Berks County has many great options when it comes to pick-your-own produce. What are you waiting for? Read on for a detailed account of some of the area’s best spots to pick-your-own fruits and vegetables in July and beyond.
Berries Everywhere
Weaver’s Orchard is a hot spot for pick-your-own fruit year round, but the month of July is particularly berry-licious! Early in the month (July 1-9) is a wonderful time to head out to the orchard and fill a couple of cartons with ravishing red raspberries and beautiful black raspberries. Have little ones? Weaver’s Orchard offers weekly Read ‘N’ Pick storytimes and is featuring black raspberries as part of the program on Wednesday, July 6!
Weaver’s Orchard | 40 Fruit Lane, Morgantown | 610. 856.7300 | weaversorchard.com
Veggie Delight
Often times the words “pick-your-own” bring to mind thoughts of apples in the fall and berries in the summer, but what about vegetables? Brecknock Orchard is currently offering pick-your-own lettuce, rhubarb and zucchini. If you’re more into the savory than the sweet, this is the place for you! Looking ahead, in August the orchard hosts Peach Festival Saturdays featuring kid’s activities, scrumptious samples, live demonstrations, and more. Sounds just peachy (pun VERY intended) to me!
Brecknock Orchard | 390 Orchard Rd., Mohnton | 717.445.5704 | brecknockorchard.com
Blue Skies & Blueberries
Picture a beautiful summer day - bright blue skies, a relaxing mix of heat and a nice breeze, and just the right amount of sun to tan your skin without turning it red. Now, add an afternoon of blueberry picking and you have the PERFECT summer day, at least in my book! Ontelaunee Orchards is a fabulous option for blueberry picking during the month of July. Whether you are picking berries for baking, canning, or just for snacking, this is an awesome activity that’s fun for everyone!
Ontelaunee Orchard | Route 61, Leesport | 610.926.9353 | twin-o.com
Just Around the Corner
Believe it or not (I will continue to deny it for now), fall will be here before we know it! To continue the pick-your-own fruit fun, indulge in some apples, pears, and pumpkins at Frecon Farms beginning in early September. An awesome weekend addition to traditional fruit picking is live music in the orchard! Mark your calendars, Frecon Farms has a lot going on this fall.
Frecon Farms | 501 South Reading Avenue, Boyertown | 610.367.6200 | freconfarms.com
So that does it for my Berks County guide to pick-your-own fruits and vegetables for the month of July and beyond. Here’s to berry-stained hands and fabulous fresh fruits and vegetables. Happy picking, everyone!
