2024 Phoenix and Surrounding Counties in Arizona Peach U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Peach U-Pick Orchards in Phoenix and Surrounding Counties in Arizona 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.

Maricopa County

• Date Creek Ranch - ORGANIC, apples, peaches Grass-fed Beef, Natural pork, Grass -fed lamb, Pasture-raised chicken
  Date Creek Ranch Rd, Wickenburg, AZ 85358. Phone: 928-231-0704. Email: theranch@datecreekranch.com. Open: weekends. Directions: 22 miles northwest of Wickenburg. Highway 93 milepost 177.5. Pick your own organic tree-ripened apples and peaches. We also offer our own grass-fed lean natural beef. Please call to order and for fruit updates. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Date Creek Ranch Facebook page. . Open Peaches and Summer Apples available on weekends in July, 7 am to 3 pm. Fall Apples (Golden and Red Delicious) in September, possibly into October. Call before coming: (928)776-8877 for updates on fruit availability. For directions and additional info visit our web site. Eat while you pick and pick all you want. Admission is free. Boxes and all the tools you will need are provided. Picnic under mesquites, hike the creek, place an order for grass-fed beef, grassed lamb, and pastured poultry. Experience life on a ranch more than 100 years in the making. Just bring sunscreen, hats and water, and you've got the mix for great family fun. The ranch is located 22 miles north of Wickenburg on Hwy. 93. Turn right at highway marker 177.5 and follow the dirt road 4 miles to the orchards. Check our map for directions. Apple picking will be available every weekend in September and possibly into October, while supplies last. (We planted the orchard over 45 years ago and feature mostly Golden Delicious apples and a few pear and peach trees. When the fruit is ripe, the public is invited to visit the ranch, weekends only, from 7 AM to 3 PM, to pick the orchard's bounty. Boxes, wheel barrows and picking tools are supplied. Admission is free. Scales are at the stand for weighing. The fruit is organic, so please be encouraged to sample as you pick. Fall apples are typically ready in September and October. Mother Nature calls the shots as to timing, however. (UPDATED: April 10, 2018, JBS)
• Fenway Park Orchards - - Uses natural growing practices, apples, peaches,
  42610 highway 60-89, Morristown, AZ 85342. Phone: 623-388-2603. Email: away106824@aol.com. Open: Peaches are available May - early June, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; Apples and grapes in early June. Directions: We are located 23 miles northwest of Surprise and Sun City West, Arizona. We are 9 miles east of Wickenburg, Arizona. Those coming from the east on Highway 74, will turn right at the intersection, proceed west 12 mile to the crossover on the median, and turn left going east, approximately 14 mile. Look for giant yellow signs! Hard to miss! Turn right at the large yellow mailbox \(42610 Highway 60-89\) Proceed up the hill to the fruit stand about 100 feet and you are there. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . . We are located 23 miles northwest of Surprise and Sun City West, Arizona. We are 9 miles east of Wickenburg, Arizona. Those coming from the east on Highway 74, will turn right at the intersection, proceed west 1/2 mile to the crossover on the median, and turn left going east, approximately 1/4 mile. Look for giant yellow signs! Hard to miss! Turn right at the large yellow mailbox (42610 Highway 60-89) Proceed up the hill to the fruit stand about 100 feet and you are there. We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification. There are no restroom facilities on the property. Rest area is located about 3 1/2 miles down the road - heading towards Wickenburg.
• Mother Nature's Farm - apples, peaches, pumpkins, farm market, Christmas trees
  1663 E. Baseline Road, Gilbert, AZ 85233. Phone: (480) 892-5874. Open: Call ahead for hours. Directions: Located on Baseline between Stapley and Gilbert. U-pick peaches and apples in May and June. . Click here for a map and directions. . Open for U-pick garden in May, June, & July. World pumpkin weigh-off first Saturday in October. Pumpkin patch, hayrides, school tours, animals, picnic area, and corn maze. We provide lots of grassy areas for birthday parties or any other occasions you can think of. We do school tours for thousands of children. has so many activities, it will be hard to experience everything in one day. In October we have a pumpkin patch where you can select from thousands of pumpkins, and then use your artistic skills to decorate it as you wish! Visit us in December to pick out the perfect Christmas tree, or play in the snow! Visit and feed the farmyard animals, play on the spider web crawl, take a hayride, or run through Alexander's Adventure Maze. When you get hungry, visit Maneau's Munchies or let us make you some cotton candy.
• Schnepf Farms - ORGANIC, Pick your own peaches, apricots, plums, sweet corn and other vegetables.
  22601 E. Cloud Road, Queen Creek, AZ 85242. Phone: 480-987-3100. Email: schfarm@earthlink.net. Open: October - July. Directions: 24810 S. Rittenhouse Corner of Cloud and Rittenhouse Rds. A 300 acre U-Pick organic garden \(apples, peaches, vegetables\) is a perfect place for the person who doesn\'t have time to plant his own garden, or for the person who likes that fresh from the garden taste. Country store & Bakery. Local honey, nuts, dried fruit, specialty foods and crafts. Living . Click here for a map and directions. and (480) 987-333. . Wednesday to Sun. 9 am to 4 pm. 24810 S. Rittenhouse Corner of Cloud and Rittenhouse Rds. A 300 acre U-Pick organic garden (apples, peaches, vegetables) is a perfect place for the person who doesn't have time to plant his own garden, or for the person who likes that fresh from the garden taste. Country store & Bakery. Local honey, nuts, dried fruit, specialty foods and crafts. Living Christmas trees. Specialty Items: Petting Corral, park, school & group tours. Corporate family and birthday parties. RV hook up and camping. Special Events: Pumpkin & Chili Party. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, October weekends. 5 pm to 8:30 pm Food, hayrides, pumpkin December orating, make your own scarecrow, live music, bonfire. Peach Festival: May - 7:30 am to 1 pm. Potato Festival: May - 9 am 3 pm. Call for exact dates. (UPDATED: April 14, 2018, JBS)
  Comments from a visitor on February 19, 2011: "A really fun farm with lots to do and great organic pick your own veggeis!"
• Vertuccio Farms - peaches, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, Bouncy castle or moon bounce, farm animals, school tours, pumpkins, corn maze
  4011 South Power Road, Mesa, AZ 85212. Phone: 480-650-6611. Email: conoandangela@myway.com. Open: Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 9 pm Friday to Saturday from 9 am to 10 pm Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  Vertuccio Farms Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 480-650-6606. . Peaches May 10 to June 10 Corn maze open from October 1st through November 20th Open for Christmas trees from November 28th until Christmas eve. where we bring you family, affordable, farm-fun! Whether it's a field trip to our "Pizza Farm" or birthday party, u-pick peaches or any of our seasonal events. You and your family will leave with a smile. Join us for our annual corn maze and pumpkin patch or our very popular farm camp. Hope to see you on the farm!

Yavapai County

• Quiet Valley Ranch - Uses natural growing practices, Apricots, Peaches, Plums, Pears, Apples, Nectarines, Pomegranates, Quince
  1300 North Page Springs Road, Cornville, AZ 86325. Phone: (928) 649-0600. Email: quietvalleyranch@gmail.com. Open: June to September 8am to 6pm. Directions: directions. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Click here for a map and . Organic Orchard (ADDED: June 18, 2017)"

 

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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