Southern Connecticut U-Pick Farms - 2020 PickYourOwn.org

Find a pick-your-own farm near you! Then learn to can and freeze! Since 2002! We update continuously; Beware the copycat websites!

Find a local pick your own farm here!

Looking for a local, pick-your-own farm in Southern Connecticut? Farms are open and safe! Scroll down this page and you will see the U-Pick farms in Southern Connecticut, sorted by county. Those that offer organic or sustainably grown produce are identified by the words "organic" and/or "sustainable" in Green, next to their name  (see "What does Organic mean?"). The U-pick crops they offer follow the name of the farm. To search the page for a specific crop, use Ctrl-F (or on an ipad or Mac, use their "search on this page" function) If they have a website, the name will be in blue and underlined; click on it and it will open their website. If you find anything outdated or inaccurate, see the customer and farmer menus (as appropriate) at the top menu bar to submit updates and corrections and help me keep each current!

New! Pricing information - I am building a pricing guide to help you know what the typical prices are for each crop.

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! And if you know of any farms I missed and want to add a farm, please let me know!   I'm making updates for this year as fast as I can - if you find anything out-of-date, wrong or not working - please let me know! This website is supported by purchases you make through the links to products on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This allows me to continue to maintain the website and make improvements!

What's in season in October 2020, and other timely information:

Notes for October 2020: Summer is almost here! Strawberry season is finished in all but the far northern ands cooler areas. Blueberries, blackberries are in season in most areas, also tomatoes, peaches and most vegetables . Check your area's copy calendar (see this page) and call your local farms for seasonal updates.

Now, more than ever, going to a farm, being outside, away from crowds, getting fresh, local produce, makes more sense than ever before! It's a fun, safe and educational to pick some fresh berries, fruit and veggies and more, then come back here to learn how to freeze, can, make jam, salsa and much more! Of course, check with the farm before you go, both to check on crop availability and hours.  We also have a state-by-state guide to Farm COVID-19 requirements here.

See our comprehensive list of easy home canning, jam and jelly making, preserving, drying and freezing directions. You can access recipes and other resources from the drop down menus at the top of the page or the site search. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to write me! It is easy to make your own ice cream, even gelato, or low fat or low sugar ice cream - see this page. Also note, there are many copycat website listing U-pick farms now, using similar sounding names.  They have all copied their information from here and usually do not ever update.  Since 2002, I've been updating the information every day but Christmas; so if you see anything wrong or outdated, please write me!

Canners, both waterbath canners and pressure canners, are getting hard to find as people are doing more home canning than ever before. You can still get them online (see links at left) but prices are going up as the less expensive models are selling out.  Food dehydration is becoming a popular and inexpensive alternative; see this page about drying your own fruits and vegetables and where to get a food dryer.

Children's Consignment Sales occur in both the Spring and Fall  See our companion website to find a local community or church kid's consignment sale!

See these pages to find a local Strawberry Festival, or a Cherry or cherry blossom festival or a Blueberry festival. Some may still be held in 2020.

Southern Connecticut U-Pick Farms and Orchards in 2020, by county

Click on the resources drop-down above, if you need a county map

Middlesex County

  • Gotta's Farm - strawberries, apples, peaches, pears
    661 Glastonbury Turnpike, Portland, CT 06480. Phone: (860) 342-1844. Email: rgottafarm@aol.com. Open: Monday to Friday 8 am to 6:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday 8 am to 6 pm; Gotta's Farm opens May 1st for the season with spring plants. PYO strawberries in June, peaches in Aug, apples in September and October. Open May 1st for the season with annual & perennial flowering plants. Fresh fruits & vegetables available at farm stand from July to December. (UPDATED: June 25, 2016, JBS)
    Comments from a visitor on July 21, 2009: "This has been our family's favorite for many, many years! The crops are amazing, prices great too! They have some of the best PYO apples around."
  • Lyman Orchards - PYO strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, flowers, peaches, nectarines, pears, apples & pumpkins, Corn maze
    Jct. Routes 147 and 157, Middlefield, CT 06455. Phone: (860) 349-1793. Fax: (860) 349-1424. Email: jlyman3@lymanorchards.com. Enjoy 1100 acres of championship golf, championship pies, and Family Fun! CT's largest indoor Farm Market. Corn maze from September 6 - November 2.  Corn maze: Sept.-October. Great food at the Apple Barrel - home of CT's Best Apple Pie! 24 hour PYO hotline: 860-349-6015. It's simple to pick your own at Lyman Orchards. Before coming to pick, always call our 24-hour hotline for up-to-the-minute crop and field conditions, varieties, and current market prices. We update the message as often as necessary (especially in rainy or overcast weather) in order to help you make the best arrangements for your picking trip You can enjoy being a farmer for an afternoon and pick nearly 100 varieties of fruits from June through October. (UPDATED: June 25, 2016, JBS)
    Comments from a visitor on July 07, 2011: "The farm is huge but you can drive close to the different u-pick sites and it's well-signed so they are easy to locate. You pay for what you pick at the location but they still take credit cards. You can bring your own containers if you want and they will pre-weigh them for you (so you don't pay for the weight of the container)."
  • Scott's Connecticut Valley Orchards - blueberries, peaches, apples, pumpkins
    274 Kelsey Hill Road, Deep River, CT 06417. Phone: 860-526-9633. Open: call for hours; Pick-your-own starts in early July to September with blueberries, late July to mid September for peaches, late August through Halloween for apples, and late September on for pumpkins.Click here for a link to our Facebook page(UPDATED: December 06, 2016, JBS) 
  • Scott's Farm and Greenhouses - strawberries, flowers
    81 Plains Road, Route 153, Essex, CT 06426. Phone: 860-767-7059. Strawberries, June, PYO flowers from early July until mid October. We have dahlias, zinnias, sunflowers, snaps, celosia, cosmos, and 30 additional varieties for your cutting pleasure.Pick Your Own Fruit Dates are approximate and are affected by the weather. Click here for a link to our Facebook page.  (UPDATED: December 06, 2016, JBS)

New Haven County 

  • Bishop Farms of Cheshire CT - apples, blueberries, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, birthday parties, school tours
    500 So Meriden Road, Cheshire, CT 06410. Phone: 203-272-8243. Fax: 203-272-8674. Email: clarkk15@yahoo.com. Directions: Route 84 to 691 exit 3 south on route 10 left onto route 70 1.5 miles on right. Click here for a map and directions. Crops are usually available in August, September, October, November, December. Open: Monday to Friday,9am to 5pm , Saturday and Sunday,9am to 6pm. Christmas hours Monday thru Sunday 9am to 7 pm. Starts day after thanksgiving. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa/MasterCard, Discover.
  • Bishop's Orchards location 1 - PYO Strawberries, winery, blueberries, peaches, pears, apples, raspberries and pumpkins
    1355 Boston Post Road (US Rte 1, I-95 Exit 57), Guilford, CT 06437. Phone: (203) 458-7425. Email: pyoinfo@bishopsorchards.com. Open: from June-October daily until 7pm. Pick-your-own season starts in June with strawberries and goes through October with apples and pumpkins. In December we have cut-your-own Christmas trees. Since 1871, six generations of Bishop's have been serving Connecticut with farm products. The market is open all year till 7 pm (Sun till 6pm), featuring a bakery & kitchen specializing in pies & prepared meal solutions, produce from our 300 acre farm & around the world, meats, dairy products, flowers, and gift baskets. Bishop's Orchards Winery offers our own wine & CT wines 7 days a week. Pick your own in Guilford goes from June till October open from 10-5, with strawberries, blueberries, peaches, pears, apples, raspberries & pumpkins. Visit our Llamas & Alpacas too! Northford Market should read Since 1871, five generations of Bishop's have been serving Connecticut with farm products. Open weekends 10-5 in September and October, Bishop's Northford Orchard has Pick Your Own Apples and Peaches, plus Farm Market products including pies, cider and apples and pumpkins. Our main farm in Guilford is open all year around. There is a blog article about them here.    
  • Bishop's Orchards Location 2- PYO apples & peaches, pumpkins
    1916 Middletown Ave (Rte 17, 3 miles N of Rte 22), Northford, CT 06472. Phone: (203) 458-PICK. Email:  pyoinfo@bishopsorchards.com. Since 1871, 5 generations of Bishop's have been serving CT with farm products.  Our Guilford Farm is open all year, and our Northford PYO & Market is open in September and October with peaches, apples, mums, pumpkins, pies, & cider.  Weekends, hop on our wagon ride when you PYO apples.  Bishop's has been serving CT since 1871. Open: weekends 10am to 5pm in September and October. Our Northford Orchard has farm market products-pies, cider, apples & pumpkins. Our Guilford farm is open year round (see previous listing).
  • Blue Hills Orchard - apples, porta-potties, school tours, group reservations
    141 Blue Hills Road, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: (203) 269-3189. Email: eric@bluehillsorchard.com. Open: Saturday, from 10 am to 5 pm Sunday, from 11 am to 3 pm. Open: 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. Click here for our Facebook page. This year, we will be kicking off our apple growing season by offering Pick Your Own to our customers! The farm has worked hard to create a fun and safe, family-friendly experience for the members of our community to enjoy. Our Pick Your Own activities will be operating Saturdays 10am-5pm and Sundays 11am-3pm. Customers may arrive at any point through these time slots to take part in the picking. Once you arrive, you must check-in at the store to claim your spot on the wagon down to the designated picking area. (ADDED: August 12, 2020)
  • Drazen Orchards - Uses integrated pest management practices, apples, pears, peaches, plums, farm market, picnic area
    251 Wallingford Road, Cheshire, CT 06410. Phone: 203-272-7985. Email: drazenorchards@gmail.com. Open: Monday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm Early August to October 31; Closed Tuesdays. Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. We use integrated pest management practices. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. Click here for our Facebook page. 
    Blueberries: Late July to mid-September
    Peaches: August to mid-September
    Yellow & White Nectarines: Mid-August
    Bartlett & Bosc Pears: August and September
    Quince: October/ after first frost
    Asian Plums: August
    Italian Prune Plums : September 7
    Apples, by variety:
    Ginger Gold - August 12
    Zestar - August 24
    Gala - September 7
    Honeycrisp - September 7
    MacIntosh - September 13
    Cortland - September 15
    Early Fuji - September 18
    Macoun - September 25
    Red Delicious - September 27
    Empire - October 4
    Jonagold - October 10
    Golden Delicious - October 11
    Baldwin - October 17
    Mutsu - October 18
  • Emerald Green Farm and Gardens - Minimizes chemical and pesticide use, apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, nectarines, pears, peaches, plums, raspberries (red), raspberries (black), Fresh eggs, gift shop, restrooms
    84 Tankwood Road, Wallingford, CT 06492. Phone: 203 -949-0594. Email: emerald green farm@sbcglobal.net. Open: Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Phone for holiday hours. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Blueberries: Late June through September peaches and plums : July through September Apples: Late July through November. We minimize use of pesticides and other chemicals. Payment: Cash, Check. Greenhouses with a large selection of annual flowers and hanging baskets Country store and garden center gift shop.
  • Glendale Farms - Strawberries
    203 Herbert Street, Milford, CT 06460. Phone: (203) 874-7203  Fax: (203) 874-7499. Open: PYO Strawberries are usually available approximately June 5th to June 30th. (UPDATED: June 22, 2018)
    A visitor writes on June 22, 2018: "Glendale Farm does not have strawberries this year milford ct"
  • High Hill Orchard - Uses natural growing practices, Apples, pears, blueberries (check on the blueberries!), pumpkins, chestnuts, vegetables.
    170 Fleming Road, Meriden, CT, 06450. Phone: (203) 294-0276. Open: July 2nd to September Sat/Sun 10-5 September to Thanksgiving Tuesday to Thursday 12 pm to 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm; Thanksgiving to December 24th - Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Excellent apple and pear cider in fall. Some organic produce, some are low input. Hayrides in September and October. Visit our farm stand for our own fresh apple cider & vegetables. Click here for a link to our Facebook page.  (UPDATED: October 10, 2020 JBS)
  • Hickory Hill Orchards - peaches, apples, pears, pumpkins, nectarines
    351 South Meriden Road, Cheshire, CT 06410. Phone: (203) 272-0181. Alternate phone: (203) 272-3824  Fax: (203) 272-3824. Email:lynnkudish@gmail.com. Directions: click here. Open Daily 10:00am - 5:30pm; August 20, 2005 through December 2005. Country store, gift baskets, dried & silk flowers, cider, pies, donuts. Weekend hayrides, school groups welcome.  
  • Ives Farm - pumpkins, strawberries, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, corn maze, and prepicked produce, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, tractor-pulled hay rides, pony rides
    1585 Cheshire St, Cheshire, CT 06410. Phone: 203-272-5847 Click here for a map and directions. Crops are usually available in May, July, August, September, October. Open: Summer Hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm. Fall Hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm. "Flowers" May 1st, Annuals, Hanging Baskets, Geraniums & Perennials, Retail & Wholesale. "Strawberries" June 5th to July 1st (weather permitting) "Fresh Sweet Corn & Produce" July 10th "Fall Activities" October 1st to 31st Payment: Cash, Check, Visa/MasterCard.
  • Norton Brothers Fruit Farm - blueberries, raspberries, apples, pears, peaches, Pumpkins, PYO apples, pears & peaches, Christmas trees, Hay rides.
    450-466 Academy Road, Cheshire, CT 06410. Phone: (203) 272-8418. PYO apples, pears, plums, peaches. Retail fresh produce, gifts, pumpkins.  Open mid-spring through the winter, the farm has native strawberries as soon as they're ready; blueberries and raspberries for pick-your-own starting in June; peaches soon after for picking, six varieties of pears, and from August through October over 34 varieties of apples to pick. Hay rides, pumpkins, scarecrows, and Christmas trees and decorations keep everyone busy during the seasons. September and October are the busiest times for area schools to have educational and fun tours throughout the farm. Birthday and other parties can use the farm facilities also. Click here for a link to our Facebook page.  (UPDATED: December 06, 2016, JBS)
    Comments from a visitor on September 27, 2011: "Hi! First of all, I want to thank you for running such an amazing, comprehensive site! I always turn here first for canning info and to find local farms. I especially liked Norton Brother's Farm in Cheshire, CT. It's a great family-run place, with tons of apples and raspberries, and without the crowds and overwhelming size of some of the larger places. They even had a couple of old tractors near the parking lot for kids to climb on, which was a bigger hit than the fruit for my 4-year-old! "
    Comments from a visitor on July 07, 2011: "Not as busy as bigger farms. The walk from the farm stand to the picking site might be far (i.e. blueberries). More expensive than other farms. "
  • Rose Orchards - apples, pears, raspberries, strawberries, prepicked produce, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, farm animals, school tours
    33 Route 139, North Branford, CT 06471. Phone: 203-488-7996. Open: Hours vary by season, please call us for more information;
    The farm market is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm seven days a week; The Creamery is now open for the season 9 am to 9 pm. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Crops are usually available in May, June, July, August, September, October. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa/MasterCard, AmEx. The Rose Farm is committed to providing good family fun in a beautiful outdoor setting complete with farm animals for the children to feed, a hay maze for children to play in, and a scenic hayride tour through a covered bridge and the woods. Pick Your Own is available for strawberries, apples, pears, and raspberries. We have a large variety of fresh baked pies and baked goods, including bread, muffins, cookies, and biscuits. The Creamery serves old fashioned frozen custart and frozen yogurt. We have sundaes, pie a la mode, and a variety of other confections. Click here for a link to our Facebook page. 
  • Zentek Farms - tomatoes, peppers, beans, eggplant
    325 Higgins Road, Cheshire, CT  06410. Phone: (203) 272-0444. Fax: (203) 250-9190. Email: paulzfarms@aol.com  . Open: PYO starts in August. We also have a farm market-we raise corn and other vegetables. Typicasl availability: JUNE: Strawberries.
    AUGUST: Green Beans, Eggplant, Hot and Sweet Peppers, Italian Flat Beans, Tomatoes, Yellow Beans. SEPTEMBER: Cabbage, Canteloupes, Green Beans, Eggplant, Hot and Sweet Peppers, Italian Flat Beans, Tomatoes, Yellow Beans, Watermelons/. OCTOBER: (if no frost) Beans, Cabbage, Eggplant, Peppers, Tomatoes. CLOSED ON RAINY DAYS. Call ahead to be sure we are open. Click here for a link to our Facebook page. 

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

 


The Presto Pressure
canners are out
of stock, but Tfal's
are available!


Above is the
2020 version of
the Ball Blue Book