Pick Your Own Fruit This Summer At These NJ Farms

Everyone thinks about picking your own fruit in the fall, with apples and pumpkins high on everyone's list. But there's a reason New Jersey is called the Garden State: because we have some of the best produce around. And there are plenty of places you can pick your own, from one end of the state to the other.

The website Pick Your Own has a list of sites across New Jersey, with detailed information and comments from people who have patronized the farms. You see that here. You can see what farms offer what types of items, from berries to tomatoes to your Halloween pumpkins. Some of the farms offer community share programs, where you can prepay for a basket of fresh produce each week, timed to what's in season.

The state Department of Agriculture site, Jersey Fresh, has resources to help you find farms offering the kind of you-pick produce you want, to help narrow it down.

Right now, it's strawberry season. Here is a list of farms that offer pick-them-yourself strawberries. If you are into all things strawberry, there are three strawberry festivals:

Johnson's Corner Farm Strawberry Festival
133 Church Road, Medford
June 1-3. The festival is 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays, noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and includes hayrides, games and plenty of sweet strawberry desserts.

West Cape May Strawberry Festival
Wilbraham Park, Perry Street, West Cape May
June 2. The festival is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free. Craft vendors, food, fresh strawberries and more.

City Green Strawberry Festival
171 Grove St., Clifton
June 2. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Festival is free and includes music and crafts; pick your own strawberries for $5 per family.

VonThun Farms Strawberry Festival
519 Ridge Road, Monmouth Junction
June 9-10. The festival is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; admission of $10.95 includes access to a straw maze, rubber duck races and a free pound of fresh strawberries.

YOU-PICK FARMS

Alstede Farms, 1 Alstede Lane, Chester
Pick strawberries now and go back for other fruits and vegetables in season. They have an area where the kids can feed the farm animals as well.

Battleview Orchards, 91 Wemrock Road, Freehold
Some of the best pies you've ever had come from their bakery. It's a $5 charge per person to pick, which is credited to your purchase.

Bonacorsi Family Farm, 662 Pittstown Road, Frenchtown
The farm says it expects the crop to be ready for picking starting June 1. Bring cash, and come back later for the cherries and blackberries as they ripen.

Champion U-Pick, 60 Cherry St., Whiting
They don't have pick-your-own strawberries but they are a haven for blueberry lovers. They do not have a website; call 732-350-4467 for more information.

Dewolf's U Pick Farm, 58 W. Colliers Mill Road, New Egypt
They have a variety of you-pick produce. Only strawberries are ready as of May 25 but they post updates on their Facebook page. Call 609-758-6288 for updates.

Donaldson Farms, 358 Allen Road, Hackettstown
Prices are calculated per pound for the berries, and they offer raspberries and blackberries later in the summer.

Emery's Farm, 346 Long Swamp Road, New Egypt
Dedicated to growing blueberries, they also have sunflowers, pumpkins and corn.

Farms View, 945 Black Oak Ridge Road, Wayne
Pick your strawberries, then pick up your other produce and flowers in the garden center while the kids check out the peacocks and pot-bellied pig.

Hallock's U-Pick Farm, 38 Fischer Road, New Egypt
Strawberries now, along with several vegetables including peas and tomatoes as the summer goes on. They take cash and credit/debit cards and have a large selection of produce.

Johnson’s Corner Farm, 133 Church Road, Medford
Strawberries are priced per pound and they have pick-your-own cherries and blueberries as well. Hayrides and fun for the kids including a splash pad.

Melick’s Town Farm, 170 Oldwick Road, Oldwick
Better known for their apple-picking orchards, the farm has you-pick strawberries and peaches as well. The market has lots of fresh produce to complement your berries, too.

Ort Farms, 25 Bartley Road, Long Valley
Pick your strawberries then let take a train ride or a hayride with the kids. Open weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekends.

Phillips Farm, 290 Church Road, Milford
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, red and black raspberries, plus peaches and apples. They anticipate opening for the season around the beginning of June.

Silverton Farm, 1520 Silverton Road, Toms River. They grow organically and have a variety of produce. Strawberries are not currently listed but they have had them in the past, along with raspberries, pumpkins, green beans, cherry tomatoes, and flowers.

Snyder’s Farm, 586 South Middlebush Road, Somerset
Strawberries and blueberries. They anticipate opening for picking in early June.

Stony Hill Farm Market, 15 North Road, Chester
Strawberries now, pumpkins and apples in the fall. Mazes, games and a gem mining with an admission fee.

Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton
Pick your strawberries and come back cherries, blueberries, blackberries and apples. They have a large selection of other produce, including asparagus right now.

VonThun Farms, 519 Ridge Road, Monmouth Junction
Pay a $5 fee to pick, which is deducted from your final total. Strawberries, blueberries, apples and pumpkins.

Wemrock Orchards, 100 Wemrock Road, Freehold
Come to pick strawberries (pay by the pound), but make sure you check out their country store and ice cream parlor and the Tomasello Winery Tasting Room before you go.

Photo by Ashley Ludwig, Patch staff