If you haven’t noticed already, I have a bit of a crush on pick your own fruit outings. There’s the hour drive to the countryside, fresh air, kids learning about where their food comes from, being outdoors, wearing gumboots and supporting local farmers. And let’s not forget, eating all the yummy fresh fruit! I mean what’s not to love?
So far we have picked mandarins, nectarines, peaches, apples, oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, eggplants, chestnuts, walnuts, plums, pears and sunflowers. And look forward to picking cherries this year. BUT I’m forever forgetting what is available to pick. And thought I may not be alone! So below is a listing by month of what fruit (nuts and flowers) is available from nearby farms that let you pick your own. There are 14 farms listed so far and they are all roughly about an hours drive from Parramatta. We hope to add a few more throughout the year.
Google Map
To make it a easier to see where you can pick your own fruit, here is a Google Map of the different nearby pick your own fruit farm experiences.
For other pick your own experiences, visit Harvest Trails and Markets website, a not for profit community organisation supporting farmers in the Sydney basin.
IMPORTANT Info
PLEASE treat the farms with care when visiting them – keeping wastage to a minimum and making sure not to damage fruit trees. Unfortunately the reason why so many farmers charge entry prices for pick your own farm experiences is because of the amount of wasted fruit thrown/ dropped on the ground and the damage caused to their farm. Sadly a case of a few ruining it for the rest of us.
Keep in mind that each farm experience will be very different. Some charge a small entry fee and have animals to pat as well as fruit picking. Others are free to visit and have picnic facilities. Make sure to read our review of the farm you are thinking of visiting beforehand.
It’s always worthwhile putting some gumboots in the car just in case the ground is muddy at the farm. And taking some reuseable/cooler bags with you to store the fruit on your way home.
This calendar is a GUIDE only! Weather changes can affect when fruit is available for picking. I do my best to update it regularly. But strongly recommend you check the farms Facebook page or website before visiting to see what fruit is ready to pick and when they’re open.
Month by Month Fruit Picking Calendar
1July
- Cumquats:Â Watkins Family Farm (drop-in, weekends, entry fee), Fords Family Farm (later in July)
- Eggplants:Â Canoelands Orchard (none at the moment – more expected later in July)
- Mandarins: Anderson Farm (drop-in, Saturday to Wednesdays, $5 adult entry), Watkins Family Farm (drop-in, open daily during school holidays, entry fee)
- Oranges: Anderson Farm (drop-in, Saturday to Wednesdays, entry fee)
- Peas: Canoelands Orchard (none at the moment – more expected later in July)
- Tomatoes:Â Canoelands Orchard (drop-in, weekends, open daily during school holidays entry fee)
2August
- Mandarins: Anderson Farm (Emperor, Imperial, Hickson);
- Oranges: Anderson Farm (Washington Navel)
- Tomatoes:Â Canoelands Orchard
3September
- Mandarins:Â Anderson Farm
- Oranges: Anderson Farm (Washington Navel)
- Strawberries: Berrylicious Strawberries
- Tomatoes:Â Canoelands Orchard
4October
- Nectarines: Canoelands Orchard (from about mid-October)
- Oranges: Anderson Farm
- Peaches: Canoelands Orchard (from about mid-October)
- Strawberries: Berrylicious Strawberries
5November
Apricots
- Pine Crest Orchard (late November)
Cherries
- Pine Crest Orchard (set times from 10th November, no bookings required)
- Bilpin Fruit Bowl (late November)
Nectarines
- Canoelands Orchard (open daily, no bookings required);
- Cedar Creek Orchards (set times on weekends and Wednesdays from 10th November, bookings required);
- Glenbernie Orchard (have not yet announced opening times for 2018)
Peaches
- Canoelands Orchard (open daily, no bookings required);
- Cedar Creek Orchards (set times on weekends and Wednesdays from 24th November, bookings required);
- Glenbernie Orchard (have not yet announced opening times for 2018);
- Bilpin Fruit Bowl (mid November)
Plums
- Canoelands Orchard (late November)
Raspberries
- Glenbernie Orchard (have not yet announced opening times for 2018)
Strawberries
- Berrylicious Strawberries (set times, bookings required);
- Bilpin Fruit Bowl (set times on weekends from 11th November, no bookings required)
6December
- Apricots: Pine Crest Orchard (finished)
- Cherries: Pine Crest Orchard (finished)
- Nectarines: Bilpin Fruit Bowl (weekends); Canoelands Orchard (FINISHED NOW)
- Peaches: Pine Crest Orchard (Friday-Sunday, NO bookings required), Bilpin Fruit Bowl (weekends); Glenbernie Orchard (set times, bookings required)
- Plums: Canoelands Orchard (FINISHED NOW)
- Strawberries: Berrylicious Strawberries (set times, bookings required)
7January
- Apples (late Jan): Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, open Friday to Sunday – CLOSED Australia Day long weekend); Bilpin Fruit Bowl (drop-in, open weekends from 26th Jan); Glenbernie Orchard (set times, bookings essential)
- Peaches: Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, open Friday to Sunday – CLOSED Australia Day long weekend); Glenbernie Orchard (set times, bookings essential); Bilpin Fruit Bowl (drop-in, open weekends)
- Pears:Â Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, open Friday to Sunday)
- Plums: Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, open Friday to Sunday)
- Strawberries: Berrylicious Strawberries (set times, bookings essential)
8February
- Apples: Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, no entry fee, Friday to Sunday); Bilpin Fruit Bowl (drop-in, entry fee, weekends); Glenbernie Orchard (bookings required)
- Peaches:Â Glenbernie Orchard (bookings required);Â Bilpin Fruit Bowl (drop-in, entry fee, weekends)
- Pears:Â Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, no entry fee, Friday to Sunday)
- Plums: Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, no entry fee, Friday to Sunday)
9March
- Apples:Â Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, no entry fee, Friday to Sunday – CLOSED 29th-31st March); TNT Produce (drop-in, $2 entry fee, weekends only from 30th March) Bilpin Fruit Bowl (drop-in, entry fee, weekends only); Glenbernie Orchard (bookings required, weekends)
- Chestnuts:Â Kookootonga Nut Farm (7 days 9am to 4pm), Nutwood Farm (weekends, 9am to 4pm) and Campanella Cottage (weekends, 9am to 3pm)
- Eggplants:Â Canoelands Orchard (weekends drop-in, weekdays bookings required)
- Persimmon:Â Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, no entry fee, Friday to Sunday)
- Plums: Pine Crest Orchard (not currently available for picking)
- Quinces:Â Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, no entry fee, Friday to Sunday)
- Strawberries: Berrylicious Strawberries (set times, bookings required – 10th March)
- Tomatoes: Canoelands Orchard (weekends drop-in, weekdays bookings required)
10April
- Apples: TNT Produce (drop-in, $2 entry fee, weekends) Bilpin Fruit Bowl (drop-in, entry fee, last day 25th April); Glenbernie Orchard (bookings required, weekends), Shields Orchard (bookings required, Thursday to Monday); Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, no entry fee, 27th April ONLY)
- Chestnuts:Â Kookootonga Nut Farm (now closed), Nutwood Farm (now closed) and Campanella Cottage (now closed)
- Eggplants:Â Canoelands Orchard (7 days 9am to 3pm, drop-in, fee to pick)
- Passionfruit:Â Canoelands Orchard (available in 2020/21)
- Persimmon:Â Pine Crest Orchard (drop-in, no entry fee, 27th April)
- Strawberries: Berrylicious Strawberries (set times, bookings required)
- Sunflowers:Â Food Farm Central Coast (honesty box – $1 each); Central Coast Sunflower Harvest at Yarramalong Turf Supplies (27th April, 7am to 2pm)
- Tomatoes:Â Canoelands Orchard (7 days 9am to 3pm, drop-in, fee to pick)
- Walnuts:Â Kookootonga Nut Farm (now closed), Nutwood Farm (now closed) and Campanella Cottage (now closed)
11May
- Apples: TNT Produce (drop-in, $2 entry fee, weekends); Glenbernie Orchard (bookings required, weekends), Shields Orchard (bookings required, Friday to Sunday, 10am to 3pm);
- Eggplants:Â Canoelands Orchard (weekends 9am to 3pm, drop-in, fee to pick)
- Mandarins:Â Watkins Family Farm – Imperial, Hickson and Emperor (from 25th May)
- Passionfruit:Â Canoelands Orchard (available in 2020/21)
- Pecans: Pecan Lady (set times, bookings required)
- Persimmon: Cedar Creek Orchards, Glenbernie Orchard (bookings required, weekends)
- Strawberries:Â Berrylicious Strawberries (set times, bookings required)
- Tomatoes:Â Canoelands Orchard (weekends 9am to 3pm, drop-in, fee to pick)
12June
- Mandarins: Anderson Farm (drop-in, Saturday to Wednesdays, entry fee); Watkins Family Farm (drop-in, weekends, entry fee); Fords Family Farm (drop-in, weekends, entry fee), Canoelands Orchard (drop-in, weekends, entry fee)
- Oranges: Anderson Farm (drop-in, Saturday to Wednesdays, entry fee), Canoelands Orchard (drop-in, weekends, entry fee)
- Pecans: Pecan Lady (2nd, 8th, 9th, 10th and 22nd June)
- Tomatoes:Â Canoelands Orchard (drop-in, weekends, entry fee)
- Harvest Festival Central Coast is on 8th to 10th June.
Hi I expected coming.when I can came???
Hi Nastaran, opening times for the different farms are available via the links in our calendar.