Good places for picking our own fruit in southern California?

June 30, 2009 6:42 PM

My parents want to go to an orchard to pick fruit this holiday weekend. Where could they go that's within ~100-mile radius of LA or Orange counties?

Doesn't really matter which fruit; I'd just like good recommendations. All I have to go by is this list, and if there's anything better, I'd like to know!

posted by estherbester to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

Try searching the Los Angeles Times website under "farmer's Markets" or "Fruit Picking" under the Food section. They periodically run great articles on some of the groves in the area: everything from strawbs to orchard fruits.
posted by effluvia at 7:21 PM on June 30, 2009

You could try pickyourown.org. It's a great resource for orchards and berry patches and the like.
posted by val5a at 7:40 PM on June 30, 2009

Oops, I'm sorry estherbester. I didn't see that you already knew about pickyourown.org.
posted by val5a at 7:42 PM on June 30, 2009

Hie thee up the 101 to Underwood Farms. Their Somis location has pick-yer-own blueberries right now. (The main location has an amazing array of other stuff, including lots o'fruit.) Plus pony rides and a petting zoo, if your folks are into that kind of thing. We went last weekend, and brought home a cornucopia. Get there early. They'll love it!
posted by turducken at 8:15 PM on June 30, 2009

Response by poster: Follow-up: My parents found Mile High Ranch in Beaumont, CA, and I ended up tagging along, to pick cherries. We had a great time, and you get as many cherries as you can fill in the $10 or $15 buckets they give you. They'll be open for about one more week, I think, before they close for the season.

Thanks for the other tips, though! We were all set to go to Underwood Farms, until my mom found out about the cherry orchard at the last minute.

To anyone else thinking of doing this, I definitely recommend you call the specific location before you head out.
posted by estherbester at 5:16 PM on July 3, 2009