2024 Cleveland, Akron and northeast Ohio Cherry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Cherry U-Pick Orchards in Cleveland, Akron and northeast Ohio in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for cherries that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a state have cherries 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.

New! As inflation remains high, see this page for reliable (tested) brands of generic canning lids at lower costs, and cost-saving measures for getting fruit and vegetables and home canning.
 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

New! Road tripping and camping is a great way to have a fun, safe and inexpensive family trip. The national and state parks and monuments are open, and campgrounds usually cost between $10 and $40 per night. September to November is the best camping weather.  See our new website Road Tripping and Camping.com for tips, tricks, guides, checklists and info about parks, monuments and other places to visit.

New! We just went live with our latest website, FunFactoryTours.com - As they name implies, you can find a fun factory tour, including chocolate, automobiles, historical forts and sites, famous buildings, Active Federal facilities even fun geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

Erie County

• A.B. Phillips & Sons Fruit Farm - apples, blackberries, cherries, plums and grapes
  30 E. Main Street, Berlin Heights, OH . Phone: 419-588-2329. Email: Fruit@Phillipsfruit.net. Open: July-February, Monday to Saturday 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday noon-6 p. Click here for a map and directions. . Alternate phone: 800/205-7062. . Pick apples and a whole lot more at this farm that also grows cherries, plums and grapesm. (closed Sundays December-February). Apple varieties are: Vista Bella, Jersey Mac, Paulared, McIntosh, Gala, Cortland, Jonathan, JonaGold, Red Delicious, Empire, Idared, Rome, Gold Delicious, Melrose, Crispin/Mutsu, Criterion, Winter Banana, Stayman Winesap
• Burnham Orchards - Uses integrated pest management practices, apples, cherries, other berries, peaches, pumpkins, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), U-pick and already picked, farm market, restrooms, picnic area, pony rides, school tours
  8019 State Route 113, Berlin Heights, OH 44814. Phone: 419-588-2138. Email: jtbiv@roadrunner.com. Open: Pick your own is open from 9am to 5 pm when available; Apples and Pumpkins: September 24 to October 30, Peaches: August, Blackberries: mid July thru August, Cherries: Mid June to Early July. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover. . Alternate Phone: 419-588-1146Fax: 419-588-6003 We use integrated pest management practicesOur market is open year around with hours of 9am to 6pm daily from May thru November and from December thru April of 9am to 5:30 pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm to 5:30pm Sunday. We have a full line of products available in the market to complement the fruit that we grow such as jams, jellies, sauces and also tasty treats from our bakery. We host Fall Festival activities on the last weekend in September thru October that include: Corn maze, hayrides, pedal course, goat feeding, barrel train rides, food, inflatable farm train and more!.
• Quarry Hills Orchards - apples, pumpkins, peaches, cherries, plums, pears, apricots, nectarines, and grapes;
  8403 Mason Road, Berlin Heights, OH 44814. Phone: 419-588-2858. Open: July-January, Daily 9 am to 6 p. Click here for a map and directions. Fax: 419-588-0018m. (after Thanksgiving closed on Sunday). Call to confirm, their website implies PYO is on group tours now

Geauga County

• Monroe's Orchard & Farm Market - PYO Strawberries, Cherries, Red Raspberries, Apples & Pumpkins!
  6313 Pioneer Trail, Hiram, OH 44234. Phone: 330.569.7464. Email: monroesorchard@windstream.net. Open: Apple Harvest Festivals the last Saturday of September and the first two Saturdays of October. Click here for a map and directions. . Alternate phone: 866.519.9657Free Wagon Rides! PYO Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays 11 am to 4 pm. PYO Apples in 2017 are $17.00/half bushel, and $10.00/peck. Honey Crisp, McIntosh, Elstar Shamrock, Macoun & Golden Supreme Apples. Pick-Your-Own is a big part of our orchard. PYO Apples are available on selected days (check the "Currently at Monroe's" page for days) from Mid-September until Mid-October. Please remember, we are working with the weather, so please call first to make sure our PYO isn't beginning later or ending earlier than years past. PYO Pumpkins are available from the last Saturday in September throught the month of October. You can pick directly from our patch or from the bins of pre-picked. PYO Raspberries begin late August and lasts until the first frost. Plan on September and October for best picking. PYO Strawberries are available in the month of June. We usually begin sometime between June 1st and 10th, but have had years when we begin the end of May. Please give us a call to see when season begins. Strawberry season usually ends around July 4th.PYO Cherries begin toward the end of Strawberry season, and continue a few days past. We have 5 varieties of Cherries and we recommend you check out the pics on the website. (ADDED: September 9, 2017, JBS)

Lake County

• West Orchards Farm Market - sour cherries, strawberries, blackberries, and prepicked produce, snacks and refreshment stand
  3034 N. Ridge Road, Perry, OH 44081. Phone: 440-259-3192. Email: info@westorchardsfarmmarket.com. Open: Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm. Directions: 35 miles East of Cleveland OH. 1 12 miles East of the Route 2 and 20 split, on the South side of Route 20. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. 35 miles East of Cleveland OH. 1 1/2 miles East of the Route 2 and 20 split, on the South side of Route 20Crops are usually available in June, July Strawberries: Approx; June 15 to July 4 Montmorency Sour (pie) Cherries: Approx; July 1 to July 25We grow 14 varieties of Apples and 10 varieties of Peaches, 2 varieties of Nectarines,4 varieties of Plums, 3 varieties of Pears and many varieties of small vegetables, cabbage and lots of Sweet Corn.

Lorain County

• Miller Orchards, Ltd. - cherries, apples, peaches, pumpkins
  8690 Vermilion Road, Amherst, OH 44001. Phone: 440-988-8405. Open: June-January, Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm and 10 am to 5 p. Click here for a map and directions. June-January, Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm (and 10 am to 5 p.m. during the winter); closed on SundayCorner of Middle Ridge and Vermilion Roads; 2 miles north of 113, 4 miles south of Vermilion. Pick-your-own cherries in late June and early July, apples in September and October. Other: cider, honey, jams and jellies, maple syrup. Starting in late June, sweet and sour cherries are available foru-pick. Peaches (yellow and white) are available at the farm market inJulyand August, followed by nectarines, plums, and apples. U-pick apples are ready in mid-September. With 15 varieties, there should be a favorite for everyone. Many more varieties are available at the farm market.
• Rex Gees Orchards - cherries,
  50586 State Route 113, Amherst, OH 44001. Phone: 440-965-7761. Open: Daily 9am to 6pm. Directions: Minutes from I-90 and the Ohio Turnpike. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Rex Gees Orchards Crops are usually available in July We are open from July to December. We also have apples, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines, fresh produce and pumpkins. These items are already picked.

Medina County

• Pick"n"Save Orchard - Apples, blueberries, cherries, pears, peaches, pumpkins, raspberries, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, and prepicked produce, picnic area, horse-drawn hay rides, tractor-pulled hay rides
  1222 Ledge Road, Medina, OH 44256. Phone: 330 239-1480. Email: lynnorchard1@gmail.com. Open: 10 am to 6 pm daily from August 10th to November 15th. Directions: Call for directions. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Click here for a map to our farm. Crops are usually available in July, August, September, October, November We have an ATMWe also make our own Maple Syrup here in our woods, Honey from our Bee's and my wife makes all jams and apple butter. We make apple cider during September and October. (UPDATED: October 19, 2019, JBS)

Portage County

• Monroe's Orchard & Farm Market - apples, cherries, pumpkins, raspberries (red), strawberries, Maple Syrup from trees on the farm, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), U-pick and already picked, farm market, porta-potties are available, school tours
  6313 Pioneer Trail, Hiram, OH 44234. Phone: 330-569-7464. Email: MonroesOrchard@windstream.net. Open: Strawberries: June, open 8 am; Cherries: Mid June - early July open 9 am; Red Raspberries: Mid August - Mid October 10 am to 5 pm; Apples: Weekends Mid September - Mid October; Pumpkins: Last weekend in September 9 am to 5 pm. Directions: 1 mile East of State Route 700, 3 miles West of State Route 44, 10 minutes to Ohio Turnpike on State Route 44 South, and State Route 422 from State Route 44 North. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx, WIC Vouchers.
  Monroe's Orchard & Farm Market Facebook page. Picking updates: Click here for picking updatesApple Harvest Festivals: Last Saturday in September and the first two Saturdays in OctoberWe grow our own Peaches and they are available for purchase in our market late July through August, also Pears late August through September. We grow 25 varieties of Apples, and they are available middle August to Christmas Eve, Our Own Cider: Mid September to Christmas Eve, Pumpkins: Last weekend of September through October. We are truly blessed, and appreciate our customers. We look forward to seeing you. Make a Memory here with us. Thank you for your patronage! (aka, Pioneer Trail Orchard). Click here for our Facebook page.(UPDATED: June 11, 2016)
  Comments from a visitor on July 18, 2012: "I visited Monroe's in Hiram, oh as well and It was wonderful. The raspberries are perfect right now and they will have Pyo peaches available early, beginning of August most likely."

Stark County

• Sanor's - They are combined U-Pick and also pre-picked for sale. The farm produces: Strawberries, Cherries, Blueberries, Apples, Peaches, and Grapes (each fruit is seasonal)!
  2514 State Route 172, Minerva, OH 44654. Phone: 330-894-2375. Open: As of June 1st, Sunday through Saturday. Click here for a map and directions. 25141 State
  Comments from a visitor on June 05, 2010: "The strawberries were outstanding, beautiful, sweet and very good shape and size"

 

Cherry

Cherry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

If you are about to pick cherries either directly from a tree, or from a local orchard or market, here's what you need to know to pick the best cherries.

Cherries are a fairly early crop, flowering soon after the last frosts in April and May, setting fruit in June, usually at the same time as strawberries in most areas (but check your area's harvest calendar and call the farm or orchard you are planning to go to a few weeks ahead).

Types of Cherries

There are two types of cherries: sweet cherries and sour cherries (also called tart or pie cherries). The difference is simple:

• Sweet cherries taste sweeter and are eaten fresh.
  
• Pie cherries are very tart and most people prefer to use them in pies, jams, preserves, jellies and butters, adding sugar to sweeten them.

See further down this page for a list of common cherry varieties and their uses. Washington State, California and Oregon are the primary sweet cherry growing states; they produce almost 90 percent the U.S.'s cherry crop. Michigan produces about 74 percent of tart cherry production. We have a master table of cherry varieties, sweet and sour (pie) in the order in which they ripen.

Cherry picking tips

• Pick ripe: Cherries, like peaches, continue to increase in size until they are ripe. They should be picked when they are of maximum size and full-flavored.
• But not under-ripe: Cherries picked before they are fully mature will not ripen off the tree.
• And not over-ripe: when they become soft, mushy or discolored.
• Pie or sweet: There are 2 main types of cherries: sweet cherries that taste sweet and tart when you eat them fresh, and sour (also called pie cherries) which are too tart for most people to want to eat fresh.
• For all varieties of sweet cherries, the darker the cherry is the sweeter it will be. If you like more sour cherries the lighter red and less ripe, the more tart it will be.
• Stem separation: Sweet cherries become firm when ripe (the stems usually stay attached when you pick a sweet cherry), and sour cherries part easily from the stem.
• Leave the stems on sweet cherries: Cherries that are to be shipped will keep longer if the stems are left attached. They will store in the refrigerator for two to three days.
• Appearance: Look for heavy, firm cherries with a shiny skin and fresh stem.
• But for immediate use, they can be picked with or without the stems.

How to pick the cherries from the tree

1. Gently grasp the berry with your fingers and thumb, and
2. tug gently.
3. If it is ripe, it will easily come off in your hand, with the stem attached.
4. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 cherries.
5. Carefully place - don't throw - the fruit into your containers. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
6. Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the cherries down.

General Picking Tips

Whether you pick Cherries from your own trees, a market or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden cherries ready for harvest.
2. Avoid placing the picked cherries in the sunshine any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat.
3. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Cherries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for two or three days, depending upon the initial quality of the berry.

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - Cherries are affected by weather (especially rain and cooler temperatures) more than most crops. And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first! Always call before you go to the farm - Cherries are affected by weather (especially rain and cooler temperatures) more than most crops. And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!
2. Get there early. On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
3. Bring containers - Most growers furnish picking containers designed for Cherries, 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 Cherries more than 3 inches deep will smush the lower cherries. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers. I like the Glad storage containers like the one at right.
4. Drinks and snacks - 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.

When you get home

1. DON'T wash the cherries until you are ready to use them. Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
2. Chill: Cherries are more perishable than blueberries or strawberries, so make a point of refrigerating them as immediately as possible after purchase. Temperatures between 34 F and 38 F are best, but, be careful not to freeze cherries! (Fresh cherries are highly prone to freeze damage).
3. Spread out: Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting cherries
4. Eat or freeze: Even under ideal conditions cherries will only keep for a few days in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, consume or freeze them as soon as possible after purchase.
5. See my How to freeze berries page. (Unless you're going to make jam right away)
6. Now, get ready to make Cherry jam - It is VERY easy - especially with our free Cherry preserves instructions - illustrated and easy or cherry pie filling

Cherry Recipes, Canning, Jam, Jelly, and related resources

• Cherry preserves instructions - illustrated and easy
• Cherry jelly
• Cherry pie filling
• Cherry butter
• Cherry festivals
• Cherry pitters - reviews and where to get them
• How to pit cherries - several methods

Cherry varieties

For a master table of cherry varieties in the order in which they ripen, click here.

Sweet cherries:

 

• Bing cherries are deep red in color and sweet.
• Blackgold - very late mid-season. Good for eating fresh. Self-fertile.
• Brooks - a large, firm red cherry that tolerates hot climates. Sweet with both complex flavors and a sweet tart blackberry-like taste.
• Chelan - deep, mahogany red, heart-shaped, medium sized, sweet fruits, like Bing.  Sweet, between 16 and 18 % sugar.
• Coral Champagne - very large, red, super sweet fruit that is often preferred to Bing. Firm, but juicy flesh with a coral pink color center.
• Emperor Francis are White or Blush Sweet Cherries, Early season, perfect for canning, making jellies and jams, or making homemade maraschinos.
• Hartland, an early season dark cherry. A Windsor cross, it was developed in New York
• Hedelfingen is a later season sweet cherry. It has large, black fruit.
• Kristin cherries are a a mid-season cherry developed in New York.
• Lambert Cherry is a large, black, late harvest cherry of very good quality, compared to Bing.
• Lapins Cherry is a self-fruitful, large, dark red sweet cherry from Canada with firm, good flavor. Ripens a few days after Bing and needs only 400 chilling hours or less to produce fruit.
• Orondo Ruby - A ruby red color with some gold coloring, this is a sweeter, brighter variant of the Rainier cherry. Marcus Griggs of G&C farms found this in his Rainier cherry orchard. They have a brighter red color to them and a sweeter and a bit more acidic.
• Rainier cherries are golden yellow with a pink or red blush. Rainier cherries are large and sweet.
• Royalton cherries are large, dark cherry mid-season cherries
• Sam - early ripening, large, black sweet cherry. Ripens 11 days after Vista.
• Skeena cherries are a late ripening variety. They are dark red, firm and juicy.
• Somerset cherries are medium sized, later season cherries that are dark and firm.
• Sonata - Very large, black, and moderately sweet fruit. Self-fertile.
• Staccato cherries are a deep purple-red and also a late season variety. Staccato cherries are large and one of the sweetest varieties.
• Stella are a large, sweet, dark-red fruit that ripens in mid-season
• Sweetheart cherries are a large, bright red late-season variety, medium sweetness
• Sunburst - large, firm fruit. Old productive variety. Self-fertile.
• Symphony - bright red, medium-sweet very large fruit. Late season. Self-fertile.
• Tehranivee - mid-season cherry developed in Ontario, Canada. Cracking can be a problem. Self-fertile.
• Ulster - medium-sized, firm, dark cherry, Ripens about 2 days after Vista.
• Vandalay - Large, red fruit with an unusual kidney shape. From Canada. Self-fertile.
• Viscount - medium-large, firm, good, dark red cherries. Late season ripening.
• Vista - the cherries are very dark, almost black. Large excellent-quality fruit. Mid season, ripens around the last week in June.
• Viva - dark red, 3/4 inch fruit from Canada. Ripens around July 4.
• White Gold are a blush cherry of moderate to large size.

Pie, Sour or Tart Cherries (all different names for the same thing!)

• Balaton Ujfeherto Furtos is a Hungarian sour cherry with firm fruit that is suited to picking by hand and eating fresh. Red skin and flesh. Ripens about 7 to 10 days after Montmorency
• Danube Erdi Botermo has dark red fruit with a unique sweet-tart flavor. Delicious eaten fresh or in baked goods. Ripens about 1 week before Montmorency.
• Dark-juice-tarts has juice that is red rather than clear in color.
• Jubileum - new, from Hungary. Very large with a dark red flesh. Sweet for a tart cherry, not quite as tart as Montmorency.
• Meteor - Medium-sized fruit with an odd shaped pit. Ripen s3 to 7 days after Northstar.
• Montmorency, the most commonly grown, traditional cherry for pies, baking and canning. Ripens around the last week of June to the first week of July.
• Morello Sour Cherry is a late-ripening tart dark red to nearly black cherry used for cooking, and sometimes eaten fresh when fully ripe. Fruits in warm climates ( 500 hours or fewer chilling hours below 45 F) Self-fruitful. USDA
• Northstar - Medium-sized, dark red fruit.
• Surefire - A new late blooming variety from Cornell. Bright red, medium sized fruit.

Cherry Facts and Tips

• Cherries come in many colors besides red: there are also dark red (almost black), yellow, blush (mixed) and gold cherries.
• Cherries are a very healthy food; they are high Vitamin C and naturally have no fat, cholesterol or sodium. They are also a good source of ivitamin A, calcium, protein, and iron.
• Cherries are an antioxidant-rich foods.
•  One cup of cherries is less than 90 calories and 3 grams of fiber.
• One cup of cherries has 260 mg of potassium which plays a key role in muscle, heart, kidney, and nerve cell functions.
• Cherries are high in fiber. Half to one pound of cherry fruit per day can provide twenty to thirty grams of fiber which is adequate for an adult daily nutrition requirement.
• Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase as Cherries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a couple of days in the refrigerator.
• You can easily freeze cherries that you cannot use right away - just wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible. Those vacuum food sealers REALLY do a good job of this! The cherries will keep for many months frozen without air. See my How to freeze berries page
• Anthocyanins in cherries are what give the fruit its red color and help protect the heart and surrounding tissues
• Some research has found eating cherries to reduce pain and inflammation associated with arthritis and gout

 

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