2024 central Virginia, Charlottesville, etc. Nectarine U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Nectarine U-Pick Orchards in central Virginia, Charlottesville, etc. in 2024, by county

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

Not all areas of a state have nectarines 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

Albemarle County

• Carter Mountain Orchard - apples, nectarines, peaches, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours
  1435 Carters Mountain Trail, Charlottesville, VA 22901. Phone: 434-977-1833. Email: Hello@CarterMountainOrchard.com. Open: See our website for current hours and Picking updates: click here for picking updates. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
  Carter Mountain Orchard Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 434-977-0619Fax: 434-979-0341 Peaches approximately June 20th through August 20 Thursday, Apples approximately August 10th through November 15th; Apple Harvest Festival 1st and 2nd weekends of OctoberGorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Charlottesville. Located next to Monticello and Michie Tavern. Bakery featuring apple cider donuts, pies, cookies, ice cream, and Mountain Grille features concessions on weekends. Apple Cider, Apple Butter, pumpkins, gourds. Country Store has local crafts, gourmet food items, jams and jellies, and more. Hay rides every weekend in September and October, weather permitting. Senior Citizen discounts every Tuesday. Apple Harvest Festival first 2 weekends each October - live music, crafts, food.
  Comments from a visitor on October 03, 2012: "A visit to this farm on 9-30-12 was a only a 2/5 experience. First, the farm was very crowded. We were instructed to stay in the designated areas to pick apples, but the trees in the designated areas were picked clean of decent apples. I let the kids pick a few fairly green apples for fun and $1.19/pound. The nicer pre-picked apples are $1.39/pound. The cider donuts were meh and $1 each. When I was asked at the checkout how my experience was I was told that I must be mistaken .. Um, really? I thought they would notice that no one was buying more then a few apples at a time. No water fountain, but water can be purchased. Overall, it felt very commercial, not like the family fun experience we were expecting. Oh and just as a warning, in case you have a child afraid of heights or an inexperienced driver, this farm is WAY up a mountain. The road is partially paved, but there are no guardrails and a significant, unforgiving drop if you make a mistake. The good things were the views are gorgeous and lots of port-a-potties. Thanks, Blake! This website is terrific! "

Nelson County

• Critzer Family Farm - Uses natural growing practices, apples, blackberries, nectarines, peaches, plums, pumpkins, strawberries, Fresh eggs, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), restrooms
  9388 Critzer Shop Road, Route 151, Afton, VA . Phone: (540) 241-3305. Email: critzerfamilyfarm@gmail.com. Open: May through October; Call or see their website for current hours. Directions: 250 west 16 miles to foot of Afton Mountain. Left on Route 151, 1 mile on right. From Waynesboro, 250 east, 7 miles to foot of Afton Mountain. Right on Route 151, 1 mile on right. From Wintergreen, 10 miles north on 151. From Charlottesville: 64 West to Exit 107; West on Rt. 250 for 4.5 miles: South on Rt. 151 for 1.3 miles; look for our sign on the right.Also pre-picked berries and other vegetables. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Critzer Family Farm Facebook page. Click here for their Facebook page. In the farm shop, they have Peach cobbler, peach smoothies, peach lemonade, peach salsa, peach jam. So many reasons to get yourself some peaches. White, yellow and donut varieties are ready for the pick. (UPDATED: April 19, 2021)
  Comments from a visitor on May 12, 2009: "Strawberries are $1.50 per pound including their container. You can bring your own containers, but they need to be weighed beforehand. Cash or Check only. Very neat and clean farm"
  Comments from a visitor on August 18, 2008: "Loved it!"
• Dickie Bros. Orchard - apples, nectarines, peaches, pumpkins, U-pick and already picked, farm market, restrooms, picnic area
  2552 Dickie Road, Roseland, VA 22967. Phone: 434-277-5516. Open: see website. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. From Richmond, take I-64 west to Charlottesville. Take Route 29 south past Lovingston to Colleen, turn right on Route 56 west. Go 2 miles; turn right on Route 655 towards Roseland. Go 4 miles; turn left on 151 and cross Tye River and turn immediately right on 56 west \(Crabtree Falls Hwy.\). Go 2 miles; take left on Dickie Road and follow signs 3 miles up on left. From Lynchburg, take Route 29 north, turn left on Route 56 west and follow signs. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Dickie Bros. Orchard Facebook page. dickiebros@ceva, net From Richmond, take I-64 west to Charlottesville. Take Route 29 south past Lovingston to Colleen, turn right on Route 56 west. Go 2 miles; turn right on Route 655 towards Roseland. Go 4 miles; turn left on 151 and cross Tye River and turn immediately right on 56 west (Crabtree Falls Hwy.). Go 2 miles; take left on Dickie Road and follow signs 3 miles up on left. From Lynchburg, take Route 29 north, turn left on Route 56 west and follow signs. 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, November 1-August 31; 8 am to 5 pm, Monday-Sunday, September 1-October 31. A Virginia Century Farmis one of Virginia's oldest farms continuously owned by the same family. Orchard is located at the foot of Little de Priest Mountain near National Forest, Blue Ridge Parkway, Crabtree Falls and Wintergreen Resort. Pick-Your-Own Fuji Apples at ! We've set out the picnic tables and can't wait to see everyone. Picked Apple varieties: Paulared, Gala, McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Liberty, Red and Golden Delicious, Empire, Jonagold, Winesap, Stayman, Rome, Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady. Pick-your-own offered for most varieties, especially Fuji,. Apple butter and fresh cider also available
  Comments from a visitor on October 14, 2009: "I have been to this place 3 times already this season. The brothers that run the place are wonderful and were also really helpful when my handicapped father went there also. The apples are great and you cannot beat the price, 50¢ per lb. Why go to the tourist farm near Michie Tavern and pay more than twice that for apples. Going back tomorrow for the Fuji and then later in the season for the Pink Ladies."

 

Nectarine

Nectarine Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Nectarines typically peak during early summer: In the U.S., that's late June through July in the South, and July and August in the North. In order to produce good local Nectarines, producers depend on ideal spring and early summer weather conditions, and no late frosts. If you want to know which are the best varieties of nectarines for home canning, see this page!

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - Nectarines are affected by weather (both rain and cooler temperature) more than most crops. And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!
2. Leave early.  On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
3. Most growers furnish picking containers designed for nectarines, 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 Nectarines more than 14 inches deep will bruise the fruit on the bottom. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers.
4. 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.
5. You might want to ask whether the nectarines are! There are two major types of nectarines: "Freestone" and. "Clingstone". Freestone nectarines and nectarines have flesh that slips easily away from the pit. Clingstones are a REAL pain, because the fruit tenaciously clings to the stone or pit! Most nectarine varieties grown today are freestone and are usually available (depending upon your location) from June through September. Some nectarines are freestone and some are clingstone. Freestone nectarines are available in June and July. Most plum varieties are clingstone. 

When you get home

1. Spread the fruit out on towels or newspapers and separate any mushy or damaged fruit to use immediately.
2. Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the others and freeze them up!
3. Even under ideal conditions nectarines will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase
4. Now, get ready to make Nectarine jam or canned nectarines - It is VERY easy - especially with our free peach / nectarine recipes. Yes, they are interchangeable!
    - nectarine jam instructions - they're illustrated and easy and our page on
    - how to make home canned nectarines from fresh!
   - Or see here to freeze nectarines instead!
   - make your own home canned nectarine pie filling to use in the winter
5. Here's a great and easy nectarine pie recipe
   or nectarine-blueberry pie  or how about
   - nectarine salsa?
   - Nectarine chutney
   - Spiced nectarines
   - nectarine butter
   - Nectarine honey
   - pickled nectarines
   - nectarine syrup
   - nectarine juice
6. Here are some great and easy nectarine desert recipes, like easy nectarine cobbler.
7. If you want more information about the Giant Peach water tower in Gaffney, SC, click here.

Temporary Storage Tips

• Ripe nectarines have a creamy or golden undertone and "peachy-sweet" fragrance.
• Nectarines should be refrigerated and used within a few days.
• Putting peaches and nectarines in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature for a day or two can help soften firm fruit - but they won't become sweeter or ripen further - that stopped when they were removed from th etree.
• For best flavor, allow the fruit to ripen fully on the tree.
• Store at 33F to 40F  and high humidity (a vegetable drawer in the fridge).

How to tell if the nectarines are ripe!

• Attached to the tree: Nectarines are best picked when the fruit separates easily from the twigs. If it is hard to pull off the tree, it isn't ripe! Nectarines will not ripen further once removed from the tree (they only "soften")
• Color: Green is definitely unripe, but you can't use red color as an indicator of how ripe a nectarine is. Different peach varieties have differing amounts of red blush in their natural coloring. Pick them when the ground color changes from green to yellow, orange, red (or a combination). The skin of yellow-fleshed varieties ripens to an orange tint, while the skin of white-fleshed varieties changes from greenish- to yellow-white.
• Softness: unless you like your nectarines very firm, pick your nectarines with just a little "give" when gently pressed. Nectarines at this stage are great for eating, freezing, and baking. Nectarines won't ripen very much after picking!
• Odor: It should smell sweet and ripe!

Tips on How to Pick Nectarines

A nectarine is softer than most fruit, so it is important to pick a nectarine gently, with little pressure. Using the sides of your fingers rather your fingertips helps to avoid bruising.  Grab the nectarine firmly and pull it straight off the branch. DON'T drop the nectarine into the basket, but set it in gently!

Marks on the Nectarines: Bugs (particularly squash bugs and stink bugs) bite fruit during development and this results in some imperfections in the nectarine. This is especially the case with organically raised fruit.  These look like dents in the nectarines if the nectarines were bitten by a bug when they were young. This causes a spot that does not grow properly and makes a wrinkle in the nectarine. There's nothing wrong with these nectarines. They may look funny, but they will taste just as good as blemish-free nectarines, and it's better not to have the pesticides!

How much do you need?

Raw measures:

• About 2 medium nectarines = 1 cup sliced nectarines.
• About 4 medium nectarines = 1 cup pureed nectarine.
• About 3 medium nectarines = 1 pound of nectarines

Process yields (Raw amounts to processed amounts)

• 2 to 21/2 pounds of fresh nectarines yields 1 quart canned
• 1 lb of fresh nectarines typically yields 3 cups of peeled, sliced nectarines or 2 cups or puree.
• It takes about 5 good sizes peaches or nectarines (or about 10 plums) to fill one quart jar of canned nectarines.
• An average of 171/2 pounds of fresh nectarines are needed per canner load of 7 quarts;
• An average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints.
• 1 bushel = 48 to 50 pounds, yields approximately 18 to 25 quart jars.

And a visitor contributes this: 6-7 nectarines makes about 4 cups puree, so 2-3 nectarines make about 2 cups puree. 1 nectarine equals about 1 cup puree.

Nectarines - Average retail price per pound and per cup equivalent, Most recent data (2020)

Form	Average retail price *3		Preparation yield factor	Size of a cup equivalent	Unit	Average price per cup equivalent
Fresh *1	$1.72	per pound	0.96	0.342	pounds	$0.61
Canned
Packed in juice *2	$2.02	per pound	1	0.540	pounds	$1.09
Packed in syrup or water *3	$1.81	per pound	0.65	0.441	pounds	$1.23
Frozen	$3.39	per pound	1	0.331	pounds	$1.12
Note 1 - The USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR) reports that the inedible pit of a nectarine accounts for 4 percent of the retail weight, implying a preparation yield of 96 percent, when eaten raw.
Note 2 - Consumers are assumed to eat the solid fruit and drink the juice. All contents of the can are edible and count towards an individual's recommended fruit consumption.
Note 3 - The syrup (or water) is discarded prior to consumption. Based on the Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED), ERS assumes that 65 percent of the can's gross weight is solid and 35 percent is liquid. The FPED cup equivalent weight for canned fruit is the weight of the solids and not of the liquid medium in which it is packed. The preparation yield factor for canned nectarines in the above table does not account for any further preparation that occurs prior to consumption.
Source: USDA, Economic Research Service calculations from 2020 Circana (formerly Information Resources, Inc. [IRI]) OmniMarket Core Outlets (formerly InfoScan) data; the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR), Legacy Release; and the Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) 2017–18 as well as the FPED's accompanying Methodology and User Guide.

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Nectarine pit tips

It's best to remove nectarine pits before you cook the nectarines. Cherry, nectarine, peach, and apricot pits also contain amygdalin; the latter two, in potentially harmful amounts. Fortunately, nectarine, peach and apricot pits are sufficiently large and hard that few people intentionally swallow or chew them. (The unapproved anti-cancer drug See this page for more information&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/cam/laetrile">Laetrile is a semisynthetic derivative of amygdalin; a cheaper version of laetrile produced in Mexico came from crushed apricot pits.) See this page for more information.

 

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