2024 Northwest New Jersey Peach U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Peach U-Pick Orchards in Northwest New Jersey in 2024, by county

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

Not all areas of a state have peaches 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

Hunterdon County

• Melick's Town Farm Califon Orchards - Pick Your Own: Apples; peaches; pears, flowers; pumpkins
  472 Route 513, Califon, NJ . Phone: (908) 832-2905. Open: July to October, 7 days a week, from 9 am to 6 pm. Directions: From Route 80. S to Route 24 in Chester, W on Route 24 \(Route 513\) for approx. 9 miles, the Stand is on the left. Also has a roadside market with Apples. Our apple varieties are Empire; Gala; Golden Delicious; Jonagold; Macoun; McIntosh; Red Delicious; StaymanWinesap; Crispen; Rome. We also have Cider; cider donuts; bakery items; jamsjellies; Indian corn; corn stalks; gourds; Halloween decorations; WIC and Senior FMNP checks accepted. At the Califon Orchards, you can Pick Your Own Peaches, P - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions. From Route 80. S to Route 24 in Chester, W on Route 24 (Route 513) for approx. 9 miles, the Stand is on the left. Also has a roadside market with Apples. Our apple varieties are Empire; Gala; Golden Delicious; Jonagold; Macoun; McIntosh; Red Delicious; Stayman/Winesap; Crispen; Rome. We also have Cider; cider donuts; bakery items; jams/jellies; Indian corn; corn stalks; gourds; Halloween decorations; WIC and Senior FMNP checks accepted. At the Califon Orchards, you can Pick Your Own Peaches, Pears, Apples, Pumpkins, Pre-Picked Too!Our own Apple Cider. There is now a $5.00 fee plus tax per person, in addition to the cost of the apples and pumpkins. The admission is slightly less if you pay online. In 2019 prices were $1.19 a pound for pick your own. One visitor points out that Best Market sells apples for 79 cents to 99 cents a pound; but obviously when you pick your own, they are fresher and you get exactly what you want.
• Melick's Town Farm Oldwick - Pick Your Own: Strawberries; apples; peaches, pumpkins; flowers
  170 Oldwick Road, Oldwick, NJ . Phone: (908) 439-3888. Open: Daily. Directions: \(at the Cider Mill\) Route 78, Exit 24, N for 1 mile, the stand is on the right. Also has a roadside market with Apples; winter squash. Our apple varieties are Cortland; Empire; Fuji; Gala; Granny Smith; Golden Delicious; Jonagold; Macoun; McIntosh; Red Delicious; StaymanWinesap; Crispen; Ida Red; Rome. We also have Cider; cider donuts; bakery items; Indian corn; jams; jellies; Halloween decorations; WIC and Senior FMNP checks acceptedpick-your-own peaches, apples, or pumpkins when in season - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions. Farm market: April - December . PYO: September to Oct; call for harvest dates & hours, 10 am to 6 pm(at the Cider Mill) Route 78, Exit 24, N for 1 mile, the stand is on the right. Also has a roadside market with Apples; winter squash. Our apple varieties are Cortland; Empire; Fuji; Gala; Granny Smith; Golden Delicious; Jonagold; Macoun; McIntosh; Red Delicious; Stayman/Winesap; Crispen; Ida Red; Rome. We also have Cider; cider donuts; bakery items; Indian corn; jams; jellies; Halloween decorations; WIC and Senior FMNP checks acceptedpick-your-own peaches, apples, or pumpkins when in season!The Califon market has freshly baked goods and pre-picked produce as well! The farm stand in Oldwick features: Seasonal fruits and vegetables from our farm, Our own hard cider, apple wine, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Plants and Shrubs, Jams and Jellies, Baked goods, Gifts and Country Store Favorites, Locally Grown Fruit and Vegetables including pick your own peaches and apples, Country Store and Farm stand at Melick's Town Farm in Oldwick, New Jersey, Great Variety of Pumpkins, Fall Decorations, Christmas Trees and Wreaths, Our Own Delicious Cider.
• Phillips Farms - Uses integrated pest management practices, apples, Asian pears, blackberries, blueberries, sweet cherries, pie or sour cherries, red currants, black currants, white currants, elderberries, gooseberries, Seedless table grapes, table grapes with seeds, wine grapes, nectarines, pears, Asian pears, peaches, plums, red raspberries red, Spring red raspberries, Autumn red raspberries, Black raspberries, Spring black raspberries, Other fruit, eggplant, hot peppers, tomatoes, sunflowers, zinnias, Local honey from within 50 miles, bakery, porta-potties, Cell service cell phones work here, No dogs allowed except for service animals
  564 Milford Warren Glen Road, Milford, NJ 08848. Phone: (908) 628-9251. Email: farmer@phillipsfarms.com. Open: season is from late May through late October; summer months open everyday except Tuesdays from 9 am to 5:30 pm; please visit our website or Facebook page for Spring and Fall hours. Directions: Tucked away in scenic Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Phillips Farms lies directly across the Delaware River from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. They are a little over an hour away from New York City and Philadelphia, 30 minutes from the Lehigh Valley, and 40 minutes from New Hope, Pennsylvania, and Lambertville, New Jersey. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, All credit cards, ApplePay.
  Phillips Farms Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: (908) 995-0022Picking updates: Click here for picking updates We use integrated pest management practices Click here for our Instagram page. grows and sell their own herb plants, perennials flowers, annual flowers, bedding plants and hanging baskets at its local Farm Market in Milford as well as at the farmers markets they attend. (UPDATED: April 08, 2024)A visitor writes in June 2006: "The summer would not be complete without at least 6 visits to the Phillips Farm. My 3 children including 3 year old twins love to pick at the farm We start the season with strawberries and end in the fall with apples. The farm is quiet, plentiful and not busy at all. We feel we have the place to ourselves. Mr. Phillips has done a wonderful job raising his crops. Thank you to the Phillips Farm for great family fun and for the fabulous fruit for my pies and jams."
• Valley Crest Farm - Apples, Christmas trees, other berries, peaches
  114 Allerton Road, Lebanon, NJ 08833. Phone: 908-238-9696. Open: UPDATE for 2021: Their website just cryptically says "Programs are currently being updated. Directions: Route 31 to Allerton Road, 1 mile east, the farm is on the left. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Valley Crest Farm Facebook page. Fax: 908 238 9620 For more information, please visit www.americasgrowarow.org" call to see what is available before you come; Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 3 pmClick here for a map to our farm. We are open August, September, October, November, December. If you'd rather PICK-YOUR-OWN, please drive into the farm's main entrance at 14 Allerton Road on weekends and stroll through our orchards to pick what you like. Marija is there to assist you from 10 am to 3 pm beginning the last weekend of July through November 1st. We expect to have pick your own peaches ready in July and apples ready for picking in late August. And we have a Farm Market . The first year of our farmer's market was a great success and we could not have done it without you. We are so thankful to each and every customer that chose our naturally- grown vegetables for their table. Just like all purchases made at & Preserve, every dollar spent at the farm market supports our mission

Sussex County

• Pochuck Valley Farm - Peaches, plums, tomatoes, sweet corn, pears, apples, pumpkins, gourds, hay
  962 Route 517, Glenwood Road, Glenwood, NJ . Phone: (973) 764-4732. Email: pochuckvalley@yahoo.com. Open: Through October 31, 9-4 Daily for Pick Your Own, Store hours 6 - 5 on weekends, 6 - 6 weekdays. Directions: Route 23 N to Route 94 N to Route 517 N. In addition to u-pick, there is pre-picked: Apples, pumpkins, peaches, plums, pears, vegetables. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Crispin, Empire, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Greenings, Jonathan, Macoun, McIntosh, Mutsu, Northern Spies, Red Delicious, Quince, Rome Beauty, StaymanWinesap. We also have Jersey Fresh Cooks cookbook, baked goods, jams, jellies, deli, ice cream, maple & honey products, mums, cider, donuts, gift shop, bakery, wreaths. O - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Pochuck Valley Farm Facebook page. Route 23 N to Route 94 N to Route 517 N. In addition to u-pick, there is pre-picked: Apples, pumpkins, peaches, plums, pears, vegetables. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Crispin, Empire, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Greenings, Jonathan, Macoun, McIntosh, Mutsu, Northern Spies, Red Delicious, Quince, Rome Beauty, Stayman/Winesap. We also have Jersey Fresh Cooks cookbook, baked goods, jams, jellies, deli, ice cream, maple & honey products, mums, cider, donuts, gift shop, bakery, wreaths. Our Farm is home to over 2,000 trees which hold a varieties of fruits and vegetables. The fruit trees on our farm include Apple, Cherry, Peach, Pear, and Plum. The fruits all have their own season where they are the best for picking. All of these dates are listed below or under the Pick Your OwnFacebook page. This year another 600 trees are being planted to grow more Apples, peaches and plums. Apples that you can pick are Red Delicious, McIntosh, Cortland, Rhode Island Greening, Macoun, Jonathan, Mutsu, Winesap, Rome, Golden Delicious and more.Come visit our 108 year old country farm, Pick Apple's and Pears, visit our deli farm market and bakery for homemade donuts and pies, and specialty items.

Warren County

• Stoneyfield Orchards - Strawberries, Sour cherries, peaches, plums, apples, pears
  5 Orchard Street, Belvidere, NJ . Phone: (908) 475-5209. Email: info@stoneyfieldorchard.com. Open: Retail stand: daily, year round; pick your own available only June - October, 9 am to 5:30 pm. Directions: From Route 80, Exit 12, S on Route 521 to Hope, Route 519 to Route 46, turn right, go west on Route 46 to Belvidere sign, left on Route 620, go S to first left \(Orchard St.\), on left side. In addition to u-pick, there is pre-picked: Strawberries, sweet & sour cherries, peaches, apples, pumpkins, nectarines, pears, tomatoes, potatoes. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Checks, WIC and Senior FMNP.
  Stoneyfield Orchards Facebook page. Call ahead for appointment From Route 80, Exit 12, S on Route 521 to Hope, Route 519 to Route 46, turn right, go west on Route 46 to Belvidere sign, left on Route 620, go S to first left (Orchard St.), on left side. In addition to u-pick, there is pre-picked: Strawberries, sweet & sour cherries, peaches, apples, pumpkins, nectarines, pears, tomatoes, potatoes. Stoneyfield Orchard Facebook page. Our apple varieties are Baldwin, Britemac, Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Ginger Gold, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Ida Red, Jersey Mac, Jersey Red, Jonagold, Jonathan, Macoun, McIntosh, Northern Spy, Red Delicious, Rome, Stayman/Winesap. We also have Eggs, cheeses, jellies, maple syrup, apples and cider available until March, Vermont cheese, preserves, relishes, salad dressingsNo Credit Cards. Pick-Your-Own ScheduleJune - StrawberriesJune / July - Sour CherriesJuly / August - Peaches & PlumsAugust / September / October - Apples & Pears
• Von Thun Farms - apples, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (yellow), raspberries (black), Fresh eggs, porta-potties, picnic area you may bring your own food, inflatables or bounce houses, trike track, pedal kart track, mini-golf, pony rides, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours, group reservations
  428 Route 57 West, Washington, NJ 07882. Phone: (908) 689-3761. Email: cindy@vonthunfarms.com. Open: Strawberries: mid - May thru early June Raspberries: mid - July thru August Blackberries: mid - July thru August Peaches: June, July, August Apples: mid - September thru October, Weekdays, 10am to 6 pm, Weekends 9am to 5:30pm. Directions: Located between Tractor Supply and Warren County College on Route 57. Accessible from Route 78, Route 46 and Route 31. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx, WIC Vouchers.
  Von Thun Farms Facebook page. We use integrated pest management practices (IPM)With lots of raspberry and blackberry varieties to pick, they're available for picking all summer! There's a fee to pick, but it's deducted from your purchase at checkout. Strawberries will be available for picking, weather permitting, in late May.The availability of our berries depends on the weather and the seasons listed are approximate. Warm days and/or nights ripen the fruit. Cool days and/or nights delay ripening. Always call for current crop availability before heading out to the farm.(UPDATED: June 05, 2019)

 

Peaches

Peach Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

In the U.S., Peaches typically peak during late June through July in the South, and July and August in the North. In order to produce good local peaches, 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 peaches for home canning, see this page!

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - Peaches 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 peaches, 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 Peaches 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 peaches are! There are two major types of peaches: "Freestone" and. "Clingstone". Freestone peaches 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 peach 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 peaches 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 Peach jam or canned peaches - It is VERY easy - especially with our free
    - peach jam instructions - they're illustrated and easy and our page on
    - how to make home canned peaches from fresh!
   - Or see here to freeze peaches instead!
   - make your own home canned peach pie filling to use in the winter
5. Here's a great and easy peach pie recipe
   or peach-blueberry pie  or how about
   - peach salsa?
   - Peach chutney
   - Spiced peaches
   - peach butter
   - Peach honey
   - pickled peaches
   - peach syrup
   - peach juice
6. Here are some great and easy peach desert recipes, like easy peach cobbler.
7. If you want more information about the Giant Peach water tower in Gaffney, SC, click here.

Temporary Storage Tips

• Ripe peaches have a creamy or golden undertone and "peachy-sweet" fragrance.
• Peaches 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 33 F to 40 F  and high humidity (a vegetable drawer in the fridge).

How to tell if the peaches are ripe!

• Attached to the tree: Peaches are best picked when the fruit separates easily from the twigs. If it is hard to pull off the tree, it isn't ripe! Peaches 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 peach 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 peaches very firm, pick your peaches with just a little "give" when gently pressed. Peaches at this stage are great for eating, freezing, and baking. Peaches won't ripen very much after picking!
• Odor: It should smell sweet and ripe!

Tips on How to Pick Peaches

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

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

How much do you need?

Raw measures:

• About 2 medium peaches = 1 cup sliced peaches.
• About 4 medium peaches = 1 cup pureed peach.
• About 3 medium peaches = 1 pound of peaches

Process yields (Raw amounts to processed amounts)

• 2 to 21/2 pounds of fresh peaches yields 1 quart canned
• 1 lb of fresh peaches typically yields 3 cups of peeled, sliced peaches 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 peaches.
• An average of 171/2 pounds of fresh peaches 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 peaches makes about 4 cups puree, so 2-3 peaches make about 2 cups puree. 1 peach equals about 1 cup puree.

Peaches - 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 peach 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 peaches 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.

---

 

 

Peach pit tips

It's best to remove peach pits before you cook the peaches. Cherry, peach, and apricot pits also contain amygdalin; the latter two, in potentially harmful amounts. Fortunately, 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