Pick-your-own farms may bring to mind pumpkin patches and apple orchards, but this activity isn’t just for fall. Farms in Westchester and the Hudson Valley are ripe with fresh fruits and vegetables during the summer season.
Hilltop Hanover Farm
Yorktown Heights; www.hilltophanoverfarm.org
This non-profit farm with an onsite environmental-education center puts sustainable agriculture first. In addition to its vegetable-heavy U-Pick program, the farm offers other initiatives including educational workshops and farm-to-table cooking classes.
Pick: Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, cucumbers, peas, beets, potatoes, and seasonal flowers are available starting in July with seasons lasting anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the crop.
Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm
Yorktown Heights; www.wilkensfarm.com
Conveniently located in Yorktown Heights, this family farm has been providing visitors with a hands-on agricultural experience for generations. What’s more, the property boasts three farm markets and tasting room pouring New York State wines, including vintages from onsite White Hill Vineyard, which opened in October.
Pick: Peaches and nectarines come into season in mid-August.
Rose Hill Farm
Red Hook; pickrosehillfarm.com
For a variety of pick-you-own fruits, head up to this Hudson Valley farm, founded in 1798. Rose Hill Farm also hosts tours, activities for families, and special events, all with spectacular views of the Catskill Mountains.
Pick: Sweet and tart cherries are ready for harvest from mid to late June until early July. Blueberry season runs from July to August, and stone fruits such as peaches, plums, prunes, and apricots, become available in August.