Known as the Cherry Capital of the world, the state of Michigan is home to over 75% of the globe’s cherries.
Visitors love to take part in the state’s National Cherry Festival every summer, commemorating the plentiful harvest and eating the tasty cherries.
There are lots of cherry farms located around Michigan, where you can visit and pick cherries throughout the season.
We’ve listed some of the best cherry-picking locations in Michigan below. These U-pick farms are areas where you can pick your own produce for low prices. Keep reading to discover some of Michigan’s best cherry-picking farms!
This family-friendly farm is located in Michigan’s Lake County. At over 60 years old, Corey Lake Orchards is full of activities to keep you entertained, ranging from an open farmers market to a scenic sunflower patch.
You can visit the farm from 9 am to 6 pm every day, apart from Tuesday. The cherries are of great quality and priced reasonably. Many people drive from all over the U.S. to enjoy these fruits.
Other than cherries, visitors can take part in tasting wines, hard ciders, brandy, and spirits that are made on the farm. You can buy some of these to enjoy at home too.
Corey Lake Orchards is a great place to visit if you’re looking for more activities to keep your family entertained, in addition to cherry-picking.
King Orchards is located in Central Lake. This U-pick location is a great place to pick seasonal produce throughout the year. Examples include apples in September, strawberries in June, and of course, cherries in July.
King Orchards will provide the things you need, like bags and boxes to store the cherries, as well as a free cherry pitting service. The farm prunes the cherry trees regularly so that people can easily reach their produce.
The farm doesn’t charge an entrance fee, but you will need to pay for every pound of cherries that you pick.
One pail of cherries is roughly eight pounds, which costs around $18 each. The cost will decrease the more pails you buy.
After you are done picking, you can enjoy freshly baked treats at the bakery, as well as purchase jellies and jams made with the farm’s produce.
Farming fruit since the late 19th century, Crane Orchards has lots of flavorful produce on offer.
In addition to cherry-picking, visitors can sit down in their traditional pantry restaurant. It’s a great place to relax and enjoy a meal after a day out picking cherries.
Visitors can also take part in other activities that entertain a range of ages, like a cow train, hayrides, and a corn maze. Other than the cherries, you can also buy frozen pies, jellies, and jams to enjoy on your journey back.
You’ll need to pay an entrance fee to take part in the activities. Adults will cost $7, while kids over 6 years old cost $5.
Crane Orchards is one of Michigan’s greatest cherry-picking locations, so consider visiting the farm when you’re next in the state.
You can find Rennie Orchards a 20-minute drive away from Traverse City, where Michigan’s yearly cherry festival takes place. This family-run business grows lots of cherries for picking, as well as 19 varieties of apples.
Rennie Orchards opens slightly later than other cherry-picking farms, from 10 am to 5 pm each day.
The farm’s owners are very friendly and knowledgeable about their farm’s practices. They also grow and maintain areas of eye-level fruit, which allow children to easily pick cherries from the trees.
If you can’t travel to the farm, Rennie Orchards ships fresh produce all over the state. They also post regularly on Facebook, informing people about the best produce to be harvested every week.
Klenk Orchards grows lots of different types of cherries that are available to pick. The parking lot isn’t too far from the trees, which is ideal for younger children that don’t want to walk a far distance.
You can opt to pick the cherries yourself or have them readily picked for you. U-pick prices cost $2 per pound of cherries, while pre-picked cherries cost $3 per pound.
The farm also offers tractor rides for young kids that keep them entertained during their visit. After you’re done picking your cherries, you can enjoy a pre-packed picnic on the site’s grounds to finish off your day.
Wasem Fruit Farm is a family-friendly space located in southeastern Michigan. The staff works around the clock to give visitors a great experience.
The farm takes pride in providing excellent produce, particularly pick-your-own pumpkins, apples, and cherries. They also grow other types of fruit throughout the year, including pears, gooseberries, and plums.
Wasem Fruit Farm is different from other cherry-picking farms, as it is only open on Fridays, from 9 am to 3 pm. Other than picking produce, visitors can also enjoy fresh cider and donuts sold on the farm.
The farm is a dog-friendly space, but dogs do have to be kept on a lead and out of the farm’s store.
If you’re after several types of cherries that are all large and full of flavor, you can’t go wrong with Rasch Cherries!
The farm offers several varieties of cherries, ranging from tart, dark, and sweet. The farm is open from 8 am to 8 pm every Monday to Saturday, and 12 pm to 5 pm every Sunday.
The staff are pleasant and will help you locate the best pick of cherries during your visit, directing you to trees that grow more produce.
If you visit Rasch Cherries, make sure you look at the farm’s stall. You can buy a selection of freshly baked treats to enjoy on your journey back, as well as cherry jellies, jam, and juice made onsite.
If you buy light tart cherries from the farm, Rasch Cherries provides a free cherry pitting service, using their pitter that is over 100 years old!
Found right in the middle of Traverse City, Third Coast Fruit Co. is over a century old and host to several types of cherries.
As it’s situated on the Old Mission Peninsula, you can end your cherry-picking day with a gorgeous sunset view. Whether you like tart or sweet cherries, the friendly staff will be able to help you find the perfect fruit to your tastes.
Third Coast Fruit Co. is open from 9:30 am – 6 pm, Monday to Sunday. You don’t need to make a reservation or booking, just turn up within business hours!
However, keep in mind that the farm is only open in the growing season, from the end of June to mid-August, so plan accordingly.
AJ’s Berry Farm is an affordable u-pick farm that has a variety of fruit on offer.
In addition to cherries, you can pick strawberries and pumpkins from the farm when they are in season. Most of their fruit produce costs $3 per quart, but this may vary depending on the type of fruit you pick.
If you are picking cherries or other fruit from the farm, it’s advised that you bring your own bucket. This will make it easier to take your fruit back home.
Other than the farm’s fruit trees which are full of ripe produce, you can browse farm stalls for a variety of fresh goods. These include baked treats, fresh fruit, and farm-raised meat.
The farm is also host to other activities to suit all ages, like a corn maze, barns, and hayrides. Additionally, a unique feature is that you can pick flowers around the estate and make bouquets out of them.
AJ’s Berry Farm is open from 9 am to 5 pm from Monday to Friday, and from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday.
This family business is known for its sustainable produce-growing procedures. They take the time to examine each crop for inconsistencies and only use non-toxic pest control methods.
Sandy Bottom’s berries are juicy, large, and very easy to pick. On average, each person may pick around three pounds of cherries per hour of picking. You can also enjoy picking blueberries and raspberries on the farm, which are also full of succulent flavors.
A tip to keep in mind is that Michigan summers are usually hot, so it’s better to visit the farm earlier in the morning, then spend the remainder of the day in the shade.
Final Thoughts
Fruit picking is a wonderful way to spend a day with friends and family, particularly in some of Michigan’s many cherry farms.
We hope that you visit some of the orchards listed above and that you try some of their fresh, juicy cherries for yourself!
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