We’ve compiled a selection of the five best farms in New York state where you can get fresh cherries.
Many different types of cherries are available in New York, and you can use them for baking or making your jam. However, these taste best with fresh, organic produce.
So, the best place to get fresh produce in New York is undoubtedly the farmer’s markets or the farms themselves.
Cheerful Cherry Farm is a pick-your-own produce farm that allows you to pick your cherries. However, despite having a focus on the cherry in their name, they also grow:
Tomatoes
Apples
Jalapenos
Sweet Peppers
Cucumbers
These aren’t the only fruits and vegetables sold by Cheerful Cherry Farm, and they regularly update their Facebook page with different products for sale.
Located around Hector, New York, Cheerful Cherry Farm is typically closed during the winter. However, they regularly harvest their produce any time between June and September.
If you want to pick your cherries, check when the cherries are available. You can find this information on their Facebook page or contact them directly via telephone or email.
Usually, they will post when you can pick your sweet or sour cherries and offer a time slot.
The prices of cherries will vary, as will the cost of other products. However, we recommend checking the Facebook page in June and July if you want a solid time frame to see when cherries are available.
Fishkill Farms was founded in 1913 and was initially a fruit, dairy, chicken, and vegetable farm in East Fishkill, New York. However, it would quickly shift its focus onto apples and other fruits.
In the ‘90s, Fishkill Farms opened its doors to allow customers to pick their fruits during the season. The farm continues to grow and sustain its production and is known for its extensive history.
We find their cherries will ripen in the last weekend of June, and the peak picking season occurs during the 4th of July weekend. However, every season is different, so you should consider contacting Fishkill Farms directly when they open for the 2023 season.
Including cherries, you may also pick:
Strawberries
Currants
Donut Peaches
Blueberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Herbs
Flowers
Tomatoes
Peaches
Nectarines
Apples
Asian Pears
European Pears
Pumpkins
Sunflowers
The harvest season begins in June, but we recommend you visit Fishkill Farms for cherries from late June to the middle of July. For more factual information, don’t hesitate to contact Fishkill Farms directly, and remember to make a reservation in advance.
You can pick your own produce, and they also have a farm store open through the summer and fall seasons. Feel free to visit their cider garden, where you can also reserve a space for cider reservations.
Love Apple Farm has been a staple in New York’s Hudson Valley agricultural community for over fifty years. Numerous fruits are available for customers to pick during harvest, with the farm hosting an orchard of over 80 acres.
While they primarily focus on apples, don’t let the name mislead you. Many more fruits are available for customers to pick once they check-in.
When you purchase your UPICK bag, you will receive an orchard map outlining where to choose. Here, they will lay out the area, and you’ll find:
Cherries
Apples
Peaches
Plums
Nectarines
Blueberries
Blackberries
Gooseberries
Currants
Raspberries
Strawberries
You can purchase your food at the market, paying $35 for a family-sized ½ bushel or a $15 personal size ½ peck bag. Love Apple Farm also accepts credit cards and has plenty of fun activities on the farm that the whole family can enjoy.
If you want to go and pick your cherries, they are open from July through to October. We recommend picking your cherries in July. Love Apple Farm is open daily from 8 AM until 5 PM, meaning there is plenty of time to pick your cherries.
You can find Prospect Hill Orchards in Milton, Ulster County, New York, on the western side of the Hudson River. Prospect Hill is a seventh-generation fruit farm where you can pick the fruit when the harvest season allows.
At Prospect Hill Orchards, you can pick:
Sweet and Sour Cherries
Apricots
Plums
Peaches
Nectarines
Apples
Pears
Pumpkins
Their fruit harvest begins in the middle of June, and you’ll find that there are nine acres of cherries they have grown for customers to pick.
Prospect Hill produces two sweet cherries: “Bing” and “white,” and they also grow different varieties of sour or tart cherries.
All fruits are grown under the low-spray Integrated Pest Management program. They recommend preparing for all weather and wearing comfortable clothing at the farm.
You can also find their produce at the NYC Greenmarkets or go to their farm store to deliver items straight to your door.
You’ll find that the Prospect Hill store sells a mixture of Apple Crisps, Jam, Granola, and many more items you can deliver to your home.
Windy Acres Orchard is a farm located in Calverton, New York. They have a farmstand with an assorted U-Pick that starts in June and ends in October.
The availability of fruit and vegetables depends on the weather, but you’ll generally find that Windy Acres is a great place to get fresh produce.
You can purchase cherries from their farmstand, where you’ll discover Sour, Black Bing, and Queen Anne cherries to buy in pints and four-quart containers.
You’ll find that there are also a host of different fruits and vegetables you can pick, including:
Blackberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Apples
Potatoes
Zucchini
Eggplant
Peppers
Stringbeans
And many more. If you want to visit Windy Acres Orchard, you’ll find that they are open on the weekend and Mondays and Tuesdays.
If you wish to participate in U-Pick, it will cost $12.50 per person, and you’ll receive a ¼ peck bag to fill with produce or a peck box. Cash and card are both accepted, so you don’t need to worry if you forget to bring some money.
To find out when Windy Acres Orchard is open, you should check their Facebook page for any changes to their opening hours.
Next time you want to bake using cherries, consider heading to your local farm while they’re in season.
These farms will have the best cherries for you to choose from, and you’ll have a guarantee of whether they’re sour or sweet.
If you want to know other areas to go fruit picking, please check out some of our other articles to find the best farms and orchards to visit around the U.S. If you want to look for any certain fruits, then don’t hesitate to check out our other articles.
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