Blackberries, peaches, pumpkins: Where to pick your own fruit in Kentucky

Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, Louisville Courier Journal
·5 min read
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With summer in the air, people are looking for more activities to do outside. Public pools are open, concerts and plays in the park are being presented, and produce are in season for picking.

While strawberry season is almost over (catch them next year, starting in May), many farms around Kentucky also have other fruits to pick including blueberries, peaches and pumpkins.

It's something families can do together, making it a summer-long activity. Some of the local businesses have playgrounds, markets and farm animals, to enhance the trip. And for those that want to take local products home, some also have markets.

Here are what fruits, vegetables and flowers are in season for the summer and fall and where to find them:

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Blueberries

Summer is the perfect season to pick blueberries which are in season between June 15 and July 30, according to the Kentucky Harvest Calendar. U-pick blueberries are available at:

  • McGlasson Farms (5832 River Road, Hebron, Kentucky): Blueberry season opened June 9. The farm uses its social media to announce when berries are available. Blueberries are $7 per pound and they accept cash, check or Venmo. The farm provides containers for picking and do not require reservations. It is encouraged to call and confirm fruit is available. The farm is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

  • Evans Orchard and Cider Mill (1783 Newtown Pike, Georgetown, Kentucky): Blueberry picking starts the second week of June and usually lasts between three and four weeks. The farm is open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m., Sundays.

Peaches

Peach season is June 15 through Aug. 23, according to the Kentucky Harvest Calendar.

  • Mulberry Orchard (1330 Mulberry Pike, Shelbyville, Kentucky): Peaches are available between July and August. According to its website, the owners of the farm, Amanda Gajdzik and Matt Gajdzik "planted over 3,000 apple and peach trees in early 2010 with the desire to sell quality, local produce to their surrounding communities." They now have 17 different varieties of peaches. Mulberry Orchard is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Saturday, and 1-5 p.m., Sundays.

  • Eckert's Orchard (1396 Pinckard Pike, Versailles, Kentucky): U-pick peaches are available between July and August. They are $1.99 per pound plus the field access pass. Eckert's is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday.

Blackberries

There are two types of blackberries in season between the end of June and the beginning of July − thorny blackberries are harvested between June 30 and July 20 and thornless blackberries are in season between July 15 and Aug. 5, both of them depend on weather circumstances, the Kentucky Harvest Calendar says.

Apples

According to the Kentucky Harvest Calendar, apples are harvested between June 30 and November.

  • Mulberry Orchard (1330 Mulberry Pike, Shelbyville, Kentucky): Apple harvest at Mulberry Orchard is late June until October. They have 16 different types of apples and people can see what time of the season they will be available at their website.

  • Eckert's Orchard (1396 Pinckard Pike, Versailles, Kentucky): Apples are available between mid-August and October. Eckert's is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday.

  • McGlasson Farms (5832 River Road, Hebron, Kentucky): Starting Sept. 1, people can pick their own apples.

  • Evans Orchard and Cider Mill (1783 Newtown Pike, Georgetown, Kentucky): Apple season at Evans Orchard starts the second week of September. The schedule of apple varieties and harvest dates is available on its website.

  • Hidden Hollow Orchard (3200 Apple Hill Road): Hidden Hollow is a great place to pick some apples, and also enjoy their wildlife sanctuary. There is no charge for enjoying the farm, but individual apples are 35 cents, a medium-size bag is $5 and a 10-pound bag is $7.

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Pumpkins

Pumpkin season is Aug.15 to Nov. 30.

  • McGlasson Farms (5832 River Road, Hebron, Kentucky): People can pick their own pumpkins starting Sept. 1.

  • Eckert's Orchard (1396 Pinckard Pike, Versailles, Kentucky): Pumpkins will be available at Eckert's Orchard from late September to October. The website says pumpkins cost 79 cents per pound plus the field access.

  • Evans Orchard and Cider Mill (1783 Newtown Pike, Georgetown, Kentucky): People can pick pumpkins at Evans Orchard between the third week of September and the last week of October.

  • Mulberry Orchard (1330 Mulberry Pike, Shelbyville, Kentucky): Pumpkins and corn maze can be found during one of their many festivals of the fall season.

Sunflowers

It's not all fruits and vegetables, the farms also have sunflowers for people to pick and light up their homes.

  • Evans Orchard and Cider Mill (1783 Newtown Pike, Georgetown, Kentucky): The farm has 10 acres of sunflowers and zinnias. Sunflowers bloom the first week of August. They do ask people to check availability before going.

  • Eckert's Orchard (1396 Pinckard Pike, Versailles, Kentucky): The farm has a five-acre Sunflower Trail. "That means you can get up close, personal and even tickled by the beautiful flowers that can’t help but make most people smile," the website says.

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Reach Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez at abrinez@gannett.com; follow her on Twitter at @SoyAnaAlvarez

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Here are some of the farms to pick produce, flowers around Kentucky