U-Pick Peach Orchard

I'm looking for a u-pick peach orchard within driving distance on Chicago (no more than 2 hours) that's open on Sundays. I've found listings on LTH for apple and pumpkin orchards/farms and for other fruits, but not for peaches which are in season right now.

I'm more interested in going somewhere with good prices, a nice setting and maybe a restaurant than with carnival-type activities (no kids).

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

You're going to have to plan for a bit longer drive, I'm afraid; peaches just aren't grown commercially in either IL or WI, and I'm not aware of any U-picks in IN. Michigan is your best bet; you might want to investigate this:

http://www.michiganfarmfun.com/Actual/productsSearch.aspx

Good luck! I'm sure you'll find something suitable - just use the drop-down table, and select 'peaches.' Tons of options!

Illinois does have a relatively small commercial crop, but it's limited to Southern Illinois, more than your 2-hour limit. Here's a listing of some growers:

http://www.greatriverroad.com/Secondary ... chards.htm

Given the spotty summer we've had I understand that some growers had a bad peach crop this year. Illinois' climate isn't especially ideal for peach growing.

The Missouri database is here, but on a quick look, most growers seem to be central and southern. Peaches aren't nearly as hardy as apples, hence their more Southern growing habits.

Geo

Thanks for all the feedback. It looks like I'm heading to Michigan tomorrow. I found a few orchards within 100 miles and am trying to narrow those down based on price (although after driving there and back it probably won't matter) and variety.

Here are three: Springhope, Fruit Acres Farm and Jollay Orchards. I'll let you know which one I choose and how it is.

I went to two u-pick peach orchards in Michigan today and had a great time. The drive was a pleasant 100 mi and took a little under 2 hours each way.

The first farm was Fruit Acres Farms in Coloma, MI, and it was great. They had two varieties of peaches: White Blushing Star Freestone and Star 66 Freestone. There were a lot of people around and the staff was very friendly and helpful. Most of the peaches were a little too hard to eat right then, although I did manage to eat a few, but I think they'll be great in a few days.

The price was very reasonable at $0.75/pound, or $0.65/pound for 35 pounds or more. We took home 62 peaches (about 21 pounds), which came to $0.25/peach. By the time you factor in gas it was about $0.75/peach, still not bad considering the farmer's market peaches are $1 each, plus you can’t put a price on having fun.

Fruit Acres also has a market not far from the u-pick (just before the highway) that looked busy although I didn’t visit it myself.

After Fruit Acres we drove about a half mile up the road to Jollay Orchards just to check it out and found delicious u-pick raspberries at $3.75/pint or 2 for $7. This orchard is more family-oriented with a play area for kids and picnic tables, although they charge admission to the entertainment parts (no admission just to pick). We picked a pint of raspberries then went in search of the peaches and got four to try (we already have 20 pounds in the car). The peaches here were $0.89/pound although the workers were very nice and didn’t charge us for the four peaches, just for the raspberries.

There were a lot of apple trees there with a few different varieties that look like they’ll be ready in a few weeks. There’s also a shop with baked goods and a small amount of produce.

On the way back to the highway we made two more stops, one at a chocolate place were we bought delicious truffles and the other at Grandpa’s Cider Mill where they have backed goods, donuts and of course cider (LOVED the cider there).

All-in-all a full and fun day. Now I have a lot of baking/preserving to do.

Fruit Acres Farms
3390 Friday Rd, Coloma, MI 49038
(269) 468-5076
http://www.fruitacresfarms.com/

Jollay Orchards
1850 Friday Rd., Coloma, MI 49038
(269) 468-3075
http://www.jollayorchards.com/

Sounds like a great day! Lovely weather for a long-ish drive, too. The MI farmers from whom I buy stone fruit at various Chicagoland F-markets are very happy with the quality of the peaches and apricots this year, and have told me that the very deep snow cover this winter had a lot to do with it - deep snow provides great insulation, which is why there are orchards of fruits seemingly not at all suited for a MI winter.

Have fun processing them into tasty things - and when you get to the end, and have some very ripe ones around, do peel & pit them, puree with some honey and a little vanilla, add some heavy cream, chill - and make peach ice cream, for my money *the* best thing you can do to honor some of the best peaches around!

We purchased a ton of peaches from http://www.frankfarms.com

It's a bit of a hike from Chicago but they also have an awesome u-pick everything vegetable setup. Tons of various veggies all at .30/lb

Hi- I am glad you had a good time. I live in Evanston now, but I grew up on Fruit Acres Farm. My sister Annette and her husband took it over after my father died. FYI- Grampa's Cider Mill is owned by Jay Jolley, who is also connected with Jolley Orchards. Fruit Acres Farm Market also has wonderful cider, but they only make it in the fall when the apples are ripe. We used to make a ton of cider in the late fall using my father's special recipe, and then we would freeze it, but the cost of freezing it got to be too expensive. Our cider is always good, because we use the same types of apples every time, and we test them for their sugar content. Most of the cider you get at the farmer's market, they make cider from whatever apples they have left over, so the quality of the product varies from batch to batch.

I am glad you mentioned the truffle place. Tina's truffles are to die for. Tina used to live in the Chicago area, and she decided to move to the country, and open up her own truffle business. Her business is called Chocolate Garden, and her truffles have been featured on the food channel several times. The truffles cost $39 a pound, but they are better than any other truffles I have ever tried. She sells them out of her house, and she also does mailorder. Hope this helps, Nancy

JackieK, thank you for reporting back. I got some great peaches 2 weeks ago from Williams Orchards in New Carlisle, IN. Their listing says they do pick-your-own, but you should probably call. I just had my father-in-law pick up a half-bushel. I don't know how much they cost, as he insists on being paid in pie. I do know that the peaches were gorgeous-- perfectly ripe. I froze four discs of pie filling and four quarts of sugared peaches. I can't wait to get home and bake pies!
Cheers, Jen

From http://www.pickyourown.org/INnorth.htm

Ken Williams Orchards - u-pick apples and peaches when crop allows
9456 N. 500 E., LaPorte, IN 46350. Phone: (219) 778-2839. Directions: 5 miles north of Rolling Prairie, IN, on County road 500 East (LeMans Academy Rd.). Off of I-94: take Michigan Exit 1 off of I-94 south to County road 1000 North. Go east 6 miles to the second stop sign. Turn south and go one quarter mile. Routes are well marked with orchard signs. Email: kwilliamsorchards@yahoo.com. 8 am to 6 p.m. during peak season; 9 a.m .to 5 p.m. at end of the season. Call for availability and hours for u-pick. Season usually starts late July and runs until the last of the crop is sold.

NFriday - Wow, that must have been an incredible place to grow up. Your sister does a fantastic job running the orchard now and her staff was fantastic, very helpful and friendly. Plus the peaches were delicious! Now I wish I had tried their cider.

JenM - Thanks for the suggestion of the orchard in Indiana. I'm tempted to drive there as I'm already out of peaches but I think I'll restrain myself until apple picking season. I'm sure your pies will be delicious.

A really fun fall outing is to pick apples up at Fruit Acres. I love their orchard because it's just about the apples (there are no petting zoos or mazes etc) and they have a great variety. Then you can head up the road to Grandpa's Cider Mill to watch cider being pressed and enjoy both hot and cold cider and as many cider doughnuts as your belly can handle.

We love Jollay Farms for cherry picking but last time we tried to pick apples their it was pretty mobbed and we managed to score four apples. We love the staff there, super nice, but Fruit Acres is much more my speed come fall.

JackieK: Do you know how much longer they'll have peaches?

If you enjoyed the peaches, you might consider hitting Coloma next year during their Peach and Gladiola festival. It usually happens the first weekend of August. It's small but sweet. Even the local DQ gets in on the action and offers fresh, local peaches on sundaes.

bjt

Hi- I am glad you liked the peaches. Both of the varieties of peaches that my sister had were bred by her. She told me that the star 66 was a new variety that she has not named yet. She should still have upick peaches for several more weeks. I just spoke to her, and she told me that my aunt in Hillsdale just died, which we totally expected, so they are having the service this Saturday. It looks like I am going home Friday night, and driving to Hillsdale on Saturday. BTY- For anyone who is going to be in the Coloma area this weekend. My sister says that she is picking Chenango Strawberry apples right now. We are the largest grower of these apples in the country, and they are sometimes referred to as sheepnose apples. They are kind of shaped like a strawberries, and have a medium red color. I love these apples, and I can never find them at the farmer's market. I've been trying to talk some of the farmers in selling my sister's Chenangos, but I have not had any luck. They make wonderful applesauce, but they bruise easily and do not keep for a long time, so the chain stores don't want to sell them. They have a sweet taste, and are not super crisp like most apples are. Anybody that loves tart apples, will probably find these apples too sweet. Thanks, Nancy

Nancy: So sorry to hear about the loss in your family. Will Fruit Acres (the UPick, not the road side market) be open this Saturday or Sunday? I ask only because we will be in Coloma for the weekend and I have never picked peaches ay FA, only apples. I am also very intrigued by these early strawberry-shaped apples!

Thanks!

bjt

bjt wrote:Nancy: So sorry to hear about the loss in your family. Will Fruit Acres (the UPick, not the road side market) be open this Saturday or Sunday? I ask only because we will be in Coloma for the weekend and I have never picked peaches ay FA, only apples. I am also very intrigued by these early strawberry-shaped apples!

Thanks!

bjt

I just called Fruit Acres since I was looking for a U-Pick for this coming Sun. (This is on the way to where I am going to Michigan anyways). Fruit Acres said that their U-Pick will be open Sat., Sun., and Mon. this weekend. They said that including the hayride and picking, it would take about an hour. They said that you can't walk from the parking lot to the U-Pick area. You have to take a hayride.

Has anyone tried Tree-mendous Orchard? That was the place to go for fruit about 15 years ago. I know there is a cider mill not far from there too with a small diner. I can't come up with the name. It is in Dowagiac or Sister Lakes. Of course, this was 15 years ago....

http://www.treemendus-fruit.com/album1_015.htm

I bought some peaches from the Fruit Acres Fruit Market since I did not have time to do U-Pick. They had a lot of fruits to sample at the stand. I also bought some red raspberries since they looked too good to pass up. We just tried a truffle from Chocolate Garden. We think that they are better than Godiva truffles.

Bumping this since I'm heading up to MI tomorrow for peaches, want to choose closest one but not at sacrificing quality! Getting a very early start in the a.m. hopefully. NFriday your farm looks awesome, thanks for the input on the other thread.

Hi- I am glad that you are making it there. She should have lots of upick peaches tomorrow. She'll either have the last of the red haven, or one of her own variates such as allstar or blushing star. Thanks, Nancy

Nancy, we had a fun time today, it was a gorgeous day to drive with the top down and the orchard's location right off the highway was terrific. We bought a peck of Red Havens at the stand and then picked about 30 pounds of all star and bright star I believe. Wish it wasn't so far as I'd love to get there often. Thanks for the advice.

Hi- I am glad you had a good time. I considered going home this last weekend, but it did not happen. It is a long story. All the peaches should be good for freezing or making jam. Thanks, Nancy