There’s something special about picking fruit and veg straight from the field with your kids — and getting to taste it minutes later. A trip to a pick your own farm makes for a brilliant, low-cost family day out, with fresh air, a bit of gentle exercise, and a tasty treat at the end of it.
Kids quickly get the hang of spotting the ripest, juiciest fruit and filling up their basket, and most love getting stuck into the cooking and baking once you’re home. Fair warning: one visit and they’ll be asking to go back before you’ve even left the car park.
And it’s not just strawberries on offer — depending on the farm and the season, you might find yourself picking anything from cherries and courgettes to pumpkins and wildflowers. Many farms grow a wide range of different crops across the year, so there’s usually something in season whenever you visit. Here are some of our favourite pick your own farms across Ireland and the UK.
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Pick Your Own Farms in Ireland
Lamberts Fruit Farm, Dublin
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Lamberts is one of the few remaining pick your own farms in Ireland, so it’s popular with families every summer. It’s only open on certain days between late June and early August, so it’s worth checking their Facebook page in advance for opening days and what’s ready for picking.
When it’s open, you’ll find strawberries, raspberries, tayberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries.
The Apple Farm, Tipperary
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Apples have been grown in this part of Tipperary for hundreds of years, and the orchards here have expanded steadily since the farm was established in 1968. Alongside apples, the farm also grows pears, plums, cherries, raspberries and strawberries, though usually only strawberries are available to pick, and only on occasional dates — so check before you travel.
There’s a farm shop open year-round, plus a camping and caravan park on site if you fancy making a longer stay of it.
The Village at Wheelocks, Wexford
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Wheelocks has been growing fruit near Enniscorthy since the 1950s, with strawberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries, raspberries, rhubarb and even pumpkins on offer. Wexford strawberries have a great reputation around the country for their sweetness, and Wheelocks is a lovely spot to pick your own and see how they grow.
Corderry Fruit Farm, Dundalk
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This family-run farm in Co Louth grows strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, apples, pumpkins and more. As well as supplying local supermarkets, Corderry offers pick your own during the summer months and again in autumn.
The Berry Farm, Wexford
Based in Clonroche, Co Wexford, The Berry Farm welcomes visitors for strawberry picking from May through to September.
Pick Your Own Farms in England
Copas Farm, Cookham, Berkshire
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Wander the fields at Copas Farm and pick your own seasonal fruit and veg, including asparagus, strawberries, cherries, gooseberries, runner beans, French beans and peas. There’s a small entry charge, which is then deducted from the cost of whatever you pick. The farm also holds occasional Fruit Festival Days during peak season, when you can eat fruit in the fields as you go.
Open from May to September, there’s an on-site shop stocking picked produce as well as jams, eggs, sausages and bacon.
Graveley Fruit Farm, Stevenage
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Set in the Hertfordshire countryside, Graveley Fruit Farm has been run by the same family for four generations. As well as strawberry picking in summer and pumpkin hunting in October, there’s a children’s adventure play area with a zip-wire, haystacks, tractor and trailer rides, and a café.
Expect strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants, grown on table-top systems at waist height for easy picking, with some crops in polytunnels so you can pick whatever the weather’s doing. You can also buy ready-picked fruit in the café if little legs get tired.
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Garsons of Esher, Esher, Surrey
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Set in the Surrey countryside, Garsons has one of the biggest pick your own farms in the UK, along with a garden centre and farm shop. It began life selling fresh produce at London’s Borough Market and has been growing fruit and veg for well over a century.
Open from June to October, you’ll find a huge range of crops, from strawberries and raspberries to runner beans, onions, peas and seasonal sunflowers. A handy map shows what’s ready for picking on the day, and everything is easily accessible with plenty of on-site parking.
Hillfield Nursery and Farm Shop, Norwich
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Hillfield is known for having one of the widest ranges of apples of any pick your own farm, alongside plenty of other fruit and vegetables to choose from. Whether you prefer wandering under the trees in the orchard or hunting for strawberries among the soft fruit, there’s plenty to enjoy. The season runs from May to October, and the farm shop is worth a browse too, with seasonal events such as a blossom walk through the orchards.
Stanhill Farm, Wilmington
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This family-run farm has a great range of pick your own fruit across its 150 acres, including strawberries, gooseberries, blackberries and blackcurrants from June to October. Parking is free and there’s no charge for picking — you simply pay for what you take home.
There’s also a maize maze open from July to September, with a different theme each year. There’s no café, but the Pick Your Own hut sells ice creams, drinks and refreshments, so bring a picnic and settle in for the day.
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Parkside Farm, Enfield
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Located in Enfield, North London, Parkside Farm lets little ones pick their own fruit and veg between June and October, including strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and a good range of vegetables. Many crops are grown on table-top systems, so there’s no bending down needed to find the best fruit. You only pay for what you pick, and there’s a dedicated picnic area plus a shop selling ice creams, meringues and local honey.
The Hop Shop, Castle Farm, Kent
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Set on a lavender farm in Kent, The Hop Shop is a beautiful spot for a pick your own visit, even in autumn once the lavender season has passed. You can pick pears, corn on the cob and Kent cob hazelnuts, along with a variety of apples — the orchard is mostly planted with Norfolk Royal trees, with a few Cox and Golden Delicious trees for cross-pollination.
The farm shop is well worth a visit in its own right, and there’s an old quince tree at the front usually laden with fruit. Picking generally continues into mid-October, though it’s worth checking ahead as this is a popular spot — and it’s a good idea to check their current payment options before you go.
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Trevaskis Farm, Cornwall
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Trevaskis Farm offers the full countryside day out, with fruit picking, a shop, farm park and a café with a great kids’ menu. Alongside pick your own cherries, you’ll find pumpkins, peas, sweetcorn and raspberries, with informative signposts around the farm to teach little ones about what’s growing. Entrance is free, so you only pay for what ends up in your basket, and all-weather polytunnels mean the Cornish weather won’t spoil your day.
The Balloon Tree Farmshop and Cafe, York
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With pick your own fruit, a children’s play area, an animal corner and a café known for its cakes, The Balloon Tree makes for a great day out in Yorkshire. Follow the PYO trail to pick whatever’s in season, from the first strawberries in May right through to the last pumpkins in October — plus blueberries, plums and runner beans along the way.
The play area sits right beside the café garden, so you can enjoy a cup of tea while keeping an eye on the kids. There’s a fully-functional kid-sized digger and tractor, a two-storey Wendy house and a climbing frame, and next door in Animal Corner you can say hello to the farm’s resident pygmy goats and pick up a bag of feed from the farm shop.
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Pick Your Own Farms in Scotland
Cairnie Fruit Farm, Fife
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Cairnie Fruit Farm has pick your own cherries alongside strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries, pumpkins and even sunflowers, with table-top strawberries for easy picking. There’s also a café, a funyard and a maize maze to enjoy.
If you visit in summer when the Mega Maize Maze is open, it’s well worth a go. Even outside maze season, the Funyard playground has trampolines, swings, slides, a fortress and tractors to keep kids entertained all day. There’s an entry fee for the funyard and maze, but it makes for a full family day out.
Charleton Fruit Farm, Montrose
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Charleton is a family-run farm where you can pick your own fruit, grab a bite in the converted barn café, browse the gift shop and let the kids loose in the play zones — one gated area for under-12s, and another for older kids (and grown-ups!). There’s plenty of seating overlooking the play areas, and even on busy summer weekends the farm manages the crowds well, with good parking and space to run around.
Throughout the year there are seasonal events too, from Easter egg hunts to choosing a Christmas tree in December. Pick Your Own typically starts in spring, with a good range of berries available depending on the season.
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East Yonderton Farm, Renfrew
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East Yonderton is a family-run soft fruit farm near Inchinnan, close to Glasgow Airport. During the fruit season the farm is open daily for picking, and ready-picked fruit can also be ordered for weekday collection. The farm also grows vegetables and potatoes, available for most of the year.
Border Berries, Kelso, Roxburghshire
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Strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, tayberries and peas are all up for picking at Border Berries, a family-run soft fruit farm with well-tended crops and pricing per kilo picked. Picking days depend on the weather and fruit availability, so check their Facebook page and website for the latest updates before heading over.
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Pick Your Own Farms in Wales
Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, Hawarden, Flintshire
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Between June and October, families can come and pick their own gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants, followed later in the season by apples, pears and plums, plus Hawarden Estate pumpkins. Pick up a biodegradable punnet at the farm shop when you arrive, then bring it back for weighing.
Aberbran Fawr Farm, Brecon, Powys
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Aberbran Fawr is a campsite in the Brecon Beacons National Park that also grows pick your own soft fruit, available (subject to availability) from mid-June to early August. As well as strawberries, you’ll find broad beans, peas, potatoes, raspberries and blackcurrants.
Hooton’s Homegrown, Brynsiencyn, Anglesey
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Hooton’s Homegrown offers a range of seasonal fruit on a pay-as-you-pick basis, with strawberries the main draw, plus blackcurrants, rhubarb, peas and broad beans. It’s worth checking their social media before you travel to confirm opening times and what’s currently available to pick.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pick your own farm?
A pick your own (PYO) farm lets visitors walk the fields or orchards and harvest their own fruit or vegetables, paying only for what they pick. It’s a lovely hands-on day out that also teaches kids where their food comes from.
When is the best time to visit a pick your own farm?
This depends on the crop and the farm — soft fruit like strawberries is usually at its best from late spring into summer, while apples, pears and pumpkins tend to be ready from early autumn. Most farms list their current picking calendar on their website or social media, so it’s worth checking before you set off.
What should we bring on a pick your own visit?
Comfortable shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, and something to carry your haul home in (some farms provide punnets or baskets, others ask you to bring your own bags or containers). A picnic is a good idea too, as not every farm has a café.
Do pick your own farms charge for parking or entry?
Policies vary from farm to farm, and can change, so it’s best to check directly with the farm or on their social media before you travel.
How do I find out if a farm is open before visiting?
Most pick your own farms post daily or weekly updates on availability via Facebook or their website, especially since picking depends heavily on the weather and how the crops are doing. A quick check before you leave saves a wasted trip.
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Before You Go…
Fancy more ideas like this? Browse our full collection of family days out and adventures for more inspiration on where to take the kids next — and save this article so you’ve got your pick your own list handy when the season starts.
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