Pick Your Own Fruit & Flowers
Taste the seasons in the Adelaide Hills, where the sweetest fruit is picked by your very own hand in the cherry, pear, apple and fig orchards... and the strawberry patch. Fruit picking is an iconic and beloved Adelaide Hills experience for the whole family and the ideal way to introduce kids to where their food comes from. You'll also discover flower farms where you can pick your own magnificent bunch, surrounded by a purple sea of lavender or fields of bright happy sunflowers.
Strawberries
Head to Beerenberg Farm in Hahndorf from November to April for an adventure in the strawberry patch. Their big, juicy strawberries are the perfect sweet treat in warm weather. Start at the farmshop to collect a punnet and pay a small entry fee, with kids 12 and under free. Pick to your heart's content and pay per kilogram for the bounty you harvest. Remember to always check Beerenberg’s website and their Facebook page before your visit to see if the strawberry patch is open. Allow extra time to check out the Farm Shop (jams, chutneys, relishes, dressings and sauces), tastings, cooking demonstrations, and Farm Café and Dairy (ice creamery).
Although they don't offer 'pick your own', Green Valley Strawberries between Nairne and Woodside is another highlight for strawberry lovers... with seasonally adjusted opening times and offerings - including sales of strawberries and other fresh local fruit. They have a great cafe with plenty of strawberry themed drinks and dishes on the menu, including pancakes and waffles!
Cherries
Cherries are in season from mid-November to mid-January, depending on weather. The cherry map is your guide to orchards to visit, or download the Fruit Producers SA's Fresh Fruit App for details. Stay tuned to the Cherries SA Facebook page for highlights and updates. Some growers offer picking, others shed door sales only but you’ll get all the information you need with this handy map. Most orchards will charge an entry fee, then you can pick to your heart’s delight and pay for the amount you have harvested based on weight - the price varies from season to season. It's worth ringing ahead or checking the individual orchard's social media to check on availability before you visit.
Figs
Go fig-crazy with the ultimate fig picking experience at the Willabrand orchards at Glen Ewin Estate in Houghton (available from February to April) where figs have been grown for more than 150 years. Fill your basket with fresh figs then head to the Fig Bar for a chilled wine and have your figs served up with a selection of local Adelaide Hills cheeses! The Fig Bar also features delicious fig ice cream – a must for those hot summer days. Pre-picked figs can also be purchased along with locally made delectable offerings such as fig jam, chocolate enrobed figs and chocolate filglettes.
Apples & Pears
A handful of growers invite visitors to experience the joy of picking beautiful crisp apples in their orchards during the apple season. Timing varies year-to-year depending on factors such as the weather, but generally it runs February to May. Visitors can pick their own fruit for purchase or buy other varieties of apples direct from the grower. Walk through the orchard and enjoy the autumn views then meet the grower and find out about how apples are grown. Enjoy lovely home-made produce near the warmth of heating in the shed or throw a picnic rug out on the ground and take in the picturesque surrounds.
Download the Fruit Producers SA's Fresh Fruit App for details of pick your own and shed door sales.
@Lenswood Pick Your Own is a 23-acre Pick Your Own orchard in Lenswood offering a variety of different apples. Handpick your apples when in season from late February to May and taste a wide range of fresh local produce at their onsite Farm Cafe.
Plummers Pick Your Own in Forest Range also welcomes visitors for apple picking throughout the season.
A number of other apple orchards open sporadically for special events such as Pomology Tarrawood, Mahnew and Ceravolo - keep an eye on their socials for upcoming events.
For all things pears, head to Paracombe Premium Perry at Paracombe in the northern Adelaide Hills. In February and March you can pick your own pears and year-round they offer tours and tastings, cider blending and making, and more agritourism educational experiences. Linger longer and enjoy Shed Door dining including wood oven pizzas overlooking the orchards.
Flower Picking
At Hahndorf Lavender Estate just outside the artisan village of Hahndorf you can experience the sights and smells of a lavender farm from roughly mid-December to mid-January. Discover their premium lavender products and pick your own bunch to take home.
In January and February head to Atkins Farm at Meadows in the southern Adelaide Hills to stroll through the fields of sunflowers for great photo opportunities and to collect up a bunch of your own.
While the Littlewood Agapanthus Farm in Littlehampton doesn't offer picking, it's another highlight for flower lovers, with a nursery and tours by appointment. Kidman Flower Co. has a native flower farm in Balhannah, where visitors can have a tour, afternoon tea and a flower arranging class to create a beautiful arrangement to take home.