Pick Your Own Fruit

Taste the seasons in the Adelaide Hills, where the sweetest fruit is picked by your very own hand in the cherry, apple and fig orchards and the strawberry patch. Fruit picking is a fun day out for the whole family and the ideal way to introduce kids to where their food comes from.

Strawberry Picking at Beerenberg Farm, Hahndorf

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 for entry which is $5 per person, with kids 12 and under free. Be sure to browse and taste the incredible array of sauces, relishes and dressings while you're there. Pick to your heart's content and pay $10.95 per kilogram for the bounty you harvest. Remember to always check Beerenberg’s website in the top right hand corner and their Facebook page before your visit to see if the strawberry patch is open. While at the Beerenberg Farm Shop we highly recommend a Berryberg Swirl - a silky blend of Golden North Vanilla ice cream mixed with frozen farm fresh berries.

If you’re not up for a day of picking but are keen to get a taste of the region's fresh strawberries visit Green Valley Strawberries between Nairne and Woodside from Wednesday to Sunday in season for sales of strawberries and other fresh local fruit. They have a great cafe with plenty of strawberry themed drinks and dishes on the menu of course - with pancakes and waffles on the weekends!

Beerenberg Farm, Hahndorf

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 Fresh Cherries app. 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 to check on availability before you visit.

Stella Creek Cherries, Forest Range

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.

Fig Picking at Glen Ewin Estate, Houghton

Apples

Selected local growers invite visitors to experience the joy of picking beautiful crisp apples during their events in autumn (the dates vary depending on the weather over the growing season). 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. Follow the Facebook page for details.

@Lenswood is a 23-acre Pick Your Own orchard offering a variety of different apples. Handpick your apples when in season from late Feburary to May and taste a wide range of fresh local produce at their onsite Farm Cafe.

@Lenswood Pick Your Own

If you are looking for work picking fruit we suggest visiting the South Australian Government website for seasonal agricultural regional work, or contacting madec in Mount Barker who specialise in seasonal and harvest employment services.