Albemarle is full of fruit – Pick your own in Charlottesville

Charlottesville is full of terrific peach and apple orchards, and berry farms, for you to enjoy sweet local fruits of the earth.  Following are a few of our favorites; always call before trekking out to a farm, as some are family run businesses, and storms as well as weddings and funerals can impact open times!

In the Free Union area, the Berry Patch offers a peaceful setting for picking yummy blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries, 3035 Pevine Hollow, Free Union, VA 22932. Phone: 434-963-0659.  We’re past the date of berry picking this year (June-July generally), so put it on your calender for next year!

Open: Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, from 8 am to 12 noon; Thursday, from 5pm to 9pm. Directions: To get here from Charlottesville, follow Barracks Road west (which turns into Garth road) about 4 miles to Free Union Road at the Hunt Country store. Turn right and go about 3 miles to Free Union. Bear left on Millington road for 1/3 of a mile, then bear right on Wesley Chapel road, and follow the signs 3 miles to The BerryPatch. Click here for a map and directions.

In Crozet, Chiles Peach Orchard offers the pick-your-own option, and they have a store full of whatever’s fresh (already picked) and homemade frozen yogurt and fresh peach ice cream! In season, you’ll find peaches, nectarines, apples, cherries, strawberries, as well as pre-picked melons and vegetables.  1351 Greenwood Road, Crozet, VA 22932. Phone: 434-823-1583.

Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: Click here for a map and directions.

Carter Mountain Orchard is situated right along the way to Monticello, Michie Tavern, and Ashlawn, and you will enjoy some beautiful views from this mountain-top setting.  Peaches are in now through approx August 20, and apples available approx August 10th through November 15th.  There is a wonderful, annual  Apple Harvest Festival during the 1st and 2nd weekends of October, with music, crafts, and food.  Hay rides are given every weekend in September and October, weather permitting.

Open Monday-Saturday 9-6, Sunday 10-5, and Thursdays til 8PM.  Directions

Critzer Family Farm is a favorite spot for locals to pick vegetables, strawberries, and peaches in season.  Located in the Afton area, they are open until Nov 1st. If you don’t want to pick your own, there are bushels of already-picked peaches and apples, in season, available at the farm market, along with local vegetables, ciders, jams and jellies, local crafts, and gifts. There is an ice cream parlor which serves up frozen yogurt, soft serve ice cream, sundaes, shakes, and baked goodies. A fudge kitchen features fresh fudge in lots of flavors! Homemade Peach Ice Cream Days, 1st weekend in August each year. 9388 Critzer Shop Road, Route 151, Afton, VA. Phone: 540-456-4772.

Directions: 250 west 16 miles to foot of Afton Mountain. Left on Route 151, 1 mile on right. From Waynesboro, 250 east, 7 miles to foot of Afton Mountain. Right on Route 151, 1 mile on right. From Wintergreen, 10 miles north on 151.

There are many more opportunities, and there’s a website just for pick-your-own, with farms separated out by locality.  It’s called, PickYourOwn.org and it’s a great resource!