Late June and early July are farm-to-table heaven in Pennsylvania as local orchards are filled with a wealth of fruit perfect for canning, eating fresh or savoring in homemade meals. At Weaver’s Orchard in southern Berks County, ripening times for cherries, raspberries and blueberries overlap from June 27 to July 8, making these two weeks around Independence Day an especially appealing time to pick early summer fruit.
Cherries and raspberries ripen first. This year’s crop is abundant and healthy at Weaver’s Orchard, the largest cherry grower in the greater Philadelphia region with 11 of the orchard’s 100-plus acres devoted to this fruit. Sour and dark sweet cherries are available now through July 8, and yellow sweet cherries are ready now through July 4. Red raspberries began June 13 and continue through July 11.
On June 27, a full acre of black raspberries and four acres of lush blueberries were ready for pick-your-own. Blueberry picking will continue through the month of July, and black raspberries through July 10.
For those wishing to cook in harmony with the seasons, Weaver’s Orchard offers a host of resources for using fresh produce.
Their free cooking classes run Tuesdays at 11 a.m., June 9- August 25 and demonstrate how to make fruit butters, jams, sweet and savory tarts, blueberry relish and more.
With engaging stories, Weaver’s Orchard’s Read ‘n’ Pick Story Time educates preschool through early elementary kids about local produce, teaches children the best ways to pick fruit and lets them pick a container of fruit. Children are invited to enjoy this unique way of learning about farm-to-table eating every Monday and Wednesday at 9:45 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
In addition to on-farm events, Weaver’s offers online resources including videos of past cooking classes and a blog with over 100 recipes. A cookbook that collects favorite orchard recipes is also available in the Weaver’s farm market and in their online store.
Pick-your-own fruit will continue until early November and customers are invited to pick plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, kiwi berries, pears, pumpkins and apples. Fruit picking is available from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
Weaver’s Orchard is located in scenic Berks County, less than 15 miles south of Reading and 5 miles north of Morgantown. Visit year-round for festivals, events, pick-your-own fruit and their farm market, which accepts FMNP and SNAP checks and features many local foods, a deli, bakery, produce, dairy and local meats. For more information, visit www.weaversorchard.com or call 610-856-7300.
