Without months of work in the garden, it is possible to have fresh fruit. Instead, head out of town to one of the many farms and orchards in rural Victoria to pick your own fresh fruit. It's a good idea to check the farm's website or call ahead to find out if it's open during the harvest season, as the farm may be closed due to seasonal circumstances.
Creating a delicious dish or sweet treat from scratch using produce that you grew or harvested yourself is an accomplishment like no other.
You're likely to feel the same way I do about the vegetables in my own backyard garden: ambivalent. Insects, rodents, and birds are always on my side when I try to plant something. Is it really worth the risk to eat a strawberry that isn't perfectly round?
If you're looking for a family outing that's both fun and educational, then a trip to a cherry orchard is the answer. Tick. Suitable for both children and adults? Tick. Diversions that cost no money? Tick. Going for a walk? Tick. What could be better than savouring the fruits of one's labour? Tick!
Explore some of the city's best cherry-picking hotspots. Picking dates and times vary by orchard and are usually from about mid-November to the beginning of January.
If you haven't picked any cherries yet this year because of the cold weather in Melbourne, it's now the perfect time!
Around 100 days a year, from November to the end of February, you can find these luscious, ruby red pearls in abundance in Australia.
As a mid-afternoon snack, in a child's lunchbox, or as part of a vacation meal, they're ideal. They can also be made into a year-round preserve, making them the classic summer fruit.
Fruits like cherries, which are low in calories and fat, are particularly high in antioxidants. As a result, they're not only tasty and flavorful, but they're also good for you.
Where, then, is the best place to go cherry picking in Victoria? We've compiled a list of nine possible locations. The trip is fun for the whole family, and nothing beats eating fresh-picked fruit.
It's a good idea to check the website or phone ahead of time to see if there are any cancellations or delays. If you don't want to cook, there are picnic areas where you can bring your own food and cherry orchards where you can eat as much as you want.
CherryHill Orchards
Wandin East, 480 Queens Road
Cherries are in season from November through early January at CherryHill Orchards in the Yarra Valley. Seasonally, the orchard's gift shop carries a wide selection of cherry-themed beverages. Cherry blossom festivals are held every spring, when the orchard is a sea of pink and white petals.
Cherryhill Orchards has been providing the world with delectable cherries since 1940. Or, if you prefer, order a shipment of large, attractive cherries from Wandin's orchards via the Internet.
In the course of cherry season, the charming Yarra Valley orchard is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm and also features a store selling the region's own cherries (excluding Christmas Day).
You can go fruit picking at Cherry Hills Orchards in the beautiful Yarra Valley; I was sold when they mentioned the valley. The price of admission includes unlimited cherry tastings and a shuttle ride to the best cherry-picking spots in the region. Is this your first time going on a picking trip? The workers at Cherry Hills Orchards will walk you through the process of picking the best cherry from the tree.
Prior to the event, online ticket sales are required. It is included in your admission fee to sample all of the cherry products we've selected for you to try out.
Cherrybomb Cherries
120 Wandin Creek Rd, Wandin East.
At Cherrybomb, there are more than 20 types of cherries to choose from, many of which are extremely rare. Weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. are prime times to catch a glimpse of them. Cherrybomb's next-door neighbour Jay Berries is a great place to go U-pick your own or buy your favourite berry in bulk.
Ripe 'N' Ready Cherry Farm
Postal Address: 52 Arkwells Lane, Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula
Cherry, black, rasp, boysen, marion and blueberry products can all be purchased right at the farm's front gate for your convenience. It's easy to spend the day fishing in the dam, which has been stocked with Rainbow Trout.
Bluehills Berry and Cherry Farm
For more than a century, an Australian family has operated a fruit farm in Silvan. Visitors from other states or countries will enjoy cherry picking in the morning and a relaxing family picnic at the Silvan reservoir nearby. An orchard tour and as much fruit as you can eat are included in the price of admission.
Cherry Haven
As a U-Pick orchard, Cherry Haven ensures that you get the freshest fruit possible. With 30 different types of cherries, Cherry Haven sits just 50 minutes from Melbourne city centre. Because the various varieties' ripeness varies from visit to visit, you can always find something new to try. A day trip here with the whole family is even more enjoyable if you bring your dog along and have a picnic in the orchard.
Cherry Haven is a family-owned u-pick cherry orchard located less than an hour outside of Melbourne's CBD.
Naturipe Fruits
Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia, 638 Bacchus Marsh Road
Family-owned and operated Naturipe Fruits can be found on Bacchus Marsh's historic Avenue Of Honour. Its six acres of cherry orchard are home to more than 15 different varieties of cherry, including the delicious rainier cherries, which are distinguished by their rich golden colour. Although Rainier cherries are more difficult to cultivate than the more common red type, their fresh or baked desserts are well worth the effort.
Just outside Bacchus Marsh, you can pick your own peaches, nectarines, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, or apples at this farm. It costs $6 for adults and $4 for children to go cherry picking, making it a low-cost activity. You'll be able to weigh your selections and pay for them after you've chosen your favourites (prices vary depending on the kind of fruit). A wide variety of fruits can be found between October and May.
Paynes Orchards
Mailing Address: 372 The Avenue of Honour, Bacchus Marsh
The orchard is only about 40 minutes from Melbourne, making it an ideal location for a day trip from the city. It's also reasonably priced: adults pay $5 to enter the farm, while children are admitted free of charge; parking is free, as are buckets, and the staff is always happy to assist. Check the website in November to plan your trip there.
Weekend cherry-picking hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. See the website for a complete listing of the fruits that are now ready for harvest. In order to get in, you'll have to pay $5 (with small children getting in for free).
Fruits and vegetables appropriate for the season abound in the storage sheds. Peaches, nectarines and apples, as well as other fruits and vegetables, are plentiful.
Conclusion
Visiting a cherry orchard is a great family outing that's both educational and entertaining. Australian cherries are available for about 100 days a year, from November through the end of February. Depending on the orchard, you can expect picking to take place anywhere from the middle of November to the beginning of January. It's peak cherry season at CherryHill Orchards from late November through early January. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Yarra Valley orchard is open to the public.
Jay Berries, a neighbour of Cherrybomb, is a great place to pick your own berries. Located less than an hour outside of Melbourne's central business district, Cherry Haven is a family-run u-pick cherry orchard. You can pick peaches, nectarines, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, and apples at Naturipe Fruits, which is just outside of Bacchus Marsh.
Content Summary
- Visit a farm or orchard in rural Victoria to pick your own fresh fruit instead.
- Eat a strawberry that isn't perfectly round if you must, but is it really worth the risk?
- For a family outing that is both educational and fun, consider a visit to a cherry orchard.
- Some of the best cherry-picking hotspots in the city can be found here.
- Orchards on Cherry HillA location at 480 Queens Road, Wandin East
- CherryHill Orchards in the Yarra Valley offers fresh cherries from November through the beginning of January.
- For the price of admission, you get unlimited cherry tastings and a shuttle ride to the region's best cherry-picking locations.
- There are workers at Cherry Hills Orchards who will show you the best way to pick a cherry.
- Cherries by Cherrybomb, 120 Wandin Creek Rd, Wandin East.
- Cherry Haven is a U-Pick orchard, so you know exactly what you're getting.
- Cherry Haven, a farm with more than 30 varieties of cherries, is only 50 minutes from downtown Melbourne.
- Located less than an hour outside of Melbourne's central business district, Cherry Haven is a family-run u-pick cherry orchard.
- Fruits from Natureipe
- Bacchus Marsh in the Australian state of Victoria, 638 Road to Bacchus On Bacchus Marsh's historic Avenue of Honour, you'll find the family-owned and operated Naturipe Fruits.
- One of its six acres is home to a cherry orchard with more than 15 varieties of cherries, including a particularly tasty rainier cherry.
- A low-cost activity, cherry picking costs $6 for adults and $4 for children.
- If you plan on visiting in November, check out the website.
- You'll need to pay $5 to get in (with small children getting in for free).
- The storage sheds are brimming with fresh seasonal produce.
FAQs About Melbourne
The cherry-picking season in Sydney can start as early as mid-October and can last till mid-February but the best time for cherry-picking is late November to just after Christmas.
Look for full bodies and boldly colored cherries to pick. You can tell when the cherry is ready to be picked because sweet cherries are firm when they are ripe. Expect the stems to stay attached when you pick it from a tree. If you plan on eating the cherry immediately, grab the cherry without the stem.