How to Pick the Best Fruit

Hood Strawberry from web
TCBlack in Hand
Liberty
Bartlett Green 2
Heirloom Tomatoes

How to pick the best berries

  • For the most flavorful fruit, look for berries that are fully colored throughout the entire fruit.
  • Berries should be plump, juicy and colorful and should release from the stems easily.
  • Lift foliage to find hidden fruit.
  • Taste them! Feel free to sample a few, after all, it’s really the best way to tell if they are ripe!

Strawberries: best picked when bright/dark red all the way to tip (look underneath, too!). Leave stems on fruit for longer shelf-life. Flavor should be sweet and juicy.

Raspberries: best picked when dark red all the way to the tip and on back side, too. Berries should release easily from stem (white inner stem should remain on branch). Flavor should be slightly sweet-tart and juicy.
(Note: sunburn can cause white areas on berries these are OK to pick and will still taste good)

Blackberries: best picked when dark, glossy black, plump, with slight softness to skin (look on backside, too!). Berries should release easily from stem. Flavor should be sweet-tart and juicy.

Blueberries: best picked when blue all the way through to the tip. Berries should release easily from branches.

How to pick the best apples

  • Apples should be picked when fully ripe and sugar content has reached a specific level.
  • Our availability for picking will coincide with the best harvest time for each variety.
  • Apples should be lifted and gently twisted at the stem to release the stem. Place gently in a basket/bucket to prevent bruising.
  • Refrigeration will prolong the storage life of your apples. Storage time varies depending upon the variety.

How to pick the best pears

  • Pears should be slightly under-ripe when picking.
  • They will continue to ripen after picking and the sugar content will more fully develop with cold storage.
  • Refrigerate your pears for several days after picking and then allow to ripen on your kitchen counter for another couple of days for the best flavor.

How to pick the best tomatoes

  • Look for tomatoes with full color or with a slightly green neck.
  • Tomatoes should be fairly firm to the touch.
  • Experiment with colorful tomatoes, other than red, for unique flavors.