PICK-YOUR-OWN
Please call 203-458-PICK for more information, including availability, pricing, daily hours and locations. This line is updated daily during the picking season to provide the latest information.
Be sure to visit our the Farm Market & Creamery open year round!
At Bishop’s Orchards we work hard and take pride in growing the highest quality fruits to enjoy year after year from our family to yours. All the fresh products are available either seasonally at our Pick-Your-Own (PYO) locations and/or annually at our farm market.
- Strawberries
Mid June – Early July
As the first Pick-Your-Own fruit of the season, our sweet and juicy strawberries provide a healthy snack as is or can be prepared within a variety of tasty recipes from salads to desserts. Typically starting in mid-June and lasting until early July, there are varieties that we grow that have been carefully selected due to their flavor and ability to cultivate well in our New England soils and weather. Although the season for picking strawberries is short, it is worthwhile picking your batch as soon as possible before they are gone until next year.
- Blueberries
Mid July – Late August
A small berry is readily available mid-July and continues into late-August with approximately a six-to-seven week harvest period. As with our strawberries, we grow several varieties of blueberries on our lands that continuously ripen throughout the season. Do not take their small size the wrong way as they are very versatile and have excellent eating, cooking and freezing qualities. When picking, it is recommended that the berry has a full blue color to guarantee a full, sweet flavor. With a longer availability for picking, we rotate our picking areas to ensure a steady, uniform supply of ripe berries from the start to the end of the season.
- Peaches
Mid July – Mid September
Our soft, fuzzy-skinned freestone peaches are full of color and sweetly juicy with each bite. Due to their ideal tree-ripened picking and unpredictability, the Pick-Your-Own times are typically known a few days in advance. Do not let their temperament deter you from enjoying this sweet fruit because they are well worth the wait once they are ripe. Peaches are also a great source of Vitamin C and dietary fiber among other small quantities of vitamins and minerals including potassium. Enjoy all the health benefits and savor this luscious fruit fresh or prepared as a dessert and/or addition to your summer BBQ dinner.
- Raspberries
Late August – Mid October
A fragile fruit with deep red coloring and sweet, tangy flavors are available to be freshly picked starting in mid-to-late August and continues until late October with September being its peak time. In addition to their natural beauty and flavors, raspberries also offer a great source of dietary fiber and Vitamin C. To avoid spoilage, we recommend using them within a day unless properly stored fresh or frozen. With that said, there are many ways to use raspberries in salads, yogurt, juices, sauces, cakes and cookies.
- Pears
Late August – Mid September
Our own pears come in various sizes, shapes and colors with a distinct waist tapering to the stem. The season begins in late August with Bartlett Pears and runs until mid-September with Bosc Pears. Both pear varieties are distinct in their own way; Bartlett’s are juicy, sweet and excellent for eating, canning and cooking while Bosc’s are crisp and best for eating and cooking. Unique to Bishop’s Orchards, Bosc pears are available in our Farm Market typically from September until April.
- Apples
Late August – Late October
As the primary fruit of our orchard, apples are readily available from late August to late October. On site, we grow over 20 varieties of apples that suit all your needs whether it be for cooking, gifts, or a quick snack on the go. At our Fall Festival & Pick Your Own location, we provide two sized bags, $25 for 8qt bag and $45 for 1/2 bushel bag. On the weekends, our tractor wagon rides takes you around the orchard. Be sure to call 203-458-PICK to learn which varieties we are picking on the day you plan to visit! We also offer a wide selection of apples year round to choose from right in our Farm Market due to our special storage units that keep the apples “Tree fresh” long after they have been picked. To learn more & purchase tickets to our Fall Festival, click here. For general information about our Pick Your Own apple varieties, click here for our ‘Know Your Apples Guide’.
- Pumpkins
Mid September – Halloween
To wrap up our Pick-Your-Own season we have the hearty, sphere-shaped pumpkins ready to be used as a decoration during Halloween and Thanksgiving or prepared as a food item from pumpkin seeds to soups. Accompanying the apples, this is a fun time of the year to come for PYO to celebrate being outdoors with the fresh crisp air in our pumpkin crop. The season starts in mid-September and lasts through Halloween. In addition to pumpkins, we also have excellent pairings of mums, corn stalks, gourds, squash, Indian Corn and plentiful family activities to enjoy. Enjoy this colorful part of the year while making your fall decorating easy with quality products right from your local farm market. To learn more & purchase tickets to our Fall Festival, click here.
- Flowers
Mid July – First Frost
Our PYO flower field is located within our Main Orchard at 480 New England Road, Guilford, CT. PYO flower purchases are made at our Big Red Barn ticketing windows upon arrival. Select our small, medium, or large container and head to the flower field with your receipt (Vase is included in your purchase). Check in at our flower table in front of the flower field and a member of our Pick Crew will give you your vase and a pair of sheers along with instructions on how to select, cut, and strip flowers properly to ensure their longevity. Spend a while in the field taking in the sights, smells, and sounds while selecting your own curated selection of blooms. Head back to the flower check in table to drop off your sheers and fine tune your arrangement. Our Pick Crew will provide some after care instructions.