Spots Where You Can Pick Your Own

For those who enjoy picking their own produce, several farms in North County will open their gates and hand you buckets.

For $50 to $85, Julian Apple Mountain orchard will even rent you an entire apple tree to harvest yourself, with a guaranteed minimum production of two to six bushels. The orchard also has three hand-operated presses for you to make your own apple cider, and on weekends the orchard offers apple pie and apple doll making, and other activities.

“It’s intended as a family activity,” says Jan LaDou, proprietor of the orchard. “The idea was a spinoff from a very creative group of friends and a lot of bottles of wine.”

Over the years, insurance costs have reduced the number of farms offering pick-your-own fruit. Of those that do, most want you plucking off of trees you can reach from the ground.

“We don’t want them up on ladders,” says Elsie Haskell, of Haskell Farms. She tells the story, though, of one determined 85-year-old German woman who apparently didn’t like the pickings down low.

“She found a ladder somewhere and was up on top picking away,” Haskell says.

Often, the procedure is similar to that of Haskell Farms. Customers can call and leave a name and phone number. When the fruit is ripe, Haskell will call her list to let them know.

Prices generally are significantly lower than in a grocery store. For example, Haskell’s fruit goes for between 20 cents and 25 cents a pound, if you pick, and up to 35 cents a pound if the farm picks it for you.

Ironically, Haskell says, some people are better off letting someone from the farm pick the fruit. Their experience often yields better overall quality. They know, for example, that you don’t pick soft apricots but to put in your mouth right away.

“One woman was so proud that she’d finally picked it herself,” Haskell says. “She called back that day and said, ‘Please don’t let me pick my own again.’ ”

Below is a list of farms offering pick-your-own product.

Campbell’s Ranch, 2147 Via Monserate, Fallbrook. Call first: 728-0807 or 723-190. Crops: avocados, apples, pears, jujubes, fuyo persimmons, blood oranges, apricots, plums.

Julian Apple Mountain Orchard, 1125 Farmer Road, Julian. Call first: 765-1906. Crops: apples.

Haskell Farms, 16655 Guejito Road, Escondido. Call first: 749-2564. Crops: apples, apricots, peaches.

Julian Orchards, 1255 Julian Orchards Drive, at Farmer Road and Wynola Road, Julian. By appointment, call 765-0111. Crops: apples, crab apples.

Pankey Farms, 3264 Shearer Crossing, Bonsall. 728-1643. Pick-your-own produce: oranges, tangerines. Also grow and sell directly: grapefruit, avocados, kiwi fruit, sweet corn, cantaloupe, watermelon, raspberries, persimmons, tomatoes, apples, figs, dates.

Henry Thys, 4463 Rainbow Vista Drive, Fallbrook. Call first: 723-1988. Crops: lemons, limes, avocados.

Weidners’ Begonia Gardens, 695 Normandy Road, Leucadia. 436-2194. Dig your own tuberous begonias (three varieties). Also a picnic area and petting farm, with horses, sheep, goats, ducks and geese.