As summer reaches her peak and we think we can smell September in the air, the branches of fruit trees all around us are growing heavy. Blueberries, raspberries, and many herbs and flowers are in their prime season, and we in the Upper Valley are lucky enough to have a menagerie of places where to indulge our craving for picking.

You do not have to look far to find a magical harvesting experience of your own. Make a bouquet of flowers from a unique garden, pick raspberries in the early morning mist, or walk along a sunny hillside filling up a bucket of plump blueberries. Picking your own fruit is not only a lovely local experience but is also incredibly rewarding and sustainable. Bring your whole family and spread out to the corners of the orchards to find the fruit that others have missed. Don’t forget to bring your own reusable bags and containers for a zero-waste experience, and of course, a mask.

Happy harvesting!

Riverview Farm

Riverview Farm, located at 141 River Road, Plainfield NH, has just launched its biggest season of the year. DIY picking for blueberries is now open, as well as for Paulared, Zestar, and Ginger Gold apples. This farm is located alongside the Connecticut River, with sprawling views, per its name. Don’t forget to come back in the fall for a corn maze, extensive apple and pumpkin picking, and the opening of their barn store (restrictions may apply due to COVID-19). If you cannot get out there to pick for whatever reason, look to their recently debuted online store riverview-farm.square.site/ for blueberries or order curbside pickup!

The Song Garden is a well-hidden gem located in Cornish, NH. At any other season, the Song Garden is a combination of a teahouse, where visitors can pick up free tea from an extensive collection, as well as chocolates and cookies, and a luxurious garden in which visitors create their own bouquets. However, due to (you guessed it) COVID-19, only the gardens are open, with picking by appointment. Not to fear, though, the appointments are made easily, and you can pick calmly knowing that the garden owners are keeping you safe from the virus. This is the perfect activity to relax a stressed mind and feel free to bring your own refreshments while you create your personalized bouquet as a substitute for the teahouse. If you want to take a trip but do not feel like picking yourself, you can also schedule a pickup of a pre-made bouquet or even order the delivery of a bouquet to a selection of local hospitals. Find out more information about this lovely hideaway at www.thesonggarden.com/ .

Cedar Circle, located at 225 Pavillion Road, East Thetford VT, plays host to a myriad of PYO (pick-your-own) possibilities. If you have not gotten enough flower picking at The Song Garden, swing by here for more options through September, make sure to bring your own scissors and containers. Cedar Circle also offers pick-your-own organic blueberries from mid-July through August. They request that you check their homepage cedarcirclefarm.org/ before showing up to pick as open times can be affected by weather and picking conditions. Visitors can fill their pint measurement containers while picking but must bring their own containers to carry the berries home. Their farm stand is also open from 9 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Sunday until October 31st. Are you stuck at home this fall? Stay tuned for their PYO pumpkin season starting in October!