Harvest Guides
When crops peak, where to pick your own, and which festivals are worth the drive — across California, Oregon & Washington, and beyond.
In season now
- Roundup7 min read
Best Cherry Picking near the Bay Area 2026 — U-Pick Farms
Brentwood is the Bay Area's cherry capital, with six u-pick farms within a mile of each other. Here's where to go and when — season closes by late May.
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- Roundup7 min read
Best Strawberry Picking in Southern California 2026
SoCal strawberry season runs almost year-round on the coast. Tanaka Farms in Irvine, Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark, and Carlsbad Strawberry Company are the anchors — here's the full picture.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Cherry Picking in Washington 2026 — U-Pick Season Guide
Washington's u-pick cherry season runs mid-June through early July — a tight window at farms from the Columbia Gorge to the Wenatchee Valley. Here's where to go and how to time it right.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Apricot Season in California 2026: U-Pick Farms & When to Go
California apricot season is one of the shortest of any stone fruit — May through June, peaking in late May. Here's where to find u-pick apricots and why Blenheim is worth seeking out.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Raspberry Picking in California 2026: U-Pick Farms & When to Go
Raspberry season in California runs June through September, with the Sierra Foothills offering the most u-pick farms and the Central Coast producing some of the finest fruit anywhere.
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- Crop & season8 min read
Blueberry Season in California 2026: U-Pick Farms & When to Go
California blueberry season peaks June and July, with nearly 30 u-pick farms from the Sierra Foothills to San Diego. Here's when the season runs by region and where to go pick your own.
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- Crop & season8 min read
Peach Season in California 2026: U-Pick Farms & Varieties
California peach season peaks July and August, with Brentwood leading for Bay Area visitors and farms across the Central Valley, Sierra Foothills, and coast. Here's when to go and where to find u-pick.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Plum Season in California 2026: U-Pick Farms & When to Go
California plum season runs June through August, with Brentwood leading for Bay Area visitors and the San Joaquin Valley producing the most fruit. The Santa Rosa plum is a California original worth seeking out.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Nectarine Season in California 2026: U-Pick Farms & When to Go
California nectarine season runs June through August — nearly identical to peach season. Brentwood has the densest cluster of u-pick options for Bay Area visitors.
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- Crop & season9 min read
Cherry Season in California 2026: Festivals & U-Pick Farms
California cherry season runs late April through mid-June. Here's when to go, which festivals to hit, and where to pick your own — by region.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Garlic Festival California: The Gilroy Guide
Gilroy is the garlic capital of the world, and the annual festival is one of California's most beloved summer events. Here's what to know before you go — and what else is worth exploring in the region.
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- Crop & season8 min read
Strawberry Festivals & U-Pick Farms in California 2026
California grows more strawberries than any other state. Here's when the season peaks by region, which festivals celebrate the harvest, and where to u-pick.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Lavender Season in California: Farms, Festivals & When to Go
California lavender season peaks June through July, with farms scattered across the state from Sonoma to San Diego. Here's where to go, when, and what makes each region worth the visit.
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Picking tips
How to spot ripe fruit, pick without bruising, and keep it fresh.
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- Regional8 min read
Willamette Valley Wine Harvest 2026 — Vineyard & U-Pick Guide
Oregon's Pinot Noir harvest runs September through October. Here's how to combine a vineyard tasting room visit with a u-pick farm stop in the Willamette Valley.
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- Roundup8 min read
Best Apple Picking in the Sierra Foothills 2026
Apple Hill in Camino has the highest density of u-pick apple farms in California, all within a few miles of each other off Highway 50. Season runs August through November — here's when each variety peaks.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Apple Picking in Washington 2026 — U-Pick Farms & Season Guide
Washington grows more apples than any other state, and every fall, orchards from the Wenatchee Valley to Green Bluff open for u-pick. Here's when to go and where to find the best farms.
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- Crop & season8 min read
Washington Grape Harvest 2026 — U-Pick & Wine Country Guide
Washington's grape harvest runs September through October. Whether you're visiting wine country during crush or picking table grapes at a farm, here's how to plan your harvest season trip.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Pear Season in California 2026: U-Pick Orchards & When to Go
California pear season runs August through November, with Bartlett leading in late summer and Sierra Foothills orchards extending into fall. Here's where to find u-pick pears and how to ripen them.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Tomato Season in California 2026: U-Pick & Heirloom Varieties
California tomato season peaks August through September. U-pick farms offer heirlooms, Sun Golds, and vine-ripe slicers you can't find at a grocery store. Here's where to go by region.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Blackberry Picking in California 2026: U-Pick Farms & When to Go
Blackberry season peaks July through September across California. With 23 u-pick farms from the Sierra Foothills to San Diego, here's where to go and when.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Fig Season in California 2026: Varieties, U-Pick & When to Go
California fig season runs July through October, with two crops: a smaller early harvest in July and the sweeter main crop August through October. Fresh figs are highly perishable — u-pick is one of the few ways to taste them truly tree-ripe.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Persimmon Season in California 2026: Fuyu vs. Hachiya
California persimmon season runs October through November — one of fall's most striking harvests. The key is knowing your variety: Fuyu is eaten crisp; Hachiya must be completely soft first.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Pomegranate Season in California 2026: U-Pick Farms & When to Go
California pomegranate season peaks in October, with the San Joaquin Valley producing the vast majority of U.S. supply. Pomegranates store exceptionally well — they're one of the best crops to pick in bulk.
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- Crop & season8 min read
Grape Harvest in California 2026: Crush Festivals & Wine Country
California grape harvest — crush season — runs August through October, bringing grape stomps, crush-pad tours, and harvest festivals from Sonoma to Temecula. Here's when each region picks and which 2026 festivals to plan around.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Citrus Season in California 2026: U-Pick Farms & Festivals
California citrus peaks December through March — mandarins lead in November, navels carry winter, and Valencias and lemons stretch into summer. Here's where to pick your own and which citrus festivals to catch in 2026.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Olive Harvest in California 2026: Festivals, Mills & Olive Oil
California's olive harvest runs October through January — no u-pick here, but mills run crush-season tours, tasting rooms pour fresh olio nuovo, and olive festivals celebrate the crop from Corning to Paso Robles.
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- Crop & season7 min read
Mushroom Festivals in California 2026: Fungus Fairs & Forays
Wild mushroom season in California runs on winter rain — November through March in the coastal forests — and the state's fungus fairs and foraging festivals follow the same calendar. Here's when the season runs, which festivals to plan around, and how to forage safely.
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- Regional7 min read
Hood River Fruit Loop: U-Pick & Farm Stand Guide 2026
A 35-mile scenic drive through Oregon's Hood River Valley orchard country under Mt. Hood — every u-pick farm, fruit stand, and lavender field on the loop, plus when each crop is ripe and the 2026 festivals worth planning around.
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- Crop & season8 min read
Pumpkin Festivals in California 2026: Patches & Weigh-Offs
From Half Moon Bay's world-record weigh-off to small-town patch festivals across the state — everything you need to plan pumpkin season in California.
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- Roundup4 min read
The Best SoCal Fall & Harvest Guides
The SoCal harvest guides we trust for apple picking, pumpkin patches, and fall festival planning — plus Gather Grove's own Southern California coverage.
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- Roundup3 min read
The Best Bay Area Harvest & U-Pick Guides
A short, honest list of the Bay Area harvest and u-pick resources we actually trust — and where Gather Grove fits in.
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- Crop & season9 min read
Apple Picking in California 2026: U-Pick Orchards & Festivals
California's best apple picking runs from Apple Hill in the Sierra Foothills to Oak Glen near LA. Here's where to go by region, which festivals to time your trip around, and tips for getting the most out of apple season.
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- Roundup4 min read
The Best NorCal Farm & Harvest Guides
The NorCal farm and harvest guides we trust for Apple Hill planning, Sierra Foothills farm trails, and Placer County agritourism — plus Gather Grove's own NorCal coverage.
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- Roundup4 min read
The Best California Harvest Festival Directories & Guides
A short list of the California harvest festival directories and roundup sites worth bookmarking — and how Gather Grove fits in alongside them.
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