1. Strawberries

Many South Australian children and adults alike have fond memories of walking down rows of strawberries and picking them off the bush. These sweet morsels wouldn’t end up in the container, though. Instead, you’d jam the strawberries in your gob, leaving the tell-tale sticky, red residue around your mouth.

There are a few places you can pick strawberries around Adelaide. Beerenberg Farm, on the outskirts of Hahndorf, is South Australia’s most well-known pick-your-own fruit destination. Visit the Adelaide Hills and pick some succulent strawberries before having lunch at the café and perusing the shop. At Beerenberg you’ll pay per kilo for the strawberries you pick.

Down at Mount Compass, you’ll find Fleurieu Harvest. Spend time picking fruit with the family before enjoying a homemade strawberry ice cream. Entry is $5 per adult, and a punnet, which holds about 1kg, is $12.

2. Cherries

Cherry farmers have been hit hard by the early summer storms, but Fleurieu Cherries are open for picking.

Fleurieu Cherries has more than 20 cherry varieties at its orchard, some sweet and others sour. Van and Stella are two popular sweet varieties. Stella cherries are typically a ruby red colour and heart-shaped, and ripen a week before Christmas.

keep an eye on Fleurieu Cherries’ website for updates on pick-your-own availability.

3. Figs

Glen Ewin Estate is well known as a spectacular wedding venue, but did you know it’s also home to more than 12,000 fig trees?

Located north-east of Adelaide, Willabrand Fresh Figs gives visitors the opportunity to forage through their orchard picking fresh figs straight from the tree.

The fig season is usually between February and April, with Glen Ewin opening at 9am daily for people wishing to pick their own fruit.

Check out Willabrand Fresh Figs’ website for updates on when the 2024 season will begin.

4. Apples

At the tail end of summer and throughout autumn, Lenswood Pick Your Own opens for apple picking. With eight varieties of apple – including fan favourites gala, Fuji and red delicious – on offer, the family will have a blast picking fruit.

Worried about the fruit being too high in the tree for kids? The farm hands out picking sticks to get those apples that are out of reach. Once you’ve had your fill, the kids can play a bit of apple row mini golf while you enjoy apple pie with ice cream.

For more information about the 2024 picking season, visit Lenswood Pick Your Own’s website.