Harvest Maryland's Bounty at These 7 Pick-Your-Own Produce Farms

Here in Maryland, agriculture is our No. 1 industry, making our farm markets and orchards great places to get a mouth-watering taste of our biggest business. A number of family-owned farms not far from Baltimore give customers a first-hand chance to harvest nature's bounty and pick their own produce. Besides the undeniable fun of wandering through the fields, the produce you pick yourself is fresher, more nutritious and often tastes better than anything you'd find in a grocery store. There's nothing quite as satisfying or delicious as picking your favorite fresh produce straight from the fields and orchards and immediately enjoying the fruits of your labor.

Check out these seven farms that offer pick-your-own produce, each within roughly 30 minutes of our historic Rachael's Dowry Bed and Breakfast.

Jones Produce Farm │ Edgewood, MD │ 27 min.
For five farming generations, the Jones family has grown fresh produce, plants and flowers for the greater Baltimore area. In mid-May, they offer pick-your-own strawberries. The berries are plump and sweet, but the picking season is short...so don't miss out! In October, it's pumpkin-picking time. The pumpkins are available in a huge variety of sizes, shapes and colors, from small decorative pumpkins to lawn display sizes.

Hybridoma Organic Fruit Farm │ Baldwin, MD │ 33 min.
For those who value organic and sustainable agricultural practices, Hybridoma Organic Fruit Farm is a dream come true. They have acre after acre of berry fields where you can pick juicy blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. As an added bonus, you can try their wood-fired pizza and fresh-made Belgian waffles while you enjoy live music on the deck on Saturday nights.

Weber's Peachberry Farm │ Glen Arm, MD │ 26 min.
Weber's Peachberry Farm is owned and operated by the Weber family of Weber's Cider Mill Farm in Parkville, and is just 5 minutes north of the main farm market. Peachberry Farms is where Weber's grows much of their market produce, as well as offering pick-your-own adventures for strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches and apples. Be sure to check out some of their fun festivals that celebrate each season's harvest.

Larriland Farms │ Woodbine, MD │ 32 min.
The list of produce you can pick yourself at Larriland Farms is impressive and includes both fruits and vegetables. For something sweet, you can pick berries of all kinds, peaches, Asian pears, apples and even grapes. Pick-your-own vegetables includes beets, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, pumpkins, chard, broccoli and more. In September and October, you can take a hayride around the farm.

Rock Hill Orchard │ Mount Airy, MD │ 35 min.
The picking is good from June through October at Rock Hill Orchard. From berries and cherries to apples, peaches and pumpkins, there's a wide range of fruit-picking opportunities. You can even pick flowers and herbs. Rock Hill has a cow-to-cone dairy and creamery that makes fresh, premium ice cream from milk produced by their own Guernsey cows. Try a hand-dipped scoop of black raspberry, dark chocolate, or other delicious year-round and seasonal flavors.

Baugher's Orchard │ Westminster, MD │ 45 min.
A little bit longer drive from Baltimore, but undoubtedly worth the journey. Take a wagon ride out to the field where you'll do your own harvesting. The pick-your-own season starts with strawberries in May, before moving to sweet and sour cherries and sweet garden peas in June. Summer brings peaches, nectarines and plums, while fall's harvest nets a bounty of apples and pumpkins. Don't leave without taking home a sweet treat from Baugher's Bakery, which specializes in deep-dish fruit pies.

Gorman Farms │ Laurel, MD │ 23 min.
Gorman Farms is a community-supported agriculture farm, providing fresh, homegrown produce to 600 local families through their CSA program. Every May, they open up their strawberries fields to CSA members and the general public for picking — a spring harvest activity that has grown over the years to become a staple event in the community.