One of my favorite ways to while away an hour is winding my way thru row after row of trees bursting with glistening, deep red cherries. My attention fixated on the heavy branches, eyes feasting on the color palate of red fruit, green leaves and blue sky.
A cooling breeze is a welcome counterpart to the warmth of the sun filtering thru the trees. Hands reaching for the perfectly ripe fruit and claiming particular cherries as my own. Into my bucket they go with a few not making it past my mouth.
As my teeth break the skin of my first cherry of the season and the sweet tasty juice bursts forth, thrilling my taste buds, I am more than content.
Cherry picking is therapeutic and a peacefulness settles on me sometime during the experience. I always feel tranquil and quiet inside for hours afterwards. It’s a day well spent and I have a bucket full of treasure to bring home.
2010 Cherry Picking is underway!
We went to the 5 Star Ranch this year and had such a wonderful time. We came home with many pounds of delicious Bing & Rainier cherries. These cherries are so much more flavorful than the supermarket. The people who run 5 Star Ranch are so friendly. If you ask and sometimes even if you don't they'll take the time to point out trees that have big ripe cherries.
They never use any pesticides or herbicides. The cherries are $3.00 lb but if you get on their email list they'll email you a coupon for a free pound with purchase. For the remainder of the season their hours will be: 8:00am - 3:00pm Saturday and Sunday, and 8:00am - 1:00pm weekdays thru June 2nd and possibly thru July 4th if they have cherries left. You can call or check their website for updated information:
5 Star Ranch
40109 90th St. West
Leona Valley, CA 93551.
(661) 270-9101
email: dan@5starranch.com
http://www.5starranch.com/
How To Get to 5 Star Ranch
Take the 5 Freeway north to the 14 Freeway north towards Palmdale/LancasterExit Palmdale Blvd and turn LeftDrive straight approximately 10 miles to 90th St. WestTurn LeftDrive straight to 40109 90th St. West Note: Palmdale Blvd. turns into Elizabeth Lake Rd. at 10th St. West
Scroll Down for more Cherry Picking Locations & Directions
Some Cherry picking tips:
Cherry season can be as short as 2 weeks or as long as 6 weeks so don’t wait. ( Although one farm’s cherries can be all gone and the another’s farm can still have plenty )
It’s a good idea to call first since a few farms are already open but most will be opening on June 12 or June 18th. You can also just drive down to Leona Valley and find signs directing you to open orchards. ( Bring this list with handy phone numbers in case you have any trouble finding an open orchard )
Go early to beat the heat but bring a jacket since the weather is unpredictable. Wear suncreen and bring a hat to shade your face. Bring water to keep hydrated.
Cherries stain so dress appropriately and bring baby wipes for the little ones.
You’ll be walking on dirt with holes here and there so closed toed shoes are strongly recommended.
Make sure your child knows to spit out the cherry pit. If you’re in doubt bring along or buy a cherry pitter.
Just a reminder: always keep your children in sight - a good rule in any public place
You might want to bring a cooler to keep the cherries their very freshest during the drive home: Once you get your cherries home, promptly refrigerate them and wash just prior to eating. You can freeze cherries. We like to pit them first so you can use them in smoothies all year long
Sour cherries make the best pies but are scarce. Call Cherry Tyme (661) 270-0649 for harvest dates.
Some details vary from farm to farm so call or check the farm’s website’s if any of the following are important to you:
Bring cash. Only a few places take credit cards so call if you need to charge your cherries. There is no charge for parking or admission. I have heard that some have a minimum purchase amount but I’ve never encountered this personally.
Some orchards plant full grown trees while others plant dwarf trees making all the cherries more accessible, especially for children.
Certain orchards have places to wash up and/or port-a-potties, tractor or wagon rides, picnic and barbeque areas and some offer other items for sale like cookbooks, t-shirts, cold drinks, water, honey, nuts, cherry pitters, baked goods and more!
Many of these orchards are pesticide free. Others are also herbicide, insecticide free and others are certified Organic.
Most orchards don’t allow pets.
Generally, you are asked to pick only the cherry and leave the stem which insures a good crop of cherries next year.
Some farms let you bring scissors and cut the cherries mid stem. Cherries with the stem intact are said to stay fresh longer.
One tree's cherries can taste different from the next. You might want to sample one from each tree you pick from. Remember, you pay by the pound so only taste the cherries and wait to feast until after you buy.
Directions to Leona Valley, California:
Leona Valley is only 50 minutes north of Los Angeles and 10 miles west of Palmdale. See Leona Valley on a map here.
From Los Angeles and San Fernando Valleys: Take the 5 freeway North to the Antelope Valley 14 Freeway North. Take the Palmdale Blvd exit and turn left (west) on Palmdale Blvd. Drive 9 miles to the center of Leona Valley and look for signs directing you to open orchards.
If you are going to a particular orchard just put the address along with your address here: www.mapquest.com and print out specific directions. You can even stop at some of the local businesses and ask for an orchard map.
Whether you want Vans, Bings, Tartarians, Stellas, Rainiers, Montmorency or Brooks cherries, I’m sure you can find what you are looking for at these local farms.
Below you will find a list of Los Angeles County Cherry Orchards in Leona Valley. However I do list one in Littlerock & one in Llano.
Leona Valley:
5 Star Ranch
40109 90th St. West
Leona Valley, CA 93551.
(661) 270-9101
email: dan@5starranch.com
http://www.5starranch.com/
Ambers U-Pick Cherry Farm
9300 Leona Avenue
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-1919
email: ambersfarm@roadrunner.com
http://www.ambersfarm.com/
C & D Cherries
40722 90th St. West
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 622-7061
http://www.cdcherries.com/
Northside U-Pic em sweet Cherries
9729 Northside Drive
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) -270-1290
email: northsidecherries@roadrunner. com
www.northsidecherries.com
Big John’s Cherries
9258 Leona Ave.
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-9565
email: upickfarm@dslextreme.com
Big John's Cherries website
Windy Ridge Cherry Orchard
9811 Leona Avenue
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-9106
email: wrcherries@antelecom.net
http://www.pickcherries.com/
The Cherry Pit Ranch
40164 90th Street West
Leona Valley, CA 93551
email: cherryfarmer@thecherrypitranc h.com/
http://thecherrypitranch.com/
Rhodes Orchard
10600 Leona Avenue,
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-1569
http://www.rhodesorchard.com/
Rolling Thunder U-Pic Cherry Ranch
10254 Leona Avenue
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-9688
www.rtcherryranch.com/
Copeland's Cherry Ranch
9611 Leona Avenue
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-1900
email: copelandscherryranch@gmail.com
Nessa Ranch
38820 Bouquet Canyon Rd
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-1973
email: nessaranch@netzero.net
Pitchfork Ranch
13500 Elizabeth Lake Rd
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-0680
Villa Del Sol Sweet Cherry Farm
6989 Elizabeth Lake Road
Leona Valley, CA 93551
661-270-1356
email: info@upickcherries.com
http://upickcherries.com/
Hobart's Cherries
40121 95th Street West
Leona Valley CA 93551
661-270-0342
Cherry Tyme Sour Pie Cherry Orchard
39913 107th St W
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-0649
Bright Ranch
10600 Leona Avenue
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-0905
email: briteranch@qnet.com
Sky Meadow Farms
11212 Elizabeth Lake Road
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-9524
http://www.skymeadowfarms.net/
Littlerock:
JL Farms
7651 Avenue U
Littlerock, CA 93543
661-944-9903aolo
email: jifarms77u@hotmail.com
Llano:
Brian Ranch Airport U-Pick Orchard
34810 Largo Vista Road
Llano, CA, 93544
(661) 261-3216
661-261-3216
email: felice@brianranch.com
A cooling breeze is a welcome counterpart to the warmth of the sun filtering thru the trees. Hands reaching for the perfectly ripe fruit and claiming particular cherries as my own. Into my bucket they go with a few not making it past my mouth.
As my teeth break the skin of my first cherry of the season and the sweet tasty juice bursts forth, thrilling my taste buds, I am more than content.
Cherry picking is therapeutic and a peacefulness settles on me sometime during the experience. I always feel tranquil and quiet inside for hours afterwards. It’s a day well spent and I have a bucket full of treasure to bring home.
2010 Cherry Picking is underway!
We went to the 5 Star Ranch this year and had such a wonderful time. We came home with many pounds of delicious Bing & Rainier cherries. These cherries are so much more flavorful than the supermarket. The people who run 5 Star Ranch are so friendly. If you ask and sometimes even if you don't they'll take the time to point out trees that have big ripe cherries.
They never use any pesticides or herbicides. The cherries are $3.00 lb but if you get on their email list they'll email you a coupon for a free pound with purchase. For the remainder of the season their hours will be: 8:00am - 3:00pm Saturday and Sunday, and 8:00am - 1:00pm weekdays thru June 2nd and possibly thru July 4th if they have cherries left. You can call or check their website for updated information:
5 Star Ranch
40109 90th St. West
Leona Valley, CA 93551.
(661) 270-9101
email: dan@5starranch.com
http://www.5starranch.com/
How To Get to 5 Star Ranch
Take the 5 Freeway north to the 14 Freeway north towards Palmdale/LancasterExit Palmdale Blvd and turn LeftDrive straight approximately 10 miles to 90th St. WestTurn LeftDrive straight to 40109 90th St. West Note: Palmdale Blvd. turns into Elizabeth Lake Rd. at 10th St. West
Scroll Down for more Cherry Picking Locations & Directions
Some Cherry picking tips:
Cherry season can be as short as 2 weeks or as long as 6 weeks so don’t wait. ( Although one farm’s cherries can be all gone and the another’s farm can still have plenty )
It’s a good idea to call first since a few farms are already open but most will be opening on June 12 or June 18th. You can also just drive down to Leona Valley and find signs directing you to open orchards. ( Bring this list with handy phone numbers in case you have any trouble finding an open orchard )
Go early to beat the heat but bring a jacket since the weather is unpredictable. Wear suncreen and bring a hat to shade your face. Bring water to keep hydrated.
Cherries stain so dress appropriately and bring baby wipes for the little ones.
You’ll be walking on dirt with holes here and there so closed toed shoes are strongly recommended.
Make sure your child knows to spit out the cherry pit. If you’re in doubt bring along or buy a cherry pitter.
Just a reminder: always keep your children in sight - a good rule in any public place
You might want to bring a cooler to keep the cherries their very freshest during the drive home: Once you get your cherries home, promptly refrigerate them and wash just prior to eating. You can freeze cherries. We like to pit them first so you can use them in smoothies all year long
Sour cherries make the best pies but are scarce. Call Cherry Tyme (661) 270-0649 for harvest dates.
Some details vary from farm to farm so call or check the farm’s website’s if any of the following are important to you:
Bring cash. Only a few places take credit cards so call if you need to charge your cherries. There is no charge for parking or admission. I have heard that some have a minimum purchase amount but I’ve never encountered this personally.
Some orchards plant full grown trees while others plant dwarf trees making all the cherries more accessible, especially for children.
Certain orchards have places to wash up and/or port-a-potties, tractor or wagon rides, picnic and barbeque areas and some offer other items for sale like cookbooks, t-shirts, cold drinks, water, honey, nuts, cherry pitters, baked goods and more!
Many of these orchards are pesticide free. Others are also herbicide, insecticide free and others are certified Organic.
Most orchards don’t allow pets.
Generally, you are asked to pick only the cherry and leave the stem which insures a good crop of cherries next year.
Some farms let you bring scissors and cut the cherries mid stem. Cherries with the stem intact are said to stay fresh longer.
One tree's cherries can taste different from the next. You might want to sample one from each tree you pick from. Remember, you pay by the pound so only taste the cherries and wait to feast until after you buy.
Directions to Leona Valley, California:
Leona Valley is only 50 minutes north of Los Angeles and 10 miles west of Palmdale. See Leona Valley on a map here.
From Los Angeles and San Fernando Valleys: Take the 5 freeway North to the Antelope Valley 14 Freeway North. Take the Palmdale Blvd exit and turn left (west) on Palmdale Blvd. Drive 9 miles to the center of Leona Valley and look for signs directing you to open orchards.
If you are going to a particular orchard just put the address along with your address here: www.mapquest.com and print out specific directions. You can even stop at some of the local businesses and ask for an orchard map.
Whether you want Vans, Bings, Tartarians, Stellas, Rainiers, Montmorency or Brooks cherries, I’m sure you can find what you are looking for at these local farms.
Below you will find a list of Los Angeles County Cherry Orchards in Leona Valley. However I do list one in Littlerock & one in Llano.
Leona Valley:
5 Star Ranch
40109 90th St. West
Leona Valley, CA 93551.
(661) 270-9101
email: dan@5starranch.com
http://www.5starranch.com/
Ambers U-Pick Cherry Farm
9300 Leona Avenue
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-1919
email: ambersfarm@roadrunner.com
http://www.ambersfarm.com/
C & D Cherries
40722 90th St. West
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 622-7061
http://www.cdcherries.com/
Northside U-Pic em sweet Cherries
9729 Northside Drive
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) -270-1290
email: northsidecherries@roadrunner. com
www.northsidecherries.com
Big John’s Cherries
9258 Leona Ave.
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-9565
email: upickfarm@dslextreme.com
Big John's Cherries website
Windy Ridge Cherry Orchard
9811 Leona Avenue
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-9106
email: wrcherries@antelecom.net
http://www.pickcherries.com/
The Cherry Pit Ranch
40164 90th Street West
Leona Valley, CA 93551
email: cherryfarmer@thecherrypitranc h.com/
http://thecherrypitranch.com/
Rhodes Orchard
10600 Leona Avenue,
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-1569
http://www.rhodesorchard.com/
Rolling Thunder U-Pic Cherry Ranch
10254 Leona Avenue
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-9688
www.rtcherryranch.com/
Copeland's Cherry Ranch
9611 Leona Avenue
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-1900
email: copelandscherryranch@gmail.com
Nessa Ranch
38820 Bouquet Canyon Rd
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-1973
email: nessaranch@netzero.net
Pitchfork Ranch
13500 Elizabeth Lake Rd
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-0680
Villa Del Sol Sweet Cherry Farm
6989 Elizabeth Lake Road
Leona Valley, CA 93551
661-270-1356
email: info@upickcherries.com
http://upickcherries.com/
Hobart's Cherries
40121 95th Street West
Leona Valley CA 93551
661-270-0342
Cherry Tyme Sour Pie Cherry Orchard
39913 107th St W
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-0649
Bright Ranch
10600 Leona Avenue
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-0905
email: briteranch@qnet.com
Sky Meadow Farms
11212 Elizabeth Lake Road
Leona Valley, CA 93551
(661) 270-9524
http://www.skymeadowfarms.net/
Littlerock:
JL Farms
7651 Avenue U
Littlerock, CA 93543
661-944-9903aolo
email: jifarms77u@hotmail.com
Llano:
Brian Ranch Airport U-Pick Orchard
34810 Largo Vista Road
Llano, CA, 93544
(661) 261-3216
661-261-3216
email: felice@brianranch.com
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