Plum U-Pick Orchards in Kent in 2024, by county
Below are the PYO orchards and farms for plums that we know of in this area. Not all areas have plums orchards or farms that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!
Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!
PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.
Kent
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Broomfield Farm - Meopham PYO - Apples, blackberries,
Christmas trees, currants (red and black), flowers, gooseberries, pears,
plums, pumpkins, raspberries (red), rhubarb, winter squash,
strawberries, Other fruit or veg, U-pick and already picked, concessions
/ refreshment stand, restrooms
Broomfield Farm, Ifield Road, Meopham, DA13 0QH. Phone: 07521242190. Email: hello@meophamfruit.co.uk. Open: Friday 10am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Directions: You can find Broomfield Farm along the A227 in Meopham. If you are travelling from the A2 / Gravesend direction you will find us on the right hand side after Meopham Green. If you are travelling from the M25/M20 Culverstone direction you will find us on the left hand side after Meopham Vets. Our Gooseberry season typically starts in May, followed closely by the Strawberry season which usually lasts from the end of May until early July; Pick Your Own Sunflowers should be available in August, with our apples and pears available in the Autumn; Pumpkins are available at the end of October;. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard. Click here for our Facebook page. We grow a range of fruit. Gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, plums, apples, pears, squash and pumpkins. As well as sunflowers and Christmas trees. We also have a Pop Up Tearooms on site, open the same days as PYO.We have decided to concentrate our efforts on Foxendown Farm having rented out Broomfield Farm to David Brown. David will be continue to grow a range of fruit with a strong emphasis on Pick Your Own. In addition to the contact information above, these work, too: dpbrown21@yahoo.co.uk and Tel: 07504 974517. (UPDATED: July 06, 2018, JBS) (ADDED: June 27, 2018) - Farmers Farm Shop - Raspberries
Little Court Lodge Farm, Tonbridge Road, Teston near Maidstone. Phone: 01622 813950. Directions: On the A26 (Tunbridge to Maidstone Road) in Teston close to the Teston Country Park. The farm shop also has raspberries, apple, plums, sweetcorn, runnerbeans, blackberries. Locally produced fruit and vegetables, free range eggs, pure fruit juice, cakes, sweet pies, preserves, confectionery and Christmas Trees. Facilities: Ample parking, nearby pub, easy access for disabled, Halloween and Christmas promotions, opposite Teston Country Park. Be sure to call before you go - I haven't seen an update about them in years.
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Felderland PYO Farm - Apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, flowers, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (red), winter squash, strawberries,
Deal Road, Worth, Deal, CT14 0BJ. Phone: 01304 611820. Email: felderlandpyo@bardsley-england.com. Open: Monday CLOSED Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 4 pm. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard, ApplePay. Set in 23 acres, Felderland Farm is one of the largest pick your own (PYO) farms in Kent and grows a wide range of seasonal produce. Can also buy cakes, ice cream dairy products etc. Pumpkins for sale in the farmshop in October. Felderland Farm is one of the largest pick your own (PYO) farms in Kent and grows a wide range of seasonal produce.
Click here for our Facebook page.
Click here for our Instagram page.
(UPDATED: February 05, 2023) - Garden House Orchards
- Strawberries, Gooseberries, Raspberries, Loganberries, Blackberries,
Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, Rhubarb, Victoria plums, and a variety of
apples, although Cox are our main crop.
Castle Road, Saltwood, Hythe, Kent CT21 4EH. Phone: 01303 260163. You can also pick your own Christmas tree in December (althought we will dig it up for you)! (UPDATED: 03 April 2016, JBS) (UPDATED: July 10, 2015, JBS)
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Hewitts Farm
- Strawberries, Gooseberries, Spinach, Raspberries, Broad Beans, Peas,
pumpkins, Cabbage, Beetroot, French Beans, Cauliflower, Broccolli, Various plums
and Apples
Hewitts Road, Orpington, Kent BR6 7QR. Phone: 01959 534666. ALternate phone: +44 (0) 7768 105669. Email: hewittsfarmorders@gmail.com. Open: every day throughout the year, closing only for a few days over the Christmas and new year period; During the summer we are open 9am - 5:30pm 7 days a week; All customers must have entered the farm before 5:00pm to give enough time to pick fruit before we close at 5:30pm. 'Pick Your Own' usually begins in June with stawberries, gooseberries and spinach. (Weather depending). We have a wide selection of fruits and vegetables to pick your own through out the season. According to a visitor: Hewitts was up to 20 years ago the largest farm in Europe. Now much of it is golf courses but they still grow Strawberries, Gooseberries, Spinach, Raspberries, Broad Beans, Peas, Cabbage, Beetroot, French Beans, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Various plums and Apples etc. (all in roughly chronological order). They are only 1 minute away from the nearest M25 junction (number 4). Sundays is always immensely busy! They also have a BBQ area. Click here for a link to our Facebook page. (UPDATED: July 9, 2020, JBS) -
Lower Hardres Farm Shop
- Gooseberries, Raspberries, Tayberries, Red currants, Black currants, plums, Blackberries, Pears
13 Butts Court, Lower Hardres, Canterbury, Kent CT4 5NT. Phone: 01227 700 947. Email: info@lowerhardresfarmshop.co.uk. Open: pick your own fruit from June till September, call for hours and crop availability. Pick your own means minimum packaging and zero food miles (apart from those you clock up when taking your harvest home). Growers also keep pesticides to a minimum, with biodiversity and beneficial insects encouraged by growing a wide range of varieties and crops. Throughout all the seasons of the year Lower Hardres Farm Shop always has a superb array of salads, vegetables and fruit - delivered fresh every day and sourced locally where possible for the freshest produce. We are committed to providing fresh, unadulterated food, produced without damaging the environment, selling local products wherever possible. Also, we aim to provide food at prices affordable by customers with a real interest in good, healthy food. Click here for a link to our Facebook page. the team at Lower Hardres Farm Shop make sure that all our products are fresh and locally sourced. In addition to stocking fresh produce from our farm and tender meat from our in-house butcher, we also have local ciders, cheeses, breads and other household products from reputable brands. Note that they no longer grow strawberries. (UPDATED: 13 July 2020 JBS) - Pippins Fruit Farm
- plums, apples,
Stonecourt Lane, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 4AB. Phone: 01892 824569. Email: PippinsFarmOrchards@gmail.com. It appears that they have PYO apples and plums only; no longer have PYO strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blueberries and redcurrants. (UPDATED: 03 April 2016, JBS) (UPDATED: July 15, 2015, JBS) (UPDATED: June 27, 2014, from their website) (UPDATED: 15 July 2010, by a visitor) -
Yew Tree Farm - Gooseberries,
black/red currants, raspberries, plums
Located on the B2046, Chillenden, Canterbury, Kent, England, UK. Phone: 0214. Directions: Take the A2 to the B2046 towards Wingham. Family farm growing a large range of fruit and vegetables and livestock. Farm shop opened in 1970. The farm shop also has their own potatoes, apples, pears, plums, raspberries, strawberries, French/runner beans, carrots, lettuce, courgette, pumpkin, squash, celeriac, calabrese, cauliflower, cabbage, purple sprouting broccoli, parsley, asparagus, rhubarb, spinach, sweetcorn. Fruit and veg, free range eggs, pure fruit juice, preserves, confectionery. Ample parking, nearby pub, easy access for disabled, toilets, Florest shop, calor gas.
Plum, Damson and Gage Picking Tips, Recipes and Information
In the U.K., Plums Damsons and Gages typically peak during July for Sugar Plums; August for Blue, Yellow and Red Plums. In order to produce good local plums, producers depend on ideal spring and early summer weather conditions, and no late frosts. If you are looking for a plum festival, see this page.
Before you leave to go to the farm:
- Always call before you go to the farm - Plums are affected by weather (both rain and cooler temperature) more than most crops. And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!
- Leave early. On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
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Some growers furnish picking containers designed for plums, but they may
charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to
bring
containers.
If you use your own containers, remember that heaping Plums more than 14 inches deep will bruise the fruit on the bottom. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers. - Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.
- You might want to ask whether the plums are! There are two major types of plums: "Freestone" and. "Clingstone". Freestone plums have flesh that slips easily away from the pit. Clingstones are a REAL pain, because the fruit tenaciously clings to the stone or pit! Most plum varieties grown today are freestone and are usually available (depending upon your location) from June through September. Some nectarines are freestone and some are clingstone. Freestone nectarines are available in June and July. Most plum varieties are clingstone.
Tips on How to Pick Plums
A plum is softer than most fruit, so it is important to pick a plum gently, with little pressure. Using the sides of your fingers rather your fingertips helps to avoid bruising. Grab the plum firmly and pull it straight off the branch. DON'T drop the plum into the basket, but set it in gently!
Picking Tips:
How to tell if the plums are ripe!
- Attached to the tree: Plums are best picked when the fruit separates easily from the twigs. If it is hard to pull off the tree, it isn't ripe! Plums will not ripen further once removed from the tree (they only "soften")
- Color: Green is definitely unripe, but you can't use red color as an indicator of how ripe a plum is. Different plum varieties have differing colours, darker is usually better in any variety. Pick them when the ground color changes from green to yellow, orange, red or even blue or purple (or a combination).
- Softness: unless you like your plums very firm, pick your plums with just a little "give" when gently pressed. Plums at this stage are great for eating, freezing, and baking. Plums won't ripen very much after picking!
- Odor: It should smell sweet and ripe!
- Larger plums are riper.
- Sugar plums grow in clusters, so carefully select the plum you want out of the cluster.
- Place them gently in a shallow wide container, no more than 8-inches deep, to avoid crushing the fruit.
Marks on the Plums: Bugs (particularly squash bugs and stink bugs)
bite fruit during development and this results in some imperfections in the
plum. This is especially the case with organically raised fruit. These
look like dents in the plums if the plums were bitten by a bug when they
were young. This causes a spot that does not grow properly and makes a wrinkle
in the plum. There's nothing wrong with these plums. They may look funny, but
they will taste just as good as blemish-free plums, and it's better not to
have the pesticides!
When you get home
- Spread the fruit out on towels or newspapers and separate any mushy or damaged fruit to use immediately.
- Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the others and freeze them up!
- Even under ideal conditions plums will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase
Make preserves, can or freeze!
Easy directions, step by step, with photos
- plum jam
- plum jelly
- canned plums
- freeze plums
- canned plum pie filling to use in the winter
- plum pie recipe
- plum-blueberry pie
- plum salsa
- Plum chutney
- Spiced plums
- Plum butter
- Pickled plums
- Here are some great and easy plum desert recipes, like easy plum cobbler..
Plum dessert recipes
- Plum Cobbler
This recipe is easy and DELICIOUS!!! - Plum Torte
- Italian Prune Plums (Empress Plums)
How much do you need?
Raw measures:
- About 2 medium plums = 1/2 cup sliced plums.
- About 4 medium plums = 1 /2cup pureed plum.
- About 3 medium plums = 1 /2 pound of plums
Process yields (Raw amounts to processed amounts)
- 2 to 21/2 pounds of fresh plums yields 1 quart canned
- 1 lb of fresh plums typically yields 3 cups of peeled, sliced plums or 2 cups or puree.
- It takes about 10 plums to fill one quart jar of canned plums.
- An average of 171/2 pounds of fresh plums are needed per canner load of 7 quarts;
- An average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints.
- 1 bushel = 48 to 50 pounds, yields approximately 18 to 25 quart jars.
Plums-Average retail price per pound and per cup equivalent
Plum pit tips
It's best to remove plum pits before you cook the plums. Cherry, plum, and apricot pits also contain amygdalin; the latter two, in potentially harmful amounts. Fortunately, plum and apricot pits are sufficiently large and hard that few people intentionally swallow or chew them. (The unapproved anti-cancer drug Laetrile is a semisynthetic derivative of amygdalin; a cheaper version of laetrile produced in Mexico came from crushed apricot pits.) See this page for more information.
Nutritional Information
- plums are virtually fat free. A medium size plum contains less than one gram of fat.
- plums are naturally sodium free.
- plums have no cholesterol.
- plums are a low calorie snack. A medium size plum contains only 40 calories.
- plums contain vitamin A which helps us see in dim light.
- plums are considered a good source of fiber. The skin of a plum provides both roughage and fiber.
Temporary Storage Tips
- Ripe plums have a creamy or golden undertone and "plumy-sweet" fragrance.
- Plums should be refrigerated and used within a few days.
- Putting plums in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature for a day or two can help soften firm fruit - but they won't become sweeter or ripen further - that stopped when they were removed from th etree.
- For best flavor, allow the fruit to ripen fully on the tree.
- Store at 33 F to 40 F and high humidity (a vegetable drawer in the fridge).
Click here for farmshops in this area