Essex


<p>Somehow, despite the juice stains and paying-to-do-manual-labour, picking one’s own fruit / flowers / veg is unassailably charming. So dust off your broad-brimmed straw hat and head to the fields because as luck would have it there are a fair few PYO farms to choose from in Essex. Time to break out your inner Milly-Molly-Mandy, clear out some fridge space, and pick some darned delicious in-season fruit.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"> <a href="http://spencersfarmshop.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Spencer’s Farm Shop (opens in a new tab)">Spencer’s Farm Shop</a>, Halstead</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="822" src="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Spencers-Strawberries.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4494" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Spencers-Strawberries.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Spencers-Strawberries-300x247.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Spencers-Strawberries-768x631.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Spencers-Strawberries-639x525.jpg 639w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>This family-run farm has been offering PYO fruit since they first opened back in the 1970s, and they’re still one of the best places to get your fill of juicy berries – from gooseberries and loganberries to tayberries (nope, I’ve never heard of them either).&nbsp;They’re particularly proud of their table-top strawberries, which are grown at waist height for ease of picking. While the littlies have fun on the vintage tractor (there’s also a sandpit, ride-on toys and climbing frame), grab yourself something chilled at The Coffee Shop, or pop into the farm shop kitchen to top up your fruit with some home-made fare and locally brewed beer to tuck into back at home! </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" Park Fruit Farm (opens in a new tab)" href="https://parkfruitfarm.co.uk/" target="_blank"> Park Fruit Farm</a>, Frinton-on-Sea</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Apple-tree-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4526" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Apple-tree-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Apple-tree-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Apple-tree-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Apple-tree-1-700x525.jpg 700w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>This small but perfectly formed farm packs a fruity punch when it comes to PYO – with a gorgeous orchard jam-packed with everything from plums and blackberries to almost 40 types of apples. They also press their own juice (you’re welcome to see the squishing in action), which they sell in their well-stocked farm shop, along with their own home-grown fruits, veg, cider vinegar (made out of those pressed apples), locally reared meats and big jars of honey from a Tendring-based bee keeper.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="McLauchlans of Boxted (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.boxtedberries.com/" target="_blank">McLauchlans of Boxted</a>, Colchester</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="883" src="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Vintage-caravan-full.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4496" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Vintage-caravan-full.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Vintage-caravan-full-300x265.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Vintage-caravan-full-768x678.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Vintage-caravan-full-595x525.jpg 595w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The family have owned McLauchlans fruit farm for 80 years, so are old-hands at providing top-notch PYO, and love nothing more than helping visitors get the pick of the crops. When you arrive, you’ll be shown where the best crops are that day and away you go. Strawberries, blackcurrants and raspberries are still going strong (until early August) with sweetcorn popping up at the latter end of the month – perfect pickings for the barbi. PYO in the midday sun is hot stuff, so treat yourself and your pint-sized pickers to homemade fresh fruit ice lollies or iced coffee from the gorgeously vintage The Wondering Blossom.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Cammas Hall Fruit Farm (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.cammashall.co.uk/pyo/" target="_blank">Cammas Hall Fruit Farm</a>, Hatfield Broad Oak</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1080" height="483" src="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Strawberry-fields-forever.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4528" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Strawberry-fields-forever.jpg 1080w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Strawberry-fields-forever-300x134.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Strawberry-fields-forever-1024x458.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Strawberry-fields-forever-768x343.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Strawberry-fields-forever-900x403.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /></figure>



<p>Nestled on the border of Essex and Herts, you can choose from a huge range of juicy specimens – just click <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="here (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.cammashall.co.uk/pyo/" target="_blank">here</a> to find out what’s ripe for the picking or what’s coming soon. New to the farm this year is their Afternoon Tea in The Orchard room, where you can treat yourself to Grandma Pam’s homemade cakes, or tuck into some pizza cooked in the woodfired pizza oven. Before you head home, let the small peeps go wild in the play area while you check out the farm shop’s locally sourced goodies, from meats and cheese to delish chutneys, along with their own homemade jam and honey.&nbsp;If you’re a Beatles fan or just love an insta-worth snap, don’t miss the ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ sign! </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Lathcoats Farm (opens in a new tab)" href="http://eapples.co.uk" target="_blank">Lathcoats Farm</a>,  Galleywood </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="956" src="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/alpacas.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4498" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/alpacas.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/alpacas-300x287.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/alpacas-768x734.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/alpacas-549x525.jpg 549w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>This fourth-generation farm has been in the Taylor family since way back in 1912, and they’re passionate about offering their customers their own super-fresh fruit together with locally sourced treats from other local indie producers. Offering strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants and some early plums, it’s usually a case of the early bird gets the best pickings, as this farm is hugely popular. You could always kick start your pickings with a freshly brewed coffee and homemade cake from their Bee Shed Coffee House. Before you head home, their award-winning farm shop is also well worth a visit, while the little folk will want to say hello to the farm’s friendly residents, including alpacas and donkeys.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Bloomfield Fruit Farm (opens in a new tab)" href="http://facebook.com/BloomfieldFruitFarm" target="_blank">Bloomfield Fruit Farm</a>, Chipping Ongar</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="732" src="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/PLUMS.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4499" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/PLUMS.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/PLUMS-300x220.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/PLUMS-768x562.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/PLUMS-717x525.jpg 717w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>A sucker for juicy plums (*snigger*)? Then now’s the time to head over to Bloomfield Fruit farm, as late July is when these fruits are just starting to come out. Nestled in this beautiful part of the Essex countryside, the farm’s super-friendly experts on all things plum related will happily talk you through the varieties available (a good dozen in the UK alone) and which ones make the best jams or chutneys. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.littlemountainsfarm.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Little Mountains Farm (opens in a new tab)">Little Mountains Farm</a>, Maldon</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="582" src="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Buxtedberries-blackberries.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4500" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Buxtedberries-blackberries.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Buxtedberries-blackberries-300x175.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Buxtedberries-blackberries-768x447.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/07/Buxtedberries-blackberries-900x525.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Situated in the heart of rural Essex, Dennis William Mann took over the farm in 1952 and it’s currently run by his two sons and grandson, so it’s very much a family affair. It’s also a mixed working farm, so don’t be surprised to see the odd turkey on your fruit-picking travels. The guys just decided this week to open the farm again to PYO, as it had to close last week to give the fruits time to replenish. With no booking needed, you can pop along there this weekend and have your pick of their ripe and ready strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">And across the border in Suffolk&#8230;</h2>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://high-house.co.uk/" target="_blank">HIGH HOUSE FRUIT FARM</a><strong>, Woodbridge</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="714" src="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/07/Bury-Lane-SP4-06.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-8654" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/07/Bury-Lane-SP4-06.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/07/Bury-Lane-SP4-06-800x571.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/07/Bury-Lane-SP4-06-768x548.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/07/Bury-Lane-SP4-06-735x525.jpg 735w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Strawberries, cherries and plums are in abundance at this picturesque, organic, family-run farm, with apples ready to harvest in the autumn. Anything you don’t pick gets sent to nearby suppliers or squished into the farm’s own-brand juices and jams, which you can buy in the small on-site shop. It’s close to the coast, so make a day of it and visit nearby Orford Ness and if you get carried away and the kids become obsessed with PYO, there’s a campsite and holiday cottage too.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://goslingsfarm.com/pick-your-own/">GOSLINGS FARM</a>, near&nbsp;<strong>Felixstow</strong>e</h2>



<p>The big one of the bunch, Goslings has more than 30 polytunnels bursting with strawberries and raspberries. When you’ve reached peak picking, take a breather at the Garden Café, then head outside to stock up on blackberries, red currants, pears and blueberries. They take PYO seriously here, there’s even a timeline on the website showing what to pick when (cherries peak in July guys, get down there asap!). Situated off the A14, it’s a good idea to book in advance as things will have hotted up now school holidays have started.&nbsp;</p>


Best pick your own farms in Essex

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