Nothing is more satisfying than fresh fruit that you’ve picked yourself. Here, Essex Life picks nine of the best farms in Essex where you can PYO...

Note: Please check with the venue direct before visiting to ensure they are welcoming visitors. Some places specialise in certain fruits that will only be available at specific times of the year

1. Cammas Hall Fruit Farm, Hatfield Broad Oak
Cammas Hall Farm is a beautiful family owned and run fruit farm on the Essex-Hertfordshire border. Spend the day here with the whole family picking fabulous fruits to your heart’s content – they offer strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, and gooseberries. When you start to feel peckish pay a visit to the on-site Tea Barn whilst the kids enjoy some time in the play area. Make sure you don’t leave without checking out the farm shop where they sell a wide range of local produce including meats, cheeses and chutneys.
Needham Green, Hatfield Broad Oak CM22 7JT; cammashall.co.uk

2. McLauchlans of Boxted Fruit Farm, Boxted Cross
Get yourself down to McLauchlans of Boxted before it’s too late. With the current fruit picking season well under way their fruit is going fast. To see what’s being grown at the time of your visit, check their website. All containers for holding fruit will be supplied by the farm staff and there is also a wonderful farm shop to browse through afterwards.
53 Straight Road, Boxted Cross, Colchester CO4 5RB; boxtedberries.com

3. Park Fruit Farm, Frinton-on-Sea
Open 9-5 Monday to Saturday, Park Fruit Farm in Frinton-on-Sea is a small, family-run farm now into its third generation. They are well-known locally for running a busy, well stocked little farm shop. Visit the farm to PYO plums and raspberries or buy freshly picked pears and apples from the farm shop. They also sell fresh vegetables, locally reared meats and honey made by a local beekeeper.
Pork Lane, Great Holland, near Frinton-on-Sea CO13 0ES; parkfruitfarm.co.uk

4. Lathcoats Farm, Galleywood
Lathcoats is a third generation family farm in Galleywood, well known for growing over 40 different types of apple. The PYO, open every weekday, offers pickers strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants and some early plums. Be warned, the fruit goes fast so get in there early! Be sure to end your visit with a browse around the award-winning farm shop or a fresh coffee and homemade cake from Bee Shed Coffee House.
Beehive Lane, Galleywood CM2 8LX; eapples.co.uk

5. Spencer’s Farm Shop, Halstead
A family-run business that was established in 1973, Spencer’s Fruit Farm is a local champion having won Farm Shop of the Year 2016 in the Essex Life Food & Drink Awards. They have been offering PYO fruit since they first opened and are still going strong today, being one of the best places to get fresh strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, loganberries, plums, cherries, and tayberries.
Park Road, Halstead CO9 2PX; spencersfarmshop.com

6. Little Mountains Farm, Maldon
This mixed working farm has been running since 1953 and throughout June and July you have the opportunity to see how it operates when their PYO fruit is in season. While you scour the area for some tasty soft fruit, keep an eye out for one or two of the turkeys that are reared at the farm to full maturity with grain that’s produced right there on the farm.
Mountains Road, Great Totham, Maldon CM9 8BY; littlemountainsfarm.co.uk

7. Bloomfield Fruit Farm, Chipping Ongar
When their plums start to come out towards the end of July you may well be surprised how many different varieties there are. Bloomfield’s knowledgeable staff will be more than happy to talk you through these different varieties and how they can be best put to good use. The countryside scenery around the farm is really some of Essex’s best so we would certainly recommend spending an extended period of time in the area.
Ashlyns Lane, Ongar CM5 0NB; facebook.com/BloomfieldFruitFarm

8. Parkside PYO, Enfield
Just over the border, you'll find Parkside Farm, which prides itself on its quality produce, grown almost exclusively for the PYO season. Set in the glorious countryside near Enfield, you can pick strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries, blackcurrant and blackberries while enjoying the stunning views that surround you.
Hadley Road, Enfield, Middlesex EN2 8LA; parksidefarmpyo.co.uk

9. Stanhill Farm Shop, Dartford
If you fancy a trip over the Thames, head for Stanhill Farm Shop. Toby and Max took over Stanhill in 2004 when it was producing vegetables for supermarkets. They decided to take it in a different direction and moved away from the commercial selling to focus more on local wholesale. A short time later the PYO at Stanhill was born. Visit now to pick as many strawberries, blackberries and raspberries as you can carry.
Birchwood Road, Wilmington, Dartford Kent DA2 7HD; stanhillfarm.co.uk

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