New England
Find pear and plum picking in New England with orchard timing, farm stand tips, and late-summer fruit stops in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and beyond.
Pears and plums do not get the same attention as apples, but they are one of the quiet pleasures of late summer. They arrive after berries have had their moment and just before apple season takes over every farm calendar. The timing can be brief, and that is part of what makes them special.
Farm picks
These are the farms this guide calls out directly, matched to live New England Farm Guide listings so you can compare photos, towns, current highlights, and route options in one place.
Middlefield, CT
Mixed Pick Your Own Farm
Lyman Orchards in Middlefield is one of Connecticut's big orchard names, with berries, sunflowers, mazes, farm-market energy, and a long fruit season. It is a natural place to watch for late-summer orchard fruit because the farm has the scale and visitor setup to carry people from berries into apples, pears, and fall activities.
Guilford, CT
Guide notes
Find pear and plum picking in New England with orchard timing, farm stand tips, and late-summer fruit stops in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and beyond.
Many orchards sell pears and plums at the farm stand even when they do not open those rows for public picking. Some farms offer pick-your-own when the crop is strong. Either way, August and September are the months to pay attention.
Lyman Orchards in Middlefield is one of Connecticut's big orchard names, with berries, sunflowers, mazes, farm-market energy, and a long fruit season. It is a natural place to watch for late-summer orchard fruit because the farm has the scale and visitor setup to carry people from berries into apples, pears, and fall activities.
Bishop's Orchards in Guilford is another Connecticut anchor for orchard shoppers. Farm-market strength matters with pears and plums because the fruit may be easier to find at the stand than in a public picking row.
Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury is useful for North Shore orchard trips that stretch across several crops. Its fruit calendar includes summer and fall favorites, and the farm store, bakery, and fields make it a strong late-summer stop.
Mixed Pick Your Own Farm
Bishop's Orchards in Guilford is another Connecticut anchor for orchard shoppers. Farm-market strength matters with pears and plums because the fruit may be easier to find at the stand than in a public picking row.
Amesbury, MA
Mixed Pick Your Own Farm
Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury is useful for North Shore orchard trips that stretch across several crops. Its fruit calendar includes summer and fall favorites, and the farm store, bakery, and fields make it a strong late-summer stop.
Northborough, MA
Mixed Pick Your Own Farm
Tougas Family Farm in Northborough has a broad fruit calendar with cherries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, apples, and pumpkins. While pears and plums depend on the farm's current crop, Tougas is the kind of full-season orchard visitors often check when late-summer fruit is the goal.
Tyngsboro, MA
Mixed Pick Your Own Farm
Parlee Farms in Tyngsboro is another north-of-Boston farm with a long pick-your-own season. It is especially useful for families who want backup crops if pears or plums are not available that week.
Mapped farms
The map shows the farms linked in this guide across Connecticut and Massachusetts. Use it to spot clusters, then open each farm page for the most current visit details.
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Explore farms by location, town, and route. Browse farms or open the full map.
Plan
Pick two or three nearby farms from the map instead of trying to cover the whole guide in one day. New England farm routes work best when the drive is short and the stops have different strengths.
Confirm
Look for crop updates, ticket rules, field closures, weather notes, and weekend parking guidance before you leave.
Bring
Bring water, sun protection, closed-toe shoes, and a cooler if you plan to carry fruit, corn, cider, dairy, flowers, or prepared food between stops.
Tougas Family Farm in Northborough has a broad fruit calendar with cherries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, apples, and pumpkins. While pears and plums depend on the farm's current crop, Tougas is the kind of full-season orchard visitors often check when late-summer fruit is the goal.
Parlee Farms in Tyngsboro is another north-of-Boston farm with a long pick-your-own season. It is especially useful for families who want backup crops if pears or plums are not available that week.
Apples are sturdy and public picking is easy to manage. Pears and plums are more delicate. Some varieties bruise easily. Some ripen better off the tree. Some farms harvest them for the stand rather than let customers pick the rows.
That does not make the trip less worthwhile. It just changes the plan. A pear-and-plum outing is often more about the farm market, orchard atmosphere, and late-summer produce than a huge pick-your-own haul.
Plums often appear in late summer. Pears usually begin around August and can continue into September depending on variety. Connecticut sources often list summer apples and pears beginning around mid-August, which matches the general late-summer rhythm across southern New England.
Northern farms may run later. Coastal farms may run differently from inland orchards. The farm's daily update is always better than the calendar.
Pears are often picked firm. Let them ripen on the counter until the neck gives slightly when pressed. Do not wait for the whole fruit to feel soft. Plums should feel gently yielding and smell sweet when ripe. Keep both fruits out of hot cars.
Use pears in salads, tarts, butter, sauce, and roasted dishes. Use plums for jam, cake, skillet desserts, or eating over the sink before anyone else gets to them.
Yes, at some orchards, but not everywhere. Many farms sell pears through the farm store instead of opening rows for public picking.
August and September are the main months, with timing varying by variety and location.
Sometimes. Plum picking is less common than apples or berries, so check farm updates before driving.
Choose an orchard with a strong farm market, bakery, apples, flowers, berries, or early fall activities. Late-summer fruit changes quickly.
