Ann Arbor Cherry Picking

Summer in Ann Arbor is a great time for fresh fruit. As strawberry season is coming to a close, it’s cherry season. Unfortunately, 2020 is not a great year for cherries with a late frost in May. Check out our Ann Arbor Cherry Picking suggestions – for who has cherries this year and who to check out next year..

Ann Arbor Cherry Picking Options

There are no cherry picking options in Ann Arbor itself. However, there are several nearby options.

Spicer Orchards

Spicer Orchards in Fenton offers u-pick tart and sweet cherries. They are currently picking tart cherries. Their sweet cherry crop was affected by spring freezes and will probably only be available in the market.

We went cherry picking at Spicer a couple of times.

I love that they have a pitting machine for the tart-cherries. It definitely made it easier to make a pie. There was a small fee to have the cherries pitted. It was well worth it.

Wasem Fruit Farm

Wasem Fruit Farm in Milan offers u-pick tart cherries. A late freeze on May 9, 2020 was very harmful to their crops. They will not have u-pick on cherries or apples this year.

We have not picked cherries at Wasem. However, we visit regularly for apples and pumpkins in the fall. The first 4 of our 6 tips for Apple Picking at Wasem Fruit Farm can also apply to cherry picking.

Wasem Fruit Farm’s address is 6580 Judd Rd, Milan. The most up to date information on the summer season can be found on their Facebook page.

Other Cherry Picking Options

I have personally visited both Spicer and Wasem over the years. I have found a couple of other nearby options as well.

Erwin Orchards

South Lyon’s Erwin Orchards typically offers you-pick sweet cherries. The late frost in May took out their Sweet Cherry season should start soon. Erwin Orchards uses Integrated Pest Management techniques to minimize their use of chemicals.

Their address is 61475 Silver Lake Road, South Lyon. Note: Erwin Orchards accepts cash or checks. There is an ATM on site.

Kapnick Orchards

Lenawee County’s Kapnick Orchards offers pick your own Tart and Sweet Cherries. They do not have cherry picking available this year.

Kapnick Orchard’s address is 4245 Rogers Hwy., Britton.

Cherry Picking Tips

The cherry season is short. Be sure to check with the farm for current conditions before making the trip.

What to Bring:

• New for 2020 – Face Coverings – make sure to bring masks for your family. While you can usually distance ok while picking, you will need to interact with staff and others at checkout.
• Dress for the weather. The week we picked was chilly, so we wore jeans. This weekend is scheduled to be hot, so dress to stay cool.
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Water – make sure to stay hydrated
• Bring a container or use one of theirs. Spicer charges $1 for a pail to use while picking. Wasem has no information on picking containers. I know we usually buy bags for apple picking.
• Cash. While you can usually pay with a credit card for the final purchase, it is helpful to have small bills for paying for the containers to pick with at the start.