Farm Visits for Fruit & Foraging for Wild Mushrooms
A favorite summer tradition is to pick your own produce at the many farms across Colorado. Whether you prefer to select delicious peaches, plums, or local berries, we’ve rounded up some tips and locations. Or try your hand at foraging for wild mushrooms, from morels to chanterelles, to enjoy in a variety of recipes.
Green Barn Fruit Company, Palisade
Palisade, located on the Western Slope near Grand Junction, is known for its yearly bounty of delicious stone fruits. Green Barn Fruit Company offers a picturesque setting for visits.
The orchard offers seasonal U-pick options daily through the end of September, so you can enjoy the experience of harvesting your own pie cherries, apricots, and peaches. Call ahead to confirm hours and which fruits are in peak season. Groups of 10 or more should make advance reservations.
Big B’s Orchard, Hotchkiss
Located on 30 acres, Big B’s has become a destination for camping and concerts in addition to seasonal produce and handcrafted juices and ciders. Stop by to pick your own produce, enjoy a meal at the café, and stay overnight in their campground.
Check the event calendar for upcoming concerts in the orchard as well as Cider Fest in October.
Heckmann Hollow, Fowler
Opened in 2018, this expansive farm has over 1,000 apple, plum, and peach trees and a 3,000-square-foot garden with herbs and vegetables, located 40 minutes east of Pueblo.
No reservations are required to pick your own fruits and veggies or cut flowers. There is also a bakery on-site with homemade pies, cookies, and muffins made from the farm’s produce.
Adam’s Apple Orchard, Ault
If you’re in the mood for delicious local apples, Adam’s Apple Orchard features many varieties throughout the growing season as well as pumpkins and other fall produce.
Pick your own produce on Saturdays and Sundays and make sure to stop by their Country Store for jam, jelly, salsa, and more!
Berry Patch Farms, Brighton
Berry Patch Farms is a family-friendly environment with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. They provide containers for produce and tables so you can bring your own picnic.
Arrive in the morning to beat the heat and make sure to wear closed-toe shoes and bring a hat, sunscreen, and bug spray. Leave your pets at home as this is a working farm with animals and equipment. Check the website for hours and upcoming special events at the farm.
Foraging for Wild Mushrooms
Colorado is estimated to be home to almost 5,000 species of mushrooms, so if you’re hoping to add some gourmet mushrooms to your dishes, it’s an ideal area to start foraging.
The San Juan Mountains in Southwestern Colorado offer the right habitats for different mushroom species. Summer is the best time to search for morels, while fall is best for chanterelles and porcini. Morels are typically found alongside rivers or in fields, often near cottonwood trees and other plants.
The Mount Evans Wilderness area has a unique combination of meadows and alpine forests that make it a great locale to search for mushrooms. Often found near the root systems of trees, especially after rain storms, most edible mushroom species have a toxic lookalike, so double-check before consuming. Bring a mushroom guidebook or download an identification app to make sure you’re selecting edible varieties. It’s a great idea to venture out with a local expert who’s familiar with fungi to know what to forage.
Foraging etiquette and sustainability are very important; always leave some mushrooms in their habitat for the health of the ecosystem and the next forager. Do your research to find out if a permit is needed and if foraging is allowed in specific areas.
From picking peaches in Colorado orchards to foraging for fungi in alpine settings, Colorado offers unique locations to get back to nature and bring your food from farm to table.
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