Ask George: Do you have a favorite pick-your-own fruit farm in the St. Louis area?

If there’s an ideal time for families to visit a pick-your-own fruit farm—and, in my opinion, there’s no better way to spend a few hours—it’s during those shoulder seasons between the end of school and the start of summer camp, or between the end of camp and the return to school. Families have a little extra time, and the farms are bursting with product. Of course, adults and couples shouldn’t overlook the fun either.

I may not be the foremost authority on the subject, but I’ve long appreciated everything that the Eckert family offers at its four farms and orchards, which together claim to be the largest family-owned and operated pick-your-own orchard operation in the country. I’m especially fond of Eckert’s Belleville Farm (951 S. Green Mt. Road, Belleville), where you can scroll the seasonal activities and offerings for days.

Right now, strawberry season is winding down, but pick-your-own black raspberry season—a fleeting, exceptional treat—begins this weekend. Then, blackberries and peach season follows shortly after, along with sunflowers, apples, and myriad produce. Finally, look for pumpkins and white pine Christmas trees later in the year. And come spring, the cycle begins anew with rows of pick-your-own tulips.

SLM recently rounded up pick-your-own destinations in this article. Eckert’s motto sums it up nicely: “Pick a farm, and then pick your passion.” To that, we’d simply add, “Then go home and bake a pie.”

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