Cherry season is my favorite season! Make sure to follow their Instagram to get updates on when the…read morefarm will open. They provide buckets or you can bring your own. Lots of cherry trees to pick from and doesn't feel too crowded even when there are lots of people around.

Can't believe cherry season started early for 2026. Since it's Mother's Day weekend, this felt…read morelike a good thing to do to take the family. It didn't feel to packed like other you pick farmers and you don't need to climb the trees to pick. People did bring their own carts and small step ladders. Definitely come early since it can get hot in Brentwood. At the time we went, it was $4.50 /lbs for cherries.

Climate change wiped out all their cherries for 2026 sadly. But they answered the phone when I…read morecalled (a real live person!) and they said they should have u-pick cherries in 2027.

Haven't had this sweet of the strawberries for ages! Had a good time here and will definitely came…read moreback!

My little is not a cherry eating person, but he sure did like picking them! He has gone apple…read morepicking and now cherry picking, and I love that my MIL has these ideas for him to venture out and try new things and experiences that I don't think of. He had a blast, got to see how they grow and we had some yummy cherries for our trip home and for snacks. He may not eat them, but we did!

We visited early before the heat and the cherries are wonderful! I love supporting local businesses…read moreand it's a great location that's close by. I appreciate the little portapotty they have on site. We plan on visiting every weekend as new fruit ripens!

$6.50/lb of cherries, lots of low ones for the littles. They use crushed walnut shells for the…read morewalkway which is cool, but wear good shoes! The cherries were big and sweet. Of course u need the ripe dark ones ... the light or bright red is gona be more sour. Pros: close to sac, about 1hr drive for us Cons: more expensive at 6.50/lb (vs brentwood is more $5/lb for 90min drive)

Took my mom here for Mother's Day and we had such a wonderful time! It wasn't too crowded since it…read morewas the first day of cherry picking season, which made the experience even more enjoyable and relaxing. They have everything set up for you, including bags to use while picking that you can purchase at the end. If you choose not to buy the bag, they'll happily transfer your cherries into another bag for you. U-pick pricing was around $6.25 per pound, which felt reasonable for such a fun experience and fresh fruit. The property was very family-friendly with other small businesses and attractions on site, making it easy to spend a few hours there. Overall, it was such a lovely outing and a great way to spend Mother's Day together. We'll definitely be back!

Family owed, very nice. Know your seasons for strawberries…read moreand blackberries. Sweet and ready to be picked with a day in the sunshine. You might see an emu or two.

Beautiful strawberries today. All that's left from the half flat this morning ($20). They take…read moreVenmo, too!

We came late in the year (June), but still got a ton of plump cherries. Next year we will come in…read moreMay when the season starts. I am still very happy with my haul. Just come early, as it does get very hot as the day progresses and the parking lot is small. They do sell other berries at the stand as well.

It didn't take us long to pick 13lbs of cherries and with my 3 kids age 8 and under. We didn't…read moreneed to go far from the entrance. We went on a Sunday around noon and it was not busy. My 8 year old got the most cherries and I think it because of his height and he was so excited about it. Great price! It's just very hidden and we missed the turn in the first time.

Very big cherries this year! We came to pick the first opening weekend on a hot Sunday and got…read morethere around 10:30 before the sun became scorching. We chose this orchard bc they had raniers and we've been here in the past and the trees are abundant in cherries. There were some trees that were hybrids so the branches had some red and white ones which were amazing!! We picked 20 pounds and gobbled them up during the week and gave some out

I highly recommend this farm for cherry season…read more I went today (Saturday, May 7), which was the first day of cherry season at John Podesta Farms. Why did I rate them five stars? Let's find out. 1 star = organization 1 star = price 1 star = variety 1 star = customer service 1 star = bathrooms Here's the longer version. **Organization** I love how organized they are. You start by visiting their website and getting yourself on the notifications list. Then, when summer gets closer, they send you an initial text gauging your interest. If you're still interested, you get a second text asking you how many people you plan to bring and how many pounds you plan to pick. Then your final text is your reservation with directions, the liability waiver, instructions like bringing a bucket and a ladder, etc. This is the most organized place I've ever picked fruit at. As an organized person myself, I was very pleased. The only piece of information they don't tell you in the multiple communications that would be helpful is that they open at 9am. So, I showed up at 8:15 and had to wait. **Price** Where else can you get cherries for only $2/pound? Nowhere in California that I know of. Even if you add the price of gas for the round trip drive, I bet they're still cheaper. As a reference, they ask you to bring a 5-gallon bucket (you know the ones they sell paint in when you have to paint a house), and if you fill that bucket to the top, it only costs $60. **Variety** I picked only bing cherries while I was there because I was on a time limit, and I didn't have time to frolic, but I know they have bings, rainiers, brooks, and corals. **Customer Service** The owner of the farm is so helpful, upbeat, and friendly. He's got a great vibe that just gets you in a good mood. You can tell he's passionate about the cherries, and that passion is contagious. **Bathrooms** I know, you're probably thinking, who gives an entire star for porta potties? Let me tell you who. The adult woman who has a bladder the size of a toddler's, that's who. And it's not just the fact that they have porta potties that makes me happy, but there's also a hand washing station with soap and paper towels to dry your hands. During a pandemic, that's a really nice touch, don't you think? (worth an entire star, amiright?) So, there you have it. 5 stars for this cherry orchard. I will definitely be back.

Sweet cherries. Nice farm for family outing. $2 per pounds is reasonable price and you get to…read moreexperience to explore and taste the cherries before you pick it. Nice people, nice place. This is our to go cherry picking place every year.

From the time I planned on having children, I vowed to give them the best life possible, filled…read morewith lots of love, adventures and lessons. American River Cherry Company was the perfect place to achieve all of the above. The drive from Reno to get to the farm was scenic. You drive through Lake Tahoe and the El Dorado National Forest, the same drive you would take to Apple Hill since they are basically in the same vicinity. If you're coming from Reno, you'll pass a beautiful waterfall just before you arrive that could be found right off the freeway on the left-Bridal Veil Falls, Pollock Pines. There's a pull over area where you can check it out up close. It flows year-round. Driving the streets to get to the farm was fun with winding roads covered by shade giving trees that lined the road. Upon entering the farm my eyes were caught by the beautiful "Homes & Garden" house blanketed with beautiful flowers, tall trees and freshly mowed green grass. You can find a hammock hung out in front- an ideal place for a nap. If you go down the hill to the left of the house, it will lead you to the pond where you will find the perfect picnic area, with a classic red picnic table & swing, lily pads floating, Koi fish down below, and dragon flies playing. My kids had fun running up and down the hills after picking fruit. After parking, we made our way to check in at the barn. Prior to arriving, I printed and filled out their liability waiver from their website to save time. At the barn, I loved that they took the time to supply sanitized pens so as to minimize the spread of germs. The workers (masked) were welcoming and gave us our buckets. As soon as we entered the farm, we were greeted with berries- berries to the left and berries to the right. The kids screamed with delight and set out to collect as many as they could. Further down you will find whimsical cherry trees creating a beautiful landscape. The available selections will depend on the temperature and pollinators so make sure to call ahead of time for more information. We went a couple of weeks after opening and found that lots of cherries had already been picked. I would suggest following them closely on their Facebook page to keep up with updates so you can catch them right when they open. The kids especially had fun collecting blueberries which were perfect in height and plentiful. I can't describe how special it is to be able to pick your own blueberries. There's no comparison with store bought berries. If you are travelling with little ones, it is especially helpful that you arrive early morning and early in the season to avoid hot temperatures. Just in case the little ones are only interested for a short while, you can find pre-picked selections at check in so you don't leave empty handed. At the end, we all had the time of our lives and decided to make cherry and berry picking at the American River Company a family tradition. Notes: *hand wash station available *Popsicles and honey for sale at check in *Berries are super fragile (esp. fresh picked) so if you can round up some clam shell containers from the store or Amazon, storing the berries in them would be the best way to transport and prevent damage *check out their website for varieties and prices *don't forget sunscreen, water, and hats *don't forget to check the weather to plan accordingly *If hungry, In-N-Out nearby *Boa Vista Orchards is a Apple Hill farm that is open year round if you're looking for goods-baked, packaged, frozen, fresh produce *They state that there is an entrance fee($5/person, 12yrs. and younger free) on their website but when we went, we were not charged. If charged, you may feel like you're not getting your money's worth, but I think the atmosphere and experience alone is worth the entrance fee and would gladly pay. *Koi fish feed available next to pond- bring quarters *Not too many parking spots in front of house so if lot fills up, park outside and walk up hill *keep cherries separate from berries due to the difference in price

We had a magical experience here, and the berries and cherries we picked were delicious! The family…read morewho runs the place is extremely friendly and helpful. Looking forward to making this a tradition.

Yes! Yes! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSS!! Marsh Creek Cherries especially comes highly recommended if you…read morehave little ones! Shout out to my sister for doing the research and doing all the planning when it came down to our trip during Marsh Creek's opening weekend. Located in Brentwood, this U-Pick cherry farm offers a fun experience where you can purchase fresh fruit directly from the source. Staff encourages you to sample from the tree prior to plucking. This joint will set you back $4.50 a pound for u-pick version and they offer pre-picked cherries for $6 a pound. Additional items for sale: a fruit picker stick for $15, Marsh Creek Farm hats for $20, water bottles for $1, & local honey for $18. With our visit occurring during opening weekend, picking the cherries wasn't too bad. There was plenty of reachable fruit for ya girl who is a whopping 5'5. The darker, sweeter options located at the tip top of the trees were only accessible if you had a fruit picker. No ladders were available or seen. 5/5 stars for the memorable family fun. Our party left with 3 [small] buckets of firm, crisp, semi tart, & juicy cherries. I'd come back in a heartbeat but would recommend patrons to use the restroom prior to the trip out- the porta potties provided were horrendously disgusting.

Marsh Creek Cherries is a smaller, more mellow Brentwood orchard with U-Pick cherries in a serene…read moresetting away from the main roads that seem to be overrun each May with visitors to Brentwood. I enjoyed the more quiet atmosphere at this orchard. It's great if you want to get in and out quickly as it's not a lot of walking. I was able to pick a few pounds during my lunch hour on a recent Friday. They accept cash or Venmo and said they think they'll be open through Mid June this 2025 season. I like to try a few different orchards each season and will definitely add Marsh Creek cherries to my rotation.