PYO
We have an incredible range of Pick Your Own fruits at Hillfield. With possibly the largest range of fruit in East Anglia, there's bound to be something you like! Starting in May and finishing in October, it's a great activity for the whole family. Children love picking fruit and it provides them with an education of where their food comes from and how it grows - then you can take it home and eat it!
To PYO fruit at Hillfield, Call in at our Farm Shop on arrival, we can then weigh your picking containers or provide you with some.
From the Farm Shop, we can tell you what fruits are available on the day and the best spots.
After picking, return to the Farm Shop to have your fruit weighed and to pay.
Simple!
We have no entrance fees, you simply pay for all the fruit you pick, by weight!
Explore Our Range
Strawberries
The king-pin of our PYO Experience, Strawberries are by far our most popular crop. Available for around 5 weeks from the beginning of June, they're a farvourite for a reason!
We occasionally see a second flush later in the summer, but its best to grab them early to avoid disappointment.
Raspberries
Our crop of juicy Raspberries starts around early July and continues until around early October.
Apples
Here in our orchards we have a very large collection of apple trees. With more trees added in Spring 2019, there are now over 250 varieties. Pick your own apple season starts in August with the main crop ready between mid-September and mid-October. Find a complete list of our varieties Here
Plums
The second crop of our Orchards, including the famous Victoria. Look out too for the hard-to-find Old English Greengage and the lesser known but delicious Oullins Golden Gage.
Tayberries
We just don't know why these aren't more popular. This cross of a Blackberry and a Raspberry is so versatile and has a totally unique and delicious flavour.
Don't miss these on your next visit, around July.
Gooseberries
Gooseberries are popular again! But with the pigeons too.
We grow both Red and Green varieties, but you'll need to compete with the winged pickers to get them first.
Blackcurrants
Popular for their use in a certain, well known cordial, Our blackcurrants are perfect for use in baking, a healthy addition to cereals or making your own drinks at home.
Redcurrants
High in Vitamin C, great for baking and for turning into Redcurrant Jelly as a condiment. Easy to pick and really versitile.
Quince
A fragrant Pear-like fruit which has to be cooked to be usable. Amazing when baked with sugar and spices or when turned into Membrillo, a paste rather like turkish delight.
Squash
All kinds of culinary squashes can be found from mid-summer onwards, including the very popular Spaghetti Squash and the always in demand Butternut, along with a few other special varieties.
Pumpkins
One of our most popular late-season crops. We grow several varieties, including the really popular Polar Bear white Pumpkin and some huge Atlantic Giants.
Pears
A wide range of Pears are found in our Orchards, including both eating and culinary types. Look out especially for the Black Worcester, a particularly sought-after cooking variety.
Blackberries
Popular for their use in a certain, well known cordial, Our blackcurrants are perfect for use in baking, a healthy addition to cereals or making your own drinks at home.
Rhubarb
Our earliest starting crop, perfect for crumbles and pies, with custard or yoghurt. This is our market that the PYO year at Hillfield has begun.
Sunflowers
Possibly our brightest PYO offering, our Sunflowers typically coincide with our Pumpkins and Squashes and are a real flash of colour to finish our PYO year.
Medlars
An ancient fruit, this Apple relative is one of our latest crops and takes a while after harvesting to reach the stage of traditional ripeness. When fully "bletted" the Medlar is a delicious puree, tasting a bit like Apple infused toffee or caramel.
Coming Soon!
Look out for a new addition here for the summer of 2027!
Coming Soon!
Look out for a new addition here for the summer of 2027!