Hooray! This year was a GOOD year for cherries and I was so excited to get out there and pick some…read moreof those ruby red jewels! The yield on the trees was abundant and I picked a good 5lbs (the minimum, FYI) and they were SO delicious! I took them home to process and turn into tart cherry jam, a jar of which got swirled into some homemade vanilla ice cream with an oat crisp, making it the most delicious cherry pie a la mode flavored ice cream! They also had an great crop of gooseberries and black currant when I was there. Red currant was on the horizon as were raspberries. Unfortunately they're probably done picking now but in just a few weeks we'll likely have another round of raspberries and, of course, delicious apples (and cider and donuts, natch!). Visiting here, no matter the season, is just a joy. I'm so grateful we've got them around for all our upick needs!

so pleasantly surprised by Wasem's! we usually go to Dexter or Franklin but we wanted to bring our…read morepups and wanted more space to walk them. Wasem's has a lovely u pick orchard! Standard varieties. Love that they also have different varieties of donuts - apple, blueberry, chocolate, pumpkin with different glazes/toppings! Also since it's still pretty unseasonably warm, I throughly enjoyed the apple cider slush!

Best place for strawberries and asparagus. Fields are not to crowded and it is always worth going.read more

Paid $21 for two sandwiches served on a slider bun. Hardly any meat on both sandwiches. Only a…read morecouple of chips added to the meal. Tired of these places and there minimal portions.

I've been strawberry picking locally for decades at another farm nearby. However, this year they…read moreweren't open for picking so, craving the best part of a Michigan summer, I went to Yelp and searched and found Honey Bee. AND it was SO close to my house! I immediately went to their website and was thrilled to find out that they were currently offering picking from 10-7pm pretty much every day of the week. Hooray! So, this past weekend, I made my way over there. Long story short, I had a great experience! They have 12 varieties of strawberries that vary in size, ripening rates, and levels of sweetness. U-pick stretches out in rows over 3 acres so they've got alotta strawberries, my friends! The person running the u-pick explained that the strawberries in the rows next to the barn were bigger but more tart and the rows further from the barn were smaller but sweeter. I picked a little from both and in the end wish I had stuck to the smaller but sweeter, though they were all delicious! I just happen to have more of a sweet tooth. Despite the heat I managed to pick a full bucket, just under 6lbs. Berries are priced at $6lb and they do not take credit but you can pay via mobile with their venmo or paypal. They also take cash and checks. A few logistical things: the u-pick farm is owned and operated by local farmer's market mainstay, Tantre Farms. It's a no spray/pesticide free farm which means there are some weeds and tall grasses around. Some of the weeds are spikey thistle. They're easy to avoid but, because most people avoid them, I found a plethora of beautiful ripe berries around them. So it might not hurt to bring some gloves if you're like me and don't mind working a little harder for the good stuff. And because it can get muddy and there are other weeds and things in the rows wearing comfortable, close-toed shoes (that you don't mind getting dirty) are recommended. My only quibble is that I wish the containers for picking were the cardboard flats and not the plastic buckets with bags.The plastic bags don't allow for the air circulation you need to keep them fresher longer and in transferring them to another container I found I had smushed more than a few. Also, piling them all into the bucket puts weight on the ones at the bottom of the bucket/bag so they're smushed there, too. A small quibble but one they'll consider having the flats as an option. But of course if you're buying a large volume for jam making they're all gonna get smushed anyway sooooo.... Anyway, I'm not sure how much longer they have left in the season so if you're reading this around the time that it was posted I'd check their website for picking updates. They also offer raspberry picking so if you miss your strawberry window you might be able to scoop some of those up instead!

In strawberry season there's no better way to spend a weekend morning than picking berries at the…read morepatch. The whole family headed down that way recently to take advantage of the in-season fruit. It was our first time visiting Honey Bee, and we can't wait to return. After grabbing a bucket, we sauntered through the small bushes and picking ripe red berries. After we had picked everything that we could fit into the bucket, we headed back to the barn and grabbed some pre-picked vegetables to go with everything. Finn the dog welcomed us and let us pat his belly before we headed out. The berries were wonderful - so sweet and unlike anything you'll find in a store. Definitely worth a trip!

Due to life and a pandemic I took a few years off from strawberry picking but I was excited to do…read moreit again this year! I was not left disappointed. First off, we went on a Friday early evening the week the strawberries were ready for picking and it was PLENTIFUL. So many berries. My family and I all agreed that we would only be picking enough to eat at home and that's it. No jamming, canning, freezing, etc. Yet the berries were so perfect, so ripe and beautiful we somehow picked a full tray each, even in the 90 degree, 60% humidity heat. NO REGRET! It's still super easy to go here. Drive up, grab your tray, pick your berries, drive back and get them weighed (there's stall with mixes for baked goods, jams, and more plus bottled beverages if the heat is getting to you). I can't remember exactly but it shook out to be around 2.59 a pound I believe (but don't quote me on that) and I got $23 dollars worth. Now I have nearly 9lbs of strawberries in my fridge for snacking, baking, and more. But don't expect jam this year. I haven't the energy for that!

Our family takes a trip here every year, for the last 12 years. We love it! We pick sugar snap peas…read more& strawberries. Prices are reasonable and it's a full day of fun. Pack sandwiches & have a picnic after! Pro tip: check the website, their Facebook page, or call them every year to see how the crop is doing and when it will be ready for picking. If you wait too long you'll miss out because they get picked pretty quickly.

What a great family-run business, if you're in Ann Arbor it's about 30-40 minutes away but worth…read morethe trip. They've moved into a large barn from a much smaller building, and you can sit out in the orchard to enjoy your cider, donuts, etc. They grow 100+ varieties of apples including many heirloom and also have a tasting room for hard cider and wine - also in a historic barn. If you're remotely in the area definitely check out Alber Orchard & Cider Mill, it's a great visit and a great business to support.

Cute place. Lots of unusual apple varieties Unfortunately…read moreyou aren't allowed to select and bag your own apples. They have someone do it, and that person has a habit of grabbing the apples with his fingernails which cuts into the apples. ALL of the apples. This happened over two seasons. Several people I know have had this same issue. A group of about 10 people left the line when they noticed it happening. I would love to make this go-to orchard but because of this hygiene issue, I just can't. And in case you wonder-they've been told it's an issue. They don't care I guess.

First time going cherry picking and I had a very great time!! The workers were all very nice and…read moregave us clear instructions about the picking. The orchard was well kept and clean and the quality of the cherries were very nice. 10/10 would return, I also believe it is a very family friendly environment!

From the owner: Retail & Wholesale Apples, Peaches, Cherries, Asparagus and other produce in season. Pick-your-own…read more during harvest.

Today is the first day of the festival. Looks like perfect weather to stroll the grounds and get…read moreyour own lavender to plant at your house! The people on hand are welcoming and helpful and will advise you on where to place your lavender so it will thrive!

A fun little stop on a beautiful summer day with my sister. The cute store has many products to…read morepurchase from bath items, baby items, hygiene items and more. The fields are beautiful and it's $10 a bunch to pick you own bouquet which you can do. Scissors and a zip tie are provided. Scissors are cleaned after every use. Masks are required in store but outside when distancing, it isn't required. There are lavender plants to buy also as well as a bunch already bundled if you don't want to pick your own. We were given complimentary water as it was a hot day. Great staff and a fun experience.

I love this apple orchard. It is a hidden gem tucked away on a side road near saline. A lot of…read moreapple orchards are overly commercial, overly crowded and overly manicured (paved roads, neat signs, orderly rows etc). If you want a silly theme park feeling (hay rides and cider and all that) this will not be the orchard for you. If you prefer something a little closer to what a Michigan Orchard is and was, you will love it here. This place is a little older, a little wilder and far less crowded than most UPick Orchards, giving is a "secret garden" kind of feel. I love that you can wander through the orchard without tripping over people and that you can experiment with an assortment of apples of all shapes sizes and flavors (who cares what it is called, take a bite, find out and if you are curious ask Bill and he will tell you all about it). This orchard has more varieties of apples than I have ever seen before including rare heritage breeds (Wolf River, and Snow Apple for example) and some of the newer apples that we are all familiar with (no Gala yet, but I think they are coming), he also has a few Quince and Asian Pear trees. Upick apples are $8 a half peck. They keep the spray to a minimum, so these apples look a little less pretty than normal, but are probably better for you. He also has honey and will sell apples by the tree - you buy the rights to an entire apple tree at the beginning of the year and reap the rewards come fall (great for gifts!). Also, for people interested in picking apples this year - they have arrived early this year all across MI and Ontario, so you better get out there soon, or there may be none left!

When we first arrived at the barn on Macon Road, I stepped out of the car to ask for instructions…read more The woman tending the barn was engaged in a personal conversation, and I politely interrupted to ask if this is the location where we would be picking. She seemed slightly annoyed, and said yes, and that she would be with us "shortly." After another two minutes had passed and we had already gotten my 18 month old daughter out of her car seat, we were eventually told that we needed to drive another mile down the road to pick. Not off to a great start... Upon arriving in the orchard, there were no employees or signs to guide us or explain any of the available apple varieties. I found it interesting that the few other customers we saw already had standard orchard bags, which apparently had not been offered to us at the barn. The actual picking was not good either, as many of the apples were very high up and out of reach. After some time we were able to accumulate a fair amount of apples, however, and drove back to the barn to pay. The woman who had so pleasantly greeted us earlier then seemed confused as to why we did not have one of the proprietary half-bushel bags, When I calmly said I didn't think a bag had been offered, she not only criticized me for not listening, but raised her voice and demanded that we pay $20 for an entire bushel. When I suggested we transfer the apples from my bag to one of her standard bags, she was resistant and outright disrespectful. I have never witnessed such poor customer service at another apple orchard, or any self-respecting business for that matter. All of these problems could likely have been avoided with a few simple signs to provide direction, which would be much more efficient than relying on verbal communication. That being said, my family will never return to this orchard due to the blatant lack of respect with which we were treated.

The sweetest staff and service! Always well maintained even during busy months. So much fresh…read moreproduce and so many animals with a lot To do like hayrides and corn maze along with picking fresh produce. A great place for kids/adults of any age. Free entry with options for animal feed and amazing cider, pumpkin donuts, and other treats.

Great place for the family! The farm animals are plentiful and the prices are amazing. We got our…read morepumpkins by picking them( is there any other way to go?!) The donuts are absolutely phenomenal and I also got myself a cider slush! Definitely be back

Sharing my experience with Duke Petting Farm to save you from having to go through the same thing…read more I was having a big cowboy themed party for my boys joint birthday party. So I thought how fun would it be to have a cowboy horse & a petting farm. I Talked with Deb before even booking the party to make sure all the kids would be able to ride the pony. At first I asked for a horse because most of the kids would be around 10-11 years old. I was told a horse would be too hard for the little kids but she would send me a large pony that would be perfect for my age range. I told her no one would be over 120 pounds. She even asked me to put it in an email and I did. I am sharing that email in the photo section. I confirmed this with the owner several times before the party. Fast forward to party day when the problems all began. She sent 2 girls to work my one hour party. The one girl that ran the petting bunny area was EXTREMELY rude to all the little kids. Even rolling her eyes at them when they asked what kind of balloons she could make. She yelled at them multiple times when kids 3 years old were petting the baby bunnies. To a point of me and several parents going in the bunny pen to help. It was so embarrassing that people at my party were being treated this way. Several of the bunnies kept escaping. She yelled at the 3 year old birthday boy when he went to get a second handful of food from the food bucket they bring. She said "you already fed the animals." We tried to talk to her to help change her bad mood but it was the entire time and super disappointing as this was a kids party. The other thing I would like to warn you about is that TONS of the kids were turned away from riding the pony. The girl working said they were too tall. One of the girls was a tiny 10 year old weighing no more that 65 pounds. If height was a requirement I should have been told that before the party. Like I said I discussed this with her multiple times. So only a few little kids got to ride over and over. When you pay over $500 for someone to bring animals to your party you expect at least kind service. I contacted the owner before coming to social media. She said the girl working the party was only 14 years old. While she did say she would talk to her she made all kinds of excuses. I think it would be better to have an adult working something like this. She told me the bigger pony they had used at a different party that day and had problems with so they switched to this one. I understand things happen in life but those are not a customers problem. While I couldn't come to an agreement with the owner I thought I could at least warn all my friends or anyone thinking to book for a party! Stay far away. I wished I would have booked somewhere else. After having the party I had several people recommend Tyler's exotic animals. They said he is much more kid friendly. Just super disappointed that so few kids got to ride the pony & that the other worker that ran the balloons/petting area treated everyone so rotten. It was an awful experience and I have booked lots of big things for events. Never have I had to deal with this kind of unprofessionalism. Truly disappointed.

It's a bit out of the way for folks living in town but it's a farm after all!!!! Debbie and her…read moreteam of volunteers are absolutely amazing!!!!! I took my 10 year old out here for some riding for her birthday, the offer lessons for a fair price and they also do this thing called "Mini-Mondays" where younger kids get to do fun activities and dive into the agricultural world. They get up close and personal with the animals while learning valuable life lessons such as showing respect to all creatures, kindness, forgiveness and other things we all want instilled in our kids! My girls just wrapped up softball and we're so excited to sign up for volunteering at the farm!!