Many of us head to our local farmers market or grocery store for fresh fruit, and there are a lucky few of us who get to grow fruit in our own gardens. Many have never had the experience of getting to go out and pick their own apples, pears, peaches or cherries straight off the tree however, and don't know what a special experience it can be. One family of farmers in Oregon has made it their mission to bring that special experience to families. Draper Girls Country Farm in Mount Hood is calling your name, and our bet? Once you've been out there, you'll want to go back again and again.
U-Pick Fruit At Draper Girls Country Farm In Mount Hood Parkdale
Dappled light coming down through tree branches laden with juicy fruit, the smell of fresh air, the tinkle of laughter, and the sound of goats. Wait? Goats? Well it wouldn't be a full farm experience if you didn't get to visit some friendly farm animals while you're there. Draper Girls Country Farm has made it their mission to open up the farming experience to you.
This is a third generation family farm run by Theresa Draper, whose family has over one hundred years of experience farming in the Hood River Valley. The orchard where you'll be picking buckets of fruit was started in 1962 by Theresa's parents.
Where is Draper Girls Country Farm located? It's located in Mount Hood, Oregon in the famous Hood River Fruit Loop.
One of our favorite things about Draper Girls Country Farm is the views of Mount Hood. It's truly stunning, and there are some great spots around the farm to take photos while you're there.
I've Never Picked Fruit Before - How Do I Pick Fruit At Draper Girls Country Farm?
If you've never picked your own fruit before, it's no problem! When you get to the farm you'll follow the signs to the U-Pick (or pick-your-own PYO) fruit station, which will be marked by a red tent. From there you'll choose a size of bucket to fill up with fruit, and purchase the bucket size.
Wait? Why am I buying a bucket? At Draper Girls, the fruits you pick yourself are sold by the size of the bucket you buy, not by the pound. There are small, medium, and large buckets available.
Once you enter the orchard with your bucket, you can start picking fruit. There are staff available to answer questions and to show you where to pick, as well as to offer up helpful tips!
Draper girls grows over one hundred types of fruit, so there's always something fresh to pick during growing season, or to buy at their farm stand if you'd like to drop by but not pick your own fruit.
Will I have to climb a ladder to pick my own fruits? If you're picking cherries during cherry season, you may have to climb a ladder. The peach trees and apple trees at Draper Girls are shorter dwarf varieties which are more easily accessible without use of a ladder.
How Do I Know What Month To Go Pick Fruit In?
The U-Pick season starts in June with flower picking. This isn't just a trip to pick beautiful fragrant flowers, it's an experience through a tapestry of colors and lovely smelling flowers, all with beautiful Mount Hood as a backdrop!
Once the picking season starts, there's always something new ripening up in the orchard. Check out this handy chart below from the Draper Girls website to see what months you'd like to visit and pick your favorite fruits!
In June, visit to pick strawberries and flowers. Strawberry picking season goes through the middle of July, and flower picking season goes through the middle of October, with different varieties of flowers ready to pick throughout the summer.
Cherry picking season starts mid June and goes through mid August, and from July through mid September you'll want to drop by to pick blueberries, juicy peaches and nectarines! Delicious!
Summer and fall pears are ready to pick from August to mid October, and for apples you'll want to come from August through October.
Finally, pumpkins are ready to pick in September and October!
But wait, what am I going to do with all of this fresh fruit? Aside from eating it, you can make pies, jams, jellies, fruit ice cream, fruit bread, and so much more. Apple pie? You'll be ready. Cherry preserves? Yes please! How about applesauce, pear and almond crumble, or a mixed berry compote? You can add berries to your cereal, to yogurt, make your own popsicles out of them, make syrup, and add them to pancakes! Don't forget, you can also freeze berries for use later on! My personal favorite thing to make out of apples is apple pie flavored muffins. They're delicious!
Are dogs allowed at Draper Girls Country Farm? No dogs are allowed in the orchard section of the farm.
Award Winning Hard Cider At The Gorgeous Draper Girls Farmstand
Recently Draper Girls has dipped their toes into the hard cider business, and their delicious hard ciders have been winning awards ever since, including the '2018 Best New Cidery of the Year' award at the Portland International Cider Cup.
You can stop by their farmstand for hard cider tasting, hard cider by the glass, or to buy a growler to take home.
There are also a variety of non-alcoholic ciders to bring home with you. All ciders are made with apples grown on the farm and are made on-site.
While you're at the farmstand, buy dozens of varieties of fresh fruit grown on the farm, honey, jam, and other goodies to take home and enjoy!
Draper Girls Country Farm Information
- Location: 6200 HWY 35 in Mount Hood Parkdale, Oregon
- Get more information, up to date hours and dates of operation at the Draper Girls Country Farm website.
How far is Draper Girls Country Farm from Portland? The trip to Draper Girls from Portland will take about an hour and fifteen minutes. If you're traveling from McMinnville, the trip will take about two hours, or from Madras the trip will take about an hour and forty minutes.
Tip: Visitors who will be picking fruit should wear closed-toed shoes and dress appropriately for the weather on the day they'll be visiting. Don't forget sunscreen!
