Fruits & Veggies near Lake Hughes, CA

“M&M Peach Ranch is mmmmm... mmm... good! The cherries are no longer offered -- a frost evidently took them out -- but the peach orchards stretch as far as one's eye can see. At M&M Peach Ranch you pick your own organic fruit. A small bucket costs only $15 and a large bucket, which may require two people to carry once filled, is $30. For ease of carrying we chose the smaller bucket; it still fit a generous amount of fruit. I baked an entirely-from-scratch double-crust peach pie and I still had plenty of fruit left over. The peaches were a bit on the small side compared to what might have been available earlier in the season but considering I visited on the last weekend in September that they are open to the public for the year I was surprised to find so many trees still heavy with fruit. More importantly the peaches were sweet. I was told that the variety of peach -- a freestone -- is called "Last Chance". Peaches happen to be my favorite fruit of all time. But whether you like them or not, it's worthwhile to visit for the experience. The view of the mountains on the property is spectacular, the sky is a beautiful windswept blue and the solitude of the countryside is enveloping. Growing up one of my favorite "rest stops" on the way from OC to San Jacinto, where my grandparents lived, was a quaint Sunkist (citrus) outlet off the freeway. They sold juicy Valencia oranges and other in-season fruit. The entire operation was small with a lot of outdoor air flow -- a building that was not much more sophisticated than a roadside fruit stand. However, they had a lot to offer and the Sunkist Fruit Gem candy, in particular, kept us coming back year after year. Although M&M Peach Ranch is a family-run operation I think something similar could be implemented. For example, when you come in from picking the fruit if they were to sell cold beverages -- or hats for those who need to keep the sun off -- it could be not only a customer convenience but a source of added revenue. What's more, anything branded with their namesake could serve as an extra source of exposure for their business (as a take-home reminder to come back the following season and as a passive form of advertising). From a marketing perspective I can think of a lot of ways a gift shop would be a win-win. If nothing more, a self-published assembly of their best recipes -- from pie to chutney and everything in between -- would not only be good for posterity's sake but a fantastic way to send patrons home with more than just the fruit they can carry. Alas, M&M Peach Ranch does not have a gift shop or a refreshment stand. They do, however, have a website, which helped us confirm the hours and directions. I learned about M&M Peach Ranch through, of all places, Realtor.com. To anyone who considers buying the property, which is currently listed for sale, please keep up the orchards and the pick-your-own fruit aspect of the growing operation. These orchards are a local treasure and ought to be maintained for posterity.”

“Friendly people to assist with purchase and following the rules. The location was beautiful and the cherries were delicious! Come here for some wholesome family fun!”