Forge Hill Orchards is a small orchard in picturesque York County, near Mt. Wolf, PA. We are located north of York with easy access to North George St. and I-83. The original part of the farm was purchased in 1935 by John W. Bear. The orchard was incorporated by the next generation in the 70's and has stayed in the family since. Adjoining properties have been added over the years, making a total of just under 300 acres.  


Our season starts around Memorial Day with strawberries. In June, we have sweet and sour cherries. Both of these fruits are available ready-picked or pick-your-own. Our store opens in July for peach season! We do not have pick-your-own peaches, but there are about 19 varieties of white and yellow peaches available in the salesroom through September. Nectarines and plums are available at this time as well. The early varieties of apples, such as Summer Rambo, start arriving in August. We will have about 25 varieties ripening at different times until the end of October. We allow pick-your-own apples about the middle of September. At that time, many of the varieties are ready and plentiful for picking. Of course, all these varieties can be purchased in the salesroom. Pears can be purchased in the salesroom at this time as well.


Strawberries:  An early-bearing variety, Early Glow, and a later-bearing variety, All Star, maximizes our picking time to about three weeks, depending on the weather.


Cherries:  Sweet cherries include the dark Bings, the white Queen Annes, and the bright red Sandra Rose varieties. Our sour variety is Montmorency, but at this time we have limited quantity until recently planted trees mature.                       


Peaches: (Varieties are listed alphabetically, not in order of availability.) White peaches include Sugar Lady, Sugar May and White Lady. Yellow varieties include Bellaire, Century, Cresthaven, Early Loring, Encore, Flaming Fury, Garnet Beauty, Glohaven, Jerseyglo, John Boy, Late Flaming Fury, Reo Osa Gem, Redhaven, Starfire, Suncrest and Sunhigh.  Yellow and white donut peaches too!          


Nectarines: White and yellow nectarines are available in July and August. We also have white donut nectarines!!


Plums: Early plums include the small red Methleys and yellow Shiro plums. The larger plums, Red Heart (red) and  Stanley (blue prune) will be available in August.


Apples: Cameo (also known as Carousel), Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Ginger Gold, Golden Delicious,  Granny Smith, Grimes Golden, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Jonathan, McIntosh, Mutsu (also called Crispin),  Ozark Gold, Paula Red, Red Delicious, Shizuka, Rome, Stayman Winesap, Stayman Red, Summer Rambo, Twenty Ounce, Gala, Blondee, Ludacrisp, Evercrisp, Pink Lady


Pears: At this time we have only one pear variety, Bartlett.