Following is a list of area orchards and farms and the you-pick produce available during summer and fall. Call ahead to check availability and operating hours. If we missed your farm, drop a note to YOU PICK, Cincinnati Enquirer, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati OH 45202.

OHIO

• A&M Farm Orchard, 22141 Ohio 251, Midland. 875-2500. Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-8 p.m. Sunday.

Early June: strawberries. September to October: apples and grapes. Containers provided.

To get there: I-275 to Ohio 28 through Blanchester to Midland in southeast Clinton County, then south on U.S 68 to Ohio 251; farm is one mile east.

• Barn 'n' Bunk Farm Market, Ohio 73 and Wayne-Madison Road, Trenton. (513) 988-9211. Call for hours and availability.

Early June: strawberries, snow peas. Late June to August: half runner beans, stringless beans, greasy beans and Roma beans.

To get there: I-75 to Ohio 63; go west on Ohio 63 to Ohio 4 and then north on Ohio 4 to Ohio 73. Go west on Ohio 73. Farm is near Ohio 73 and Wayne-Madison Road.

• Barrett's Strawberry Farm, 11434 Fairfield Road, Leesburg. (937) 780-4961. Hours: 8 a.m.-dark daily.

Early to mid-June: strawberries. Containers provided.

To get there: I-275 to Ohio 28, go east to Leesburg in north Highland County. Turn right on Ohio 771, continue for 1 mile, turn right on Fairfield Road. Follow signs to farm.

• Bergefurd's Farm Market & Greenhouse, 234 Ohio 350 West. Corner of U.S. 68 South and Ohio 350 in Clinton County. (937) 383-2133. Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Late July through September: Tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers. September to October: Giant pumpkins, gourds and squash.

To get there: Montgomery Road through Morrow north to Ohio 350, turn right. Or, take Ohio 28 through Blanchester to U.S. 68, turn left.

• Bet-ter Farms, 1971 Sicily Road, Mount Orab. (937) 446-2593. Hours: 8 a.m. until closing Monday-Saturday.

Early to mid-June: strawberries. Containers provided.

To get there: I-275 to Ohio 32, go east to Sicily Road past Mount Orab. Turn left; farm is a little more than three miles, in southwest Highland County.

• Blooms & Berries, 9669 Ohio 48, Loveland. 697-9173. Call for picking times and availability.

Early June: strawberries. Late June: green beans, tomatoes. October: pumpkins.

To get there: I-71 to Ohio 48 exit (Lebanon). South on Ohio 48, through Maineville. Farm is about two miles on right, south of Maineville.

• Hidden Valley Fruit Farm, 5474 N. Ohio 48, Lebanon. (513) 932-1869. Call for picking times.

Early to mid-June: strawberries, blueberries. Late June: early apples. Late June to mid-July: red raspberries, blackberries, apples. Mid-July: green beans. Late July to August: peaches. August: sweet corn, pears. August to September: apples, Concord, Fredonia and Niagara grapes. September to October: apples, pumpkins.

To get there: I-75 to the Middletown exit (Ohio 122). Go east seven miles to Ohio 48. Go north two miles to farm. (Go through temporary "Road Closed" signs.)

• Irons' Fruit Farm, 1640 Stubbs Mill Road, Lebanon. (513) 932-2853. Call for picking times and crop availability.

Blueberries, thornless blackberries, apples, pumpkins. Containers provided.

To get there: I-71 to Ohio 123. Go north toward Lebanon; turn left on Stubbs Mill Road and watch for signs about two miles beyond on left.

• Rothschild Berry Farm, 3143 East Ohio 36, Urbana. (800) 356-8933.

Late August to mid-October: red raspberries. Cut your own herbs.

To get there: I-75 to I-675 (near Dayton) east toward Columbus. Take Ohio 68 north and follow signs to Urbana, in Champaign County. At traffic circle in town, turn right on Ohio 36. Farm is about three miles east of Urbana, on right.

• Rouster's Apple House, 1986 Ohio 131, Milford. 625-5504. Call ahead for picking times and availability.

Late June to August: blueberries. Late June to early July: red and purple raspberries. Late July: thornless blackberries. Containers provided.

To get there: I-275 to Milford Parkway exit 59-A. Follow parkway onto Ohio 131; farm is six miles beyond intersection of Ohio 131 and U.S. 50. Blueberry plantation is 500 yards before apple house, on right side of road.

• Spaeth Farm, 1469 South Ohio 741, Lebanon. (513) 932-2151. Call ahead for availability and picking times.

Early to mid-June: strawberries. Late July: tomatoes, green beans.

To get there: I-71 to exit at Paramount's Kings Island (Exit 25); left on Ohio 741; farm is about five miles north on the left. From I-75 north, take Exit 29 and turn right on Ohio 63. Turn right on Ohio 741. Farm is on right.

• Dale Stokes Fruit Farm, 2822 Center Road, Wilmington. (937) 382-4004. Hours: 8 a.m.-dark daily.

Early to late June: strawberries. Mid-June to early July: black raspberries. Late June: red raspberries. Containers provided.

To get there: I-71 to Ohio 73. Drive east to Williams Road; turn left. Turn right on Center Road to farm.

• Windmill Farm Market, 1454 East Ohio 73, Springboro. (937) 885-3965. Call for availability of produce.

Early June: strawberries. Mid-June: red raspberries, black raspberries, blueberries. October: pumpkins. Containers provided.

To get there: I-71 to Ohio 73. Go west 13 miles. Follow signs to farm on right, five miles west of Waynesville and three miles east of Springboro.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY

• Barker's Blackberry Hill Winery, 16629 Mount Zion-Verona Road, Crittenden. (859) 428-0377. Call for picking times.

July to August: blackberries.

To get there: I-75 to Ky. 491, go west on 491 to Mount Zion-Verona Road and go south. Farm on the left.

• McGlassen's Farm, Ky. 8, Taylorsport. (859) 689-5229. Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call ahead.

August to October: green beans and tomatoes. October: pumpkins, turnips and mustard greens.

To get there: I-275 to Ky. 20 north; turn right on Ky. 20, which dead-ends into Ky. 8; turn left onto Ky. 8; farm is three miles on right.

INDIANA

• Alpine Berry Farm, 26185 Pocket Road, Batesville, Ind. (812) 934-6677. Call for hours and availability.

Late June to September: blueberries.

To get there: I-74 to Batesville exit. Turn left on Ind. 229; turn right on Ind. 46 and go two miles. Turn right on Huntersville Road; go one mile; turn left on West Pocket Road. Farm is 1.8 miles on right.

• Beiersdorfer Orchard, 21874 Kuebel Road, Guilford, Ind. (812) 487-2695. Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 1-6 p.m. Sunday.

Early June: tart cherries and sweet cherries.

To get there: I-275 to Lawrenceburg (Exit 16). Go five miles north on Ind. 1. Turn left on Yorkridge Road and follow for four miles. Turn left at Kuebel Road. Look for sign.

• The Berry Patch, 9429 Yorkridge Road, Guilford, Ind. (812) 623-3774 or (812) 623-1433. Call ahead for hours and availability.

Early June: strawberries. July: blueberries and blackberries. September to October: pumpkins.

PRODUCE MARKETS

Here are Tristate markets where locally grown produce is available. If we missed your market, call 768-8507 or e-mail cmartin@enquirer.com)

• Tailgate Markets, Inc. Tentative opening dates for each location are in parenthesis. Weekday markets open at 3:30 p.m. and close at about 6 p.m. Saturday market opens at 9 a.m. and closes by 3 p.m.

Information: (859) 491-6140.

Monday: Nativity Church, Woodford and Ridge roads, Pleasant Ridge (June 9); St. Lawrence Church, 3680 Warsaw Ave., East Price Hill (June 30).

Tuesday: Swifton Commons Mall parking lot, 7030 Reading Road, Bond Hill (July 1).

Wednesday: St. Jude Church, 5928 Bridgetown Road, Bridgetown (July 2).

Thursday: St. Therese Church, 2516 Alexandria Pike, Southgate (June 19).

Friday: Northminster United Presbyterian Church, 703 Compton Road, Finneytown (June 13).

Saturday: Swifton Commons Mall parking lot, 7030 Reading Road, Bond Hill (June 14).

• Boone County Farmers' Market, Burlington Pike (between Limaburg Road and Camp Ernst Road), Burlington; (859) 586-6101.

9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday ; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

• Chefs Collaborative Green Market, GTC Bakehouse, 9730 Montgomery Road, Montgomery.

Thursday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Farm Market of College Hill, corner of Llanfair and Hamilton Ave., College Hill.

Tuesday, 3-7 p.m.

Information: 681-1326.

• Court Street Market, downtown (open year-round).

Tuesday and Thursday, 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

• Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine (open year-round).

Locally grown produce available in farmers' shed 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May to October.

Information: www.findlaymarket.org.

• Northside Farmer's Market, parking lot at Hamilton Ave. and Lingo St. (one block south of Chase Ave.) Northside.

Wednesday: 3-7 p.m.

Information: 591-0083 or 946-8996.

• Ohio Valley Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (Most markets open July to November).

Tuesday: 2-6 p.m., Sports Page Cafe parking lot, 453 Cincinnati-Batavia Pike, Mount Carmel.

Wednesday: 2-6 p.m., Big Lots parking lot, 825 Main St., Milford.

Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Big Lots parking lot, 825 Main St., Milford.

Sunday: noon-4 p.m., Auxier Trucking & Excavating, 1275 Ohio Pike, Amelia.

• Warren County Farmers' Market, TSC Tractor Supply Store, 505 W. Central, Springboro. (open May to September).

Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon.

Information: (513) 932-6470.

Picking tips

• Corn: Look for uniformly green husks with no darkness on bottoms. Kernels should be firm and plump with no indentations. Keep in refrigerator, and don't husk until just before using. Best eaten within day of harvest.

• Apples: Pick firm fruit with few blemishes and breaks in skin. Keep at room temperature. When ripe, refrigerate.

• Berries: Look for plump, dry and uniformly colored berries. Blot to remove excess moisture and place in shallow container. Cover with paper towel and wrap container with plastic. Keep in refrigerator. Don't wash until just before using.

• Pumpkins: Choose pumpkins that are free of blemishes and are heavy for their size. Store at cool room temperature for up to a month.

Before you go picking, remember to:

• Call the farm to double-check picking times and availability.

• Wear a hat and rub on sunscreen.

• Wear long pants and long sleeves to protect against briars and brambles.

• Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes.

• Bring shallow, lightweight pails or baskets - in case the farm doesn't provide them.

• Bring a water bottle or thermos.

• Pack a snack.

• Bring cash or checks (most farms don't accept credit cards) to pay for the privilege of picking.

How to learn more about cooking and preserving fresh fruit and vegetables:

On the shelf

• 5 A Day: The Better Health Cookbook (Rodale; $24.95).

• The Farmers Market Cookbook (Lyon; $22.95).

• The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest (Storey; $18.95)

On the Web

• www.canning-food-recipes.com

• www.homecanning.com

• www.homesteadharvest.com