As summer approaches, Pennsylvania orchards’ late spring and summer crops are ripening.

LebTown took a trip to Lebanon County’s Honey Bear Orchards to pick some strawberries.

All photos by Emily Bixler

A strawberry-picking sign alongside Thompson Ave. advertising Honey Bear’s strawberry crop.

Honey Bear’s strawberry orchard is located at 1800 Thompson Ave. Once there, prospective strawberry-pickers can use their own basket or container or speak with workers at the stand for a container to hold berries.

Honey Bear Orchard’s stand, where visitors can purchase their newly picked strawberries.

From there, walk down one of the rows of plants and keep your eyes out for the bright red of ripe strawberries.

Honey Bear customers picking their own strawberries Saturday morning.

As a courtesy to future pickers, avoid damaging green or under-ripe berries, as these can be left on the vines to ripen.

Ripe berries at Honey Bear Orchard.

Once you’ve picked all that you would like to keep, head over to the stand to buy the berries.

A bucket full of freshly picked strawberries.

At Honey Bear, strawberries cost $1.75 per pound.

Berries being weighed at Honey Bear Orchards.

According to the Honey Bear Orchards website, strawberries will only be available early June.

The strawberry orchard at Honey Bear.

Sweet cherries will be available mid June, sour cherries and black raspberries late June and early July, apples mid July through mid September, peaches mid July through early September and pears Late August through early September.

For updates on Honey Bear Orchards’ picking schedule, follow their Facebook Page.

Emily Bixler was born and raised in Lebanon and now reports on local government. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano and going for hikes.