Strawberry shortcake with fresh-picked strawberries and real whipped cream ... Sound yummy? You bet it does! It's one of the best things about summertime in Michigan.

Strawberries aren't your favorite? Well, how about cherry pie or peach cobbler, or sweet corn so good you can easily forget about the butter and salt.

All of these treats start at the farm, and you can start there, too. You can "pick" from a whole bunch of U-pick farms throughout the state—from Iron County, in the Upper Peninsula, to Monroe County, in the southeast corner of the state.

Strawberries are one of the earliest edible goodies to ripen in Michigan. They're in season from mid-June through mid-July. Picking your own is a great way to kick off your summer. Click here to learn a little bit about strawberries, including some tips on picking the best fruit.

There are lots of other fruits and vegetables that you can pick this time of year: blueberries and raspberries both begin to ripen in July, so do cucumbers and green beans. And you can start looking for juicy peaches, super sweet corn and ripe, red tomatoes in August.

Michigan farmers grow so many fresh fruits and veggies that it's hard to get out to the farms and pick everything you want to.

Although it can be a lot more fun to pick your own, you don't have to visit farms all over the county to enjoy fresh-picked produce ... you can just visit a farm market! Many communities have them, and you can get lots of different fruits and veggies all in one place.

Visit our online Farm Market and U-Pick Directory to find a location near you. Or call (800) 292-3939 to receive the directory by mail.

Picking fruits and veggies can be a lot of fun, but lots of farms have other great stuff to do, too. Flip through the U-Pick Directory and you'll find places where you can see and pet farm animals, and watch sheep being sheared and goats being milked. Hop on a wagon for a hayride and get the full tour of an orchard or farm.

And that real whipped cream to go with your fresh-picked strawberries? It starts at the farm, too. You can visit a working dairy farm, watch the cows being milked, and enjoy yummy cheese and homemade ice cream made right there.

Later in the summer, you can try to find your way through a giant corn maze; and in the fall there are lots of pumpkin patches to explore to pick just the right one for your jack-o-lantern.

Agriculture can be an adventure! See how much fun you can have by getting out to experience agriculture in Michigan!

Click here to learn a little more about the huge variety of produce grown in the Great Lakes State!