Food & Drink

Fruit picking: the perfect job for backpackers in the UK

Even the healthiest among us often struggle to get our 5 a day. But now, there’s another challenge with getting enough fruit and veg, and that’s availability.

Britain’s farms are always looking for workers to help with harvesting, who want an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and make a few extra quid in the process. From fruit picking and packing to forklift driving and plant husbandry, you’ll find plenty of job vacancies on Britain’s farms.

And you can pick up one of these farming jobs to supplement your income – the perfect job for backpackers in the UK. So, where are Britain’s best fruit-picking jobs? And how can you secure one?

British Summer Fruits

British Summer Fruits is an organisation that represents over 95% of all British-grown berry farmers. It aims to increase the consumption of berries in the UK by working closely with growers, importers and potential fruit-picking job candidates.

Head to the British Summer Fruits website, and you’ll see a map of fruit-picking vacancies throughout the nation, particularly around Edinburgh, London, Southampton and Wales. Want to check out some of the best tourist hotspots during your temporary stay in one of our nation’s capitals? Check out our range of tours.

Hall Hunter Farms

Hall Hunter Farms is one of the UK’s largest berry producers, with three locations in Berkshire and Surrey. It usually has plenty of vacancies from April until November. And if enjoying the outdoors isn’t a big enough perk of the job, you’ll be glad to know that the cash isn’t half bad either. In 2019, the average weekly wage was over £400.

There are plenty of things to see and do when you have time off in Berkshire. Windsor Castle is one of the most famous landmarks, and you can see it on our tour that also visits Blenheim Palace and its gardens.

Pro-Force

Pro-Force is another large organisation that connects temporary fruit pickers to farms throughout the UK. Many jobs are located near its headquarters in Kent, one of England’s most beautiful counties.

During your stay in Kent, you can visit some of the nation’s best coastlines and landmarks, including Canterbury Cathedral and Leeds Castle. Whether you’re a nature-lover, history buff or thrill-seeker, you won’t struggle to occupy your free time while working in Kent.

G’s Fresh

Of course, berries aren’t the only edible that grows in abundance on the UK’s farms. Cases like celery, mushrooms, onion and radish also need picking, packing and distributing. If you’re interested in such work, head to G’s Fresh to see what’s available.

Most seasonal jobs at G’s Fresh are located in East Anglia and Sussex, where you can see long shorelines, white cliffs, medieval hamlets and plenty of countryside. You’re also just a short distance from Stonehenge, one of the world’s most famous prehistoric sites.

If you’d like to experience as much as possible of the beautiful British countryside whilst you’re here, make sure to check out our Day Tours from London. You’re sure to find lots of exciting new places to explore.