Visiting a Pick-Your-Own Fruit Farm

With strawberry season winding down here in the northern climes, and summer crops growing fat on summer sunshine, U-Pick fruit and vegetable farms seem like the perfect topic to start with. Not only is it a cheap and easy way of gathering loads of fresh produce for the table and to put up for the colder months ahead, but it’s also the closest you can get to eating local without growing it yourself.

U-pick fruit and vegetable farms, also called ‘pick-your-own’ are popping up all over the place these days. Usually only a little ways out of town to make them accessible to customers, these farmers do most of the work for you by growing the fruits and veg. All you have to do is get down on your knees (or reach up into trees) and pick. U-pick farms are a great way to buy direct from local farmers. Buying direct keeps more money in the farmers’ pockets instead of it going to a middleman. Prices for you are cheaper too, partly because you do the work of picking, and partly because it decreases the farmer’s costs. Those strawberries don’t have to be washed, boxed, shipped etc.

Your First Time at a U-pick farm?

1. To find a local U-pick place, ask around at the local Farmers’ Markets, drive out into the country and look for signs, or check the classifieds in your local newspaper. Don’t be afraid to call and ask what’s picking, or how long the season for a certain crop will last.

2. The best time to pick is first thing in the morning or in the evening when the sun’s cooled down a bit. Be sure to check hours at the farm though before you go. Most farms are closed Sundays.

3. Wear comfortable clothing that will keep you cool, and that you don’t mind getting a little dirty. Fruit juices, especially strawberries, cherries, and raspberries, can stain clothing.

4. Ask ahead if you need to bring your own containers. Some places provide baskets, and charge per basket full, while others charge by weight. If you need to bring something, I’ve found that plastic ice cream buckets work great, so do plastic or stainless steel bowls.

5. Once you get there, usually a farm worker will show you where to pick and away you go. Bring a water bottle, a hat, and wear plenty of sunscreen. There’s rarely any shade out in the fields.

6. Once your buckets and baskets are overflowing take them over to the cashier (usually located in a nearby hut/fruit stand) and pay for your bounty.

7. Get them home as quick as you can and into the fridge. Use them fresh, freeze them for later, or turn them into jars upon jars of jam and jelly.


You can’t get any fresher than sun-warmed, just picked strawberries. While you’re picking, there will always be a couple ‘casualties’- it’s okay to taste test a little in the field, just wipe the dirt off first! Picking fruit and vegetables in season is fun and easy, and gets you much closer to the food you eat. It’s a wonderful learning experience for kids and adults alike, plus it provides some very sweet rewards.

Easy and delicious Strawberry and Apple Cobbler

Other Delicious Ideas for Summer Berries:
Cobblers
Crisps
Muffins
Scones
Salads
Popsicles (just blend them with a bit of water and sugar, and pour into molds)
Sauces for pancakes, shortcakes, or meats
Smoothies and Milkshakes
Jam or Jelly

What do you do with your berry harvest? Any tips you’ve learned while picking? Share them with us!