With the arrival of the short 3-4 week strawberry season, the sweet smell of strawberries is in the air! Most of us are accustomed to strawberries from the grocery that were shipped in from far away places and picked before they are fully ripe to ensure smooth travels. Local strawberries are a totally different experience, where you get to select each one yourself at the peak of perfection. They are ripe and red totally through and filled with flavor beyond comparison.
Great Country Farms’ strawberries are extra special, as they are non-GMO and not sprayed with any chemicals, fungicides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers!
Here are 5 tips to make your strawberry picking experience the best!
- Play hooky and pick on a weekday. Strawberries ripen over time, so you’ll find the most available during the week.
- Arrive right when the farm opens on weekends. Since the demand for local strawberries far exceeds the capacity of local production, most farms are picked early on weekends. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates on picking conditions throughout the day.
- Local berries are fragile. Eat your strawberries or freeze them within 24 hours of picking. Most local berries are grown for flavor rather than shipping so they will not last like those in the grocery store.
- Dress for picking. You’re visiting a working farm, so close-toed shoes, sun hat and sunscreen are in order. Rain boots are always a good idea, especially if we have had rain the past few days… the fields can get muddy!
- Please pay for your strawberries before eating them. It’s hugely tempting to eat strawberries while picking, but please keep in mind that the strawberry patch is really the Farmer’s Market and your farmer’s livelihood. Our strawberries are sold by the pound,
so you will need to weigh and pay before you enjoy. - Make it a family fun day! Bring a cooler with ice packs to save your strawberry bounty. Then, you’ll have plenty of time to jump on our giant jumping pillows, visit our friendly goats, tackle our Farm Ninja Warrior Course, take wagon rides, and play all day in our five acres of fun!
Great Country Farms’ strawberries are $2.99/lb. plus farm admission for a full day of family fun on the farm. Join us for our Strawberry Jubilee Festival Weekends!
