Getting fruits and vegetables from a local farm just has a different feel to it than stocking up at the grocery store.
You know exactly where your produce is coming from, and can grub down a little easier knowing that it’s only been off the plant, vine or out of the ground for a day or two – sometimes even less.
And don’t get us wrong, we don’t mind having the folks who do this for a living do all the hard work for us, while we get to enjoy the fruits of their labor. (We had to throw that one in there at some point!)
But at this time of year, we can’t wait to get out in the fields and decide exactly what fresh foods we want to fill our fridge with thanks to a little thing that farms like to call pick-your-own.
Not every farm offers the personal experience option, and that’s fine, but the ones that do can make for quite the family outing – at least in our case.
Over the last few weeks, Rossview Farm and Apple Hill Farm both opened for pick-your-own strawberries, and if you like the little red fruit that grows just inches off the ground, then you’ll want to make your way to one of the patches. Because we tried berries from both farms and they had to be some of the best strawberries we’ve had since probably this time last year. They’re sweet and juicy, and there are lots of varieties out there to enjoy.
And this is just the beginning. Over the course of the summer months and into the fall, there are lots of options for pick-your-own fruits and vegetables on the horizon. So we figured why not give you a bird’s-eye view of the local farms and what they have to offer right now, and moving forward.
Rossview Farm
The District 5 Road farm has been open for a few weeks now, offering up the opportunity to choose the strawberries you want to take home. You can also buy pre-picked berries at the farmstand by the patch.
Rossview is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday for strawberries.
Owner Don Ross has what he calls three backbone varieties to go along with three trial flavors he likes to have available each year.
For pick-your-own, it will cost you $2.72 a pound, and is totally worth it.
Ross thinks with this year’s crop that they’ll have strawberries going through mid-July, but as the season goes along, you’ll want to call and make sure.
That means there will be at least a week of overlap with his blueberry crop, as those will be ready for early season picking in the first week of July. Because of the amount of bushes he has (more than 1,000) and the varying ready times of his five varieties, blueberries will going all the way through late August.
Beginning in late September, you can pick your own pumpkins through October, while the Christmas tree crop is opened up for the season the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Ross also got the maple syrup operation back up and running this year, so you can find that at the farmstand right now.
For more up-to-date info and picking times, call 228-4872.
Apple Hill Farm
The strawberry patch just opened last week and with the season expected to last a month or more, you’ll have plenty of time to get out there and get your hands dirty.
Apple Hill has 12 strawberry varieties in the ground, and eight that will be picked this year.
It will cost you $2.75 a pound if you pick your own. As of now, picking hours are Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, but as the crop continues to grow and the berries become more ready, some evening hours will be added.
Come the second week in July, blueberries will be the pick-your-own of choice at Apple Hill and the crop usually is strong through the first week of September. That’s the potential to make a lot of muffins.
During that time, you’ll find a three-week or so raspberry season that typically begins in “the hottest week of July,” said owner Diane Souther. They also have a fall raspberry season from some point in later August to early September.
And, of course, once Labor Day rolls around, apple season will be in full swing.
Call 224-8862 for more info and specific season start dates.
Lewis Farm
Owners James Meinecke and Becky McWilliams are still getting things all figured out after buying the farm a couple years ago.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t have plenty of produce to choose from.
They have planted strawberries for next year, but have lots of great things right now that can be picked. There’s lettuce and arugula, garlic scapes, horseradish and peas ready right now. It’s all done by weight and pricing changes based on the produce.
They officially open the farmstand on July 3, so if you want to go before then (which is fine), just call ahead to make sure someone is there to point you in the right direction.
As the summer rolls along, there will be “tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes – lots of tomatoes,” Meinecke said.
Lewis Farm has one giant cherry tree that’s going right now, but picking won’t last for long.
In mid-August, they will have blackberries for pick-ing, and pumpkins and chestnuts in the fall. There will also be lots of stuff that’s grown on the farm that’s not pick-your-own, but available at the farmstand.
For more, call 228-6230.
Carter Hill
Carter Hill doesn’t open for the season until next month, but once they do, it’s going to be a busy time at the orchard.
They will have blueberries, and lots of them, starting around July 10, and the season will go all the way until mid-September.
There are raspberries that will be ready for picking around the first of August, but will only last a couple weeks.
Something that you won’t find at other local farms is pick-your-own peaches, which will get going around the first of August as well and is quite the adventure if you haven’t done it before.
And of course, once September rolls around, there will be all kinds of apple varieties to choose from.
Call 225-2625 for specific picking times and opening date.
