Tag Archives: Huber’s Farm

Nothing to Get Hung About this Strawberry Season

Think we picked enough strawberries?

 

The 2012 strawberry picking season has officially begun!  As of this week, just about all area farms offering pick-your-own opportunities will be open to visitors.  And I keep hearing how the unusually warm winter and early spring made for an extra bountiful crop this year.  Our experience at Schlagel Farms today definitely supported that theory — the berries were just as abundant as they were gorgeous. If you’re planning to hit the fields for some picking of your own, here’s the scoop on the berry season at several local farms (most of it duplicated from last year, but with updated info).  And if you have a favorite farm that isn’t on this list, feel free to mention it in the comments.  Happy Picking!

Schlagel Farms
Less than 20 miles from DC in Waldorf, Md, Schlagel Farms is one of the more popular pick-your-own berry places in the area with their season often beginning before other area farms. Their fields have been open to the public for a couple of weeks, and as of today the pickings are excellent! (We’ve got several large bowlfuls to prove it.)While there, you can also purchase bedded plants grown in their greenhouse. And you no longer have to worry about hitting the ATM before going—they started accepting credit cards (everything but AmEx) last year.  Schlagel’s is open for picking from 8am – 7pm seven days a week.

Homestead Farm
Strawberry season begins here on May 14 with what they call “seek and find” picking, but they expect a rapid increase in ripeness. Along with berry picking, there are animals to visit — goats, pigs, and chickens are some of the farm’s bestial residents. And Homestead scores high on aesthetics — the lovely pastoral setting in Montgomery County makes you feel like you’re way more than 20 miles from the city. The farm is open seven days a week from 9:30am – 6pm, though pick-your-own ends at 5:30.

Great Country Farms
At the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Shenandoah Valley, Great Country offers more than just pick-your-own opportunities. The farm is well known for its big seasonal festivals and fun farm-themed attractions. A hayride takes you out to the picking fields, and kids might spy an emu or goat on the way. Visitors also have access to the barnyard, mazes, a cow train, and jumping pillow. The weekend of May 19-20 is the annual Strawberry Jubilee with live music, pie eating contests, tart tosses, tasty food, and more. Babies four to nine months can compete in the diaper derby, a crawl to the finish line, to compete for great prizes. Admission is $8/child $10/adult on weekdays, and $10/child $12/adult on festival weekends. Open daily 9am- 6pm.

Mackintosh Fruit Farm
The family-owned farm in the Shenandoah Valley opened their strawberry fields to the public this past weekend, and they claim the early and warm spring brought their best crop in years. Plan on lunch while you’re there—along with fruits and veggies, the farm also offers a variety of menu items prepared fresh every day from their own produce. Walk it all off afterward along a new trail that winds through the fields and woods of the farm. Open daily from 8am – 6pm.

Pick-n-eat?

Westmoreland Berry Farm
Their strawberries have been ripe for the picking since this past weekend, and they expect them to be available for another few of weeks. Right now, you can pick your own on Saturdays and Sundays, but check back soon to see if weekdays open, too. On weekends a hay wagon transports visitors to the picking fields. A goat walk is a also fun sight for kids. The farm is open 9am – 5pm Monday – Saturday, and 10am – 5pm Sunday.

Larriland Farm
About an hour’s drive from DC in Howard County, Larriland Farms has gotten really good reviews on Yelp for both it’s produce and beauty. The pick-your-own season begins with strawberries, and it expected to start around May 17-20 — as it gets closer, call or check online to confirm the opening date. Larriland employs Integrated Pest Management, meaning pesticides are a last resort, to keep pests below an acceptable level with minimum harmful impact on the environment. Hours are Tuesdays 9am – 8pm, Wednesday to Friday 9am – 6pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am – 5pm, closed Mondays (but open Memorial day 9am – 1pm).

Huber’s Farm
If you want to celebrate strawberry season, head to Huber’s Farm May 19-20 for an Old Fashioned Strawberry Festival. The farm is kicking off the start of the season with a weekend of fun—the Strawberry Express Hayride, a moon bounce, face painting, strawberry shortcake, and more.  The festival will run from 12-5pm both days. The berries will be ready for picking in a couple of weeks along with many other spring veggies. Hours will be from 9am – 6pm seven days a week.

Butler’s Orchard
The farm might be best known for it’s Halloween and Easter extravaganzas, but they have a bounty of great crops, too. Their strawberry season officially starts May 14, and the fields will be open to visitors everyday. During strawberry season their hours are 8am – 6pm during the week, and 8am – 5pm on weekends. 

Hollin Farms
Across the river in Fauquier County, VA, Hollin Farms kicked off strawberry picking this past weekend and expect it to last through mid June. Hours are 9am – 5pm, and they recommend calling ahead to confirm that picking fields are open. And a special P.S. to meat lovers: they pride themselves on their grass-fed beef.

 

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Take Your Pick at Local Farms

Hitting the fields for pick-your-own fun

 

Though wonderful and delicious while it lasted, the pick-your-own strawberry season has ended. But you can still have a “berry” (I know…couldn’t resist) good time at local farms, as the fields are yielding a whole new crop of fruits. Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and more fresh produce are ripe for the picking for at least the next few weeks.

This post about the strawberry season lists area farms that offer pick-your-own opportunities, or you can scroll down for quick details. Just about every farm listed is cultivating some kind of berry (most have a few) in its fields. Note that Schlagel Farms is closed, as their pickings are limited to strawberries. And Huber Farms won’t have berries until late July when their blackberries are ready, though they do have other veggies right now (see the website or call for specifics).

And here’s one to add to the list that will help you keep antioxidant-ful: Blueberry Gardens in Ashland, MD, has U-pick organic blueberries all summer — they expect their season to last through August. And if you’re so inclined, the farm also offers yoga classes, massages, and wellness workshops, which you can read all about on their website.

If you don’t want to jump to the old post for the scoop on area farms, here’s the quick list of places  offering berry picking. Just click to visit their websites for more info.

Great Country Farms
Admission is $8/ages 3-10, $10/ages 11 and up (kids under 2 are free) on weekdays, and $10/everyone on festival weekends. Open daily 9am- 6pm.

Homestead Farm
No admission fee. Open seven days a week from 9:30am – 6pm, though pick-your-own ends at 5:30. Call the hotline at 301.977.3761 or check the website for updates.

Mackintosh Fruit Farm
Open daily from 8am – 6pm.

Larriland Farm
Hours are Tuesdays 9am – 8pm, Wednesday to Friday 9am – 6pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am – 5pm, closed Mondays.

Westmoreland Berry Farm
Open Monday – Saturday 8am – 6pm, Sunday 10am – 6pm

Huber’s Farm
Open 9am – 7pm seven days a week.

Butler’s Orchard
Blueberry fields are open Tuesday – Friday 8:30am -1pm, Saturday & Sunday 8:30am – 5pm

Hollin Farms
Hours are 9am – 5pm, and they recommend calling ahead to confirm that picking fields are open.

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The 2011 Strawberry Season is Underway

One of the season’s most anticipated activities has begun, and it’s only going to get better. Strawberry picking has started at several local farms, and many more will open their fields to the public over the next couple of weeks. You can also celebrate the season at a few strawberry festivals taking place this coming weekend.

As mentioned in last year’s post about the same topic, I love going out to the farm and picking produce with the kids. The slow pace and open space are a nice change from the hubbub and confines of the city.  It’s a fun, active way for the kids to see where their food comes from.  And then there’s the obvious: the enjoyment continues with a basketful of delicious hand-picked berries at home.

So, I confess: Much of this list of local farms offering pick-your-own strawberry opportunities has been regurgitated from last year. But all the vital info has been updated, plus a few farms have been added to the mix. All you have to do is take your pick (pun intended).  Happy Picking!

Schlagel Farms
Less than 20 miles from the city in Waldorf, Md, Schlagel Farms is one of the most popular pick-your-own berry places in the area with their season often beginning before other area farms. Their fields have been open to the public for a couple of weeks, and their hotline currently says the pickings ” remain excellent.” While there, you can also purchase other produce and plants grown in their greenhouse. And you no longer have to worry about hitting the ATM before going—they now accept credit cards, too.  Schlagel’s is open for picking from 8am – 7pm seven days a week.

Great Country Farms
At the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Shenandoah Valley, Great Country offers more than just pick-your-own opportunities. The farm is well known for its big seasonal festivals and fun farm-themed attractions. A hayride takes you out to the picking fields, and kids might spy an emu or goat on the way. Visitors also have access to the barnyard, mazes, a cow train, and jumping pillow. The weekend of May 28-29 is the Strawberry Jubilee U-Pick Festival with live music, pie eating contests, tart tosses, tasty food, and more. Babies four to nine months can compete in the diaper derby, a crawl to the finish line, to compete for great prizes. Admission is $8/ages 3-10, $10/ages 11 and up (kids under 2 are free) on weekdays, and $10/everyone on festival weekends. Open daily 9am- 6pm.

Homestead Farm
Strawberry season doesn’t begin here until next week, but given the consistently good quality of its pick-your-own produce, the wait is sure to be worth it. And Homestead scores just as high on aesthetics as it does on its crops—the lovely pastoral setting in Montgomery County makes you feel like you’re way more than 20 miles from the city. The farm opens when their strawberry season begins–call the hotline at 301.977.3761 or check the website for updates (I will also update here). They will be open seven days a week from 9:30am – 6pm, though pick-your-own ends at 5:30. 5/20 UPDATE: Homestead is open for the season, and strawberries ar ready for picking!

Mackintosh Fruit Farm
The family-owned farm in the Shenandoah Valley opened their strawberry fields to the public last week, and there is still plenty of time to reap the fruits. The annual Strawberry Festival will take place on Saturday, May 21. Plan on lunch while you’re there—along with fruits and veggies, the farm also offers a variety of menu items prepared fresh every day from their own produce. Walk it all off afterward along a new trail that winds through the fields and woods of the farm. Open daily from 8am – 6pm.

Larriland Farm
About an hour’s drive from DC in Howard County, Larriland Farms has gotten really good reviews on Yelp for both it’s produce and beauty. The pick-your-own season begins with strawberries around May 27—as it gets closer, call or check online to confirm the opening date. Larriland employs Integrated Pest Management, meaning pesticides are a last resort, to keep pests below an acceptable level with minimum harmful impact on the environment. Hours are Tuesdays 9am – 8pm, Wednesday to Friday 9am – 6pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am – 5pm, closed Mondays (but open Memorial day 9am – 1pm).

Westmoreland Berry Farm
Their strawberries have been ripe for the picking since Mother’s Day, and they expect them to be available for another couple of weeks. The hour or so drive from DC to Oak Grove, Va, apparently is worth it, as there’s much more to do there than gather fruit. A goat walk is a fun sight for kids, and the adjoining Voorhees Nature Preserve contains trails, a boardwalk spanning over wetlands, bird and wildlife sightings, and scenic views.

Huber’s Farm
If you want to celebrate strawberry season, head to Huber’s Farm May 21-22 for an Old Fashioned Strawberry Festival. The farm is kicking off the start of the season with a weekend of fun—the Strawberry Express Hayride, a moon bounce, face painting, strawberry shortcake, and more.  The festival will run from 12-5pm both days. The berries will be ready for picking in a couple of weeks along with many other spring veggies. Hours will be from 9am – 6pm seven days a week.

Butler’s Orchard
The farm might be best known for it’s Halloween and Easter extravaganzas, but they have a bounty of great crops, too. They are anticipating the strawberry season to begin May 25, but it wouldn’t hurt to call ahead before you go to make sure the pickings are ready—a recorded message is constantly updated. During strawberry season their hours are 8am – 6pm during the week, and 8am – 5pm on weekends. 5/21 UPDATE: Butler’s is open for the season, though pickings are currently “scattered,” so be sure to call ahead.

Hollin Farms
Across the river in Fauquier County, VA, Hollin Farms opens their strawberry picking season the weekend of May 21-22 and expects it to last through mid June. Hours are 9am – 5pm, and they recommend calling ahead to confirm that picking fields are open. And a special P.S. to meat lovers: they pride themselves on their grass-fed beef.

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Let Me Take You Down, ‘Cause I’m Going To…

Have you noticed all the good strawberry deals at the grocery store lately? And the berries have been rockin’—a perfect combo of sweet and juicy with just the slightest bit of crispiness when you take a bite. My husband told me months ago that he read it would be a good year for strawberries (something about the weather delaying harvests, giving them less time to grow, and smaller berries getting more circulation, which makes them juicier.) Anyway, if the grocery variety is that good, imagine how delicious they are straight from the farm.

Well, lucky for us, it’s strawberry-picking season. I love going out to the fields and picking produce with the kids. It’s a nice break from the urban bustle and a great chance to show them that food doesn’t magically appear on a shelf at Trader Joe’s or on a restaurant plate.

A few area farms have already opened their fields to the public, and more are getting ready to make it official this weekend. I’ve put together a list of some good pick-your-own places, and if you have any to add, feel free to do so in the comments section. Happy Picking!

Schlagel Farms
Less than 20 miles from the city in Waldorf, Md, Schlagel Farms is one of the most popular pick-your-own places in the area. Their strawberry season started May 1, and I heard from a friend who visited today that it’s still going strong, and may even last well into June. You can stay updated on their supply by signing up for the newsletter on their website. They are open for picking from 8am – 7pm.

Homestead Farm
I’ve only been here during the fall, but if the apples and pumpkins are any indicator, their strawberries are bound to be good. And Homestead scores just as high on aesthetics as it does on its crops—the lovely pastoral setting in Montgomery County makes you feel like you’re way more than 20 miles from the city. Their strawberry season is already underway, and they are open seven days a week from 9:30am – 6pm, though pick-your-own ends at 5:30.

Butler’s Orchard
The farm might be best known for it’s Halloween and Easter extravaganzas, but they have a bounty of great crops, too. Their strawberry season has officially begun, however, the website says it’s scattered picking through May 14, and larger quantities should be ready for harvest next week. During strawberry season (which runs to late June) their hours are 8am – 6pm during the week, and 8am – 5pm on weekends.

Larriland Farm
About an hour’s drive from the city in Howard County, Larriland Farms has gotten really good reviews on Yelp for both it’s produce and beauty. Their strawberry season opens this Saturday, May 15, but they recommend calling or checking online to confirm enough berries are ripe for picking. Larriland employs Integrated Pest Management, meaning pesticides are a last resort, to keep pests below an acceptable level with minimum harmful impact on the environment. Hours are Tuesdays 9am – 8pm, Wednesday to Friday 9am – 6pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am – 5pm, closed Mondays.

Hollin Farms
Across the river in Fauquier County, VA, Hollin Farms opened their strawberry picking season this past weekend and expects it to last through the month of May. Hours are 9am -5pm, and they recommend calling ahead to confirm that picking fields are open. And a special P.S. to meatlovers: they pride themselves on their grass-fed beef.

Huber’s Farm
If you want to celebrate strawberry season, head to Huber’s Farm May 22-23 for an Old Fashioned Strawberry Festival. The farm is kicking off the start of the season with a weekend of fun—the Strawberry Express Hayride, a moon bounce, face painting, strawberry shortcake, and more. For just pick-your-own, the farm opens on May 19 , hours will be from 9am – 6pm seven days a week.

Great Country Farms
For a nice, scenic drive to your picking spot, Great Country Farms is an ideal destination. At the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Great Country offers an abundance of crops as well as a real farm experience. A hayride takes you out to the picking fields, and kids might spy an emu or goat on the way. The weekends of May 29 – 31 and June 5-6 are Strawberry Jubilee U-Pick Festivals with live music, pie eating contests, tart tosses, and more. Perhaps the one minus: the farm charges an admission fee of $8 (kids under 2 are free). The weekends of the festival it’s $10. Open daily 9am- 6pm.

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