This year we are managing our strawberry crop differently.  We have shifted our emphasis to Fresh Picked strawberries instead of Pick Your Own.   This year we expect  to have  strawberries on the farmstand all summer and into October as we grow the day neutral varieties  that continue to produce new berries all summer long. Last year we picked strawberries until October 23rd!  We still have two small beds of the typical June bearing varieties which produce berries from early June to approx July 10th.  We still offer PYO rhubarb, free of charge, for our customers.  

Our Raspberry season will be all PYO with no changes.  This year we have a new raspberry patch in addition to last years area and we are looking forward to hearing how you enjoy it.  Cultivated raspberries are not as thorny as wild berries and you won't become all scratched up while picking. Typically the raspberry season begins slowly with the early varieties in early July and the season ends early August.   We begin with a few pints ready for picking and then every other day or so more ripen until the whole patch is ready and we can accomodate a crowd. We will close down the raspberry beds if they get picked off and need time to ripen.  The farmstand will remain open with fresh picked strawberries and vegetables. We have planted two new rows of fall raspberries, however they won't be ready for picking until next year.

 Conventionally grown berries are listed as a high spray product. We do not grow our berries conventionally.   The list you see about fruit and vegetables having the most sprays on them do not apply to the small farms for a number of reasons.   That list applies to the very large farms of the West Coast,  Southeast and other countries.  We have been growing berries for over 40 years and have acquired an acute understanding of the balance between managed plantings and nature's many defenses and offenses. We use all the same practices as an organic grower would,  except we don't use the organic fungicides or insecticides approved for berries as their toxicity levels are above what we are comfortable with. We have to apply one spray on our perennial berries when they are still in flower, before the berry has formed,  as we have an insect, the tarnished plant bug, that overwinters. This year we applied one cover of fungicide  very early in the season, which is less toxic than the fungicide in your toothpaste.   We don't use a carbon based/organic insecticide as the choice is limited to Rotenone and it kills bees and can leach in to water and kill fish.  If you must wash the berries before eating them, we would not be in this business.   Please feel free to email us any questions about our farming practices  or ask us when at the farm. 

It is best to leave your pets at home. They are not allowed into the beds and it is rather hot inside vehicles this time of year.

When you  purchase our fresh picked berries you have advantages over berries from other areas. First off you will know whose hands picked your fruit and that the carbon footrpint of moving your fruit from farm  of origin to your home is very low.

Berry stains have always washed out of my clothes.

I hull and freeze lots of berries  and use them later in the fall  and all thru the winter in jam, smoothies, recipes, fruit salads etc. To hull a strawberry you need a paring knife of some sort.  We usually sit around the kitchen table and chat while slicing off the green cap only and throw them into a large colander and then dump them into freezer bags. Rinsing the berries is unneccesay. Frozen berries make great jam and can be mixed with other types of fruit to make some really great gifts.

If you have any other questions, please ask.