Strawberry Picking Near Me | Campfire Magazine

Strawberries begin fruiting any time from the early summer time throughout to the start of autumn. These candy pink fruits are a favorite for many individuals and whereas you should purchase them in abundance within the supermarkets, there’s something really particular about going on the market and selecting your personal tasty strawberries. 

Plus, each time I’ve been strawberry selecting, I’ve observed that there are some actual monsters on the market, the scale of which you’d be laborious pushed to seek out in your native Sainsburys.

Not solely do you get a significantly better crop when you may get out within the area and PYO strawberries but it surely’s a beautiful exercise to do as a household. Some a lot wanted outside time will get the youngsters away from digital gadgets and most locations have a restaurant or bar the place you may calm down within the solar after gathering your yield. 

But for those who’ve been questioning is there any strawberry selecting close to me then we’ve acquired excellent news. There are hundreds of decide your personal strawberry farms dotted across the UK and a few are actually fantastic. 

In this information, we’ll run via among the best strawberry selecting close to me in addition to providing you with some useful recommendations on benefit from your go to. 

Top 10 Strawberry Picking Locations In The UK

There are so many PYO strawberry farms across the UK that it might be inconceivable to go to each single one with out dedicating your total summer time to strawberry selecting alone. No matter the place you’re within the UK, you’ll discover strawberry selecting inside a number of miles so that you received’t should journey far. 

While we couldn’t probably record each single location within the nation, we’ve got put collectively this record of our prime ten strawberry selecting spots for scrumptious, recent fruit. 

1 Hillfield Nursery – Norfolk

Hillfield is a household run nursery that’s set in 30 acres of beautiful countryside. A go to right here is properly value it since there’s a lot to see and do together with that each one essential strawberry selecting. 

Take a mooch across the farm store that sells a variety of selfmade merchandise in addition to the nursery with an incredible choice of vegetation. 

If you need to combine your strawberries with different fruits then why not attempt the apple urgent service? Hillfield is dwelling to greater than 250 apple varieties and provides some scrumptious recent juices to whet your whistle whenever you’re carried out selecting strawberries. 

2 Chilton Manor Farm – Kent

http://www.chiltonmanorfarm.co.uk/whats-available.asp 

Located in Sittingbourne, Chilton Manor Farm is an excellent place to take the youngsters to get pleasure from a spot of strawberry selecting in addition to partaking in a number of different actions.

Here, you’ll discover a quaint little farm store with numerous scrumptious native produce and handmade items. The PYO area is open day-after-day aside from Mondays and even when the strawberries exit of season, the farm places on loads of different issues akin to pumpkin selecting at Halloween!

3 Sandhill Strawberry Farm – Merseyside

The tune Strawberry Fields Forever hailed from this a part of the nation so it might be prison to not embrace a Merseyside PYO farm.

Sandhill farm is a standard working farm set in rural environment that provides PYO fruit all 12 months spherical with a deal with strawberries in the summertime. 

There’s the possibility to sit down on the tractor and at sure instances of the 12 months, the farm store can be crammed with particular treats like pumpkins and Christmas timber!

4 Grove Farm – Bedfordshire

Grove Farm opens its door for keen strawberry followers from June annually. Here, you’ll discover a variety of vegatables and fruits relying on the season and so they’re among the highest quality within the nation!

What we actually love about Grove Farm, nevertheless, is that they’re making an actual try to stay sustainable when it comes to packing. You can discover out extra particulars about this on their web site. 

5 Bearstone Fruit Farm – Staffordshire

Located in Market Drayton, a quaint little city in rural Staffordshire, Bearstone Fruit Farm really is a hidden gem.

As properly as strawberries, you’ll have the chance to select scrumptious blackberries and redcurrants. When you’re carried out, there are refreshments together with chilly drinks and engaging selfmade truffles. 

6 Sharnfold Farm – Sussex

Down in Eastbourne, you’ll discover the stunning little Sharnfold Farm which makes for the proper household day trip. During strawberry season, you’ll have the possibility to get out into the fields and PYO however there’s a lot extra happening right here all year long. 

There are particular occasions at Halloween and Christmas however regardless of whenever you go to, you’ll be capable of work together with animals like sheep and fuzzy alpacas. There’s a farm store and cafe, trails to stroll, a play space and even fishing. 

If you need to embrace strawberry selecting as a part of a wider day trip then Sharnfold Farm has acquired you coated. 

7 Copas Farms – Buckinghamshire

Spread throughout two places, the Copas farms provide the possibility to select your personal strawberries in addition to rhubarb and asparagus selecting. What a approach to fill up your pantry!

The farm additionally has a farm store the place you may get your arms on native produce and there’s a maize maze to maintain you and the youngsters entertained after you’ve completed harvesting. 

8 Scalby Grange – Yorkshire

Scalby Grange is positioned in East Riding, Yorkshire and is a small household run enterprise that opens from June for hungry strawberry pickers. 

But then enjoyable doesn’t finish when summer time is over because the farm takes on a spooky new persona and pumpkin season arrives. Head over at Halloween to PYO pumpkin, for those who dare!

9 Forde Abbey – Somerset

Forde Abbey and Gardens is a surprising property set in rural Somerset that has among the finest strawberry selecting within the space. The produce right here is top of the range and ultimate for making jams and desserts or for having fun with by itself. 

But when summer time involves an finish, there’s nonetheless a lot extra happening right here. There’s a goat farm, lovely gardens to discover, a surprising home that’s dwelling to the Mortlake Tapestries and you’ll even maintain occasions like weddings right here. 

This is one other sensible location if you wish to embrace strawberry selecting as a part of an even bigger day trip with the youngsters.

10 Scaddows Farm – Derbyshire

Having catered to PYO lovers for the final 30 years, Scaddows Farm is likely one of the finest locations to select strawberries within the East Midlands. Located simply exterior of a quaint little village known as Ticknall, the farm and farm store produces some glorious high quality fruits. 

It’s free to get in and there are a complete host of different fruits on provide akin to gooseberries, raspberries, blackcurrants and far more. There’s additionally a winery for the grown ups!

Why Pick Your Own Strawberries?

Picking your personal strawberries is commonly just a little dearer than simply going to the grocery store and selecting up a punnet. But the place’s the enjoyable in that? I’d a lot quite pay just a little additional and have some enjoyable than have to face in a protracted line in Asda for some lacklustre fruits. 

Keep in thoughts that you’ll have to pay to get into some decide your personal strawberry farms. However, for essentially the most half, they’ll take this price off no matter you purchase so it’s not the top of the world. 

Aside from the value, there are a great deal of the reason why selecting your personal strawberries is an excellent household exercise. 

For starters, if in case you have kids, this can be a sensible approach of introducing them to how meals grows and the place their meals comes from. What’s extra, it’s a superb alternative to get everybody outside and having fun with some recent air. Plus, you’ll do an honest quantity of strolling and getting train is rarely a nasty factor. 

On prime of that, you’re spending time as a household and making reminiscences. Picking strawberries is likely to be the best of actions however on your kids, it’ll be a reminiscence they cherish. And anyway, with so many of those PYO farms providing different actions, you may usually make a day of it. 

When you PYO strawberries, and different fruits, the style is normally loads higher than what you’d get out of your native store because the fruits are picked in season. 

Have you ever considered how the straightforward act of shopping for strawberries from the grocery store can impression the surroundings? When you buy strawberries from outlets, the meals may have been transported for miles and miles. This has a direct impression on the surroundings so selecting your personal is far more eco pleasant because the meals miles are lowered. On prime of this, you’re additionally supporting native companies and with the present monetary local weather, that’s actually essential in serving to native economies thrive.

Making The Most Out Of Visiting A PYO Strawberry Farm

I’ve heard lots of people inform me that they’ve been dissatisfied when going to a PYO farm. But this is actually because they haven’t taken the proper strategy or angle to the exercise. You can get a extremely good yield at these farms however there’s a number of issues to remember earlier than you get began and the following pointers will allow you to benefit from your go to. 

Don’t Start At The Front

When you get to the strawberry farm, you’ll discover that most individuals head for the primary few rows of vegetation as these are simpler to entry and save strolling. However, for those who head to the farthest a part of the sector, there can be fewer individuals and that is the place you’ll discover an abundance of untouched fruits. 

Check How Ripe The Fruits Are

It may be tempting to simply soar in and seize any strawberry you see however keep in mind that you’ll should pay for no matter you are taking dwelling so all the time attempt to get the highest quality fruits. Looking for these which are absolutely ripe is the way in which to go however you’ll want to examine the fruit first as some can look ripe however are solely midway there. The complete strawberry needs to be pink and this tells you it’s able to be picked.

Most of the time, it’s OK to attempt a strawberry to see what the standard is like earlier than you decide to selecting. Farms don’t are likely to have an issue with this. But they may have an issue for those who and your youngsters go across the area serving to your self to mouthfuls of fruit your complete time. Be respectful that that is somebody’s residing and solely attempt one fruit to check it.

Pick Your Strawberries Correctly

Lots of people simply seize the strawberry and pull it off the plant. But whenever you do that, you pull out the plug and this may injury the fruit inflicting it to grow to be bruised. As a outcome, the fruit received’t final lengthy. It’s higher to seize the stem and break this off the plant.

Store Your Strawberries Correctly

I’ve seen lots of people placing strawberries within the fridge and I can see why they may do that. We’re conditioned to consider that meals retains for longer in cool temperatures and whereas that is the case with some issues, different meals, like strawberries are higher once they’re at room temperature.

This is as a result of they may shortly lose their candy flavour whenever you maintain them within the fridge. No, they received’t maintain as lengthy out of the fridge however if you would like the perfect style and high quality, that is the way in which to go. Just eat them as quickly as doable after selecting.

Check Times And Dates Before You Go

The opening instances and dates of PYO strawberry farms will differ annually based on the climate and the way properly the fruits have grown. Before you head off, it’s value looking on the web site of your chosen farm to be sure to received’t be dissatisfied whenever you get there. 

Conclusion

There is one thing tremendous satisfying about selecting your personal strawberries and it’s a superb approach to get the household out of the home and having fun with making reminiscences collectively. The fruit you’ll get from these PYO farms is second to none and there’s usually plenty of different issues happening so you may make a full day of it. 

With PYO strawberry farms positioned throughout the UK, you’re by no means too distant to get in on the motion. We’ve listed among the finest strawberry selecting however there are tons extra to be found.