DC Area Pick-yer-own

[Busboy]

OK, the one time I ever went to a pick-your-own place the strawberries, frankly, sucked. It would have been almost as cheap and a lot easier to pick up a few pints in the grocery store and the taste would have been just as good.

So the Washington Post has a guide out today, here. Anyone been to any of these places? Any of them any good? And what are the savings -- since I don't can, is it worth it to drive out and do the work myself? And, has anyone seen peas yet?

All comments welcomed.

[lperry]

I started a u-pick topic last year and got a little bit of feedback. Here's the link.

I can vouch for Johnson's Berry Farm in Upper Marlboro. Great blackberries and excellent prices - I can't remember what she charged, just that it seemed remarkably inexpensive.

[C. sapidus]

So the Washington Post has a guide out today, here. 

Yes, but the Maryland Direct Farm Market Association (click) has a listing that is more comprehensive and (in our experience) more accurate.

Anyone been to any of these places?  Any of them any good?  And what are the savings -- since I don't can, is it worth it to drive out and do the work myself?

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We have visited two farms in Frederick County: Glade-Link Farms (delicious strawberries); and Pryor’s Orchard (amazing pick-your-own blueberries and transcendent direct-market apples). Whether it is worth it probably depends how far you have to drive, how much fruit you eat, and what you have available at your local farmer’s markets. For us, it is absolutely worth it for the amazing fruit rather than for the savings. We don’t can either – we make fruit crisps or crumbles with any extra. With our fruitivorous boys, extra fruit doesn't happen very often.

[bavila]

Here's an email I received this morning from a friend. I too am unconvinced that pick-your-own is particularly economical for my uses, but it is a fun experience.

Hi. For more than 20 years I've enjoyed going, on Memorial Day

Saturday, out to the strawberry U-pick on Mt. Airy Road in

Davidsonville. Not expecting to be out there by 8:30 tomorrow morning

as you sometimes have to be (and wanting to vary from tradition), I went

this afternoon (sorry I didn't manage to coordinate with anyone to go).

I've never seen a crop like this! Ripe berries and those that would be

ripe by the time I got home were clustered together on nearly every

plant. I picked just a few feet of the row and my box was full. I'd

finished before I knew it.

This farm has hours every day this weekend (I don't remember Sunday

hours in the past) and the tape on its phone doesn't even say "until

picked out," although I'm sure the fields will be picked out before the

announced closing time (at least on Saturday). But this isn't a year

when you have to be there before 8:30 Saturday or you'll be out of luck.

So if you were thinking of going, or if you weren't but it sounds like

fun now that I mention it, this is a good time to plan a trip to a U-pick.

This one's announced hours are 8 to 2 through Monday and back to 9 to 5

on Tuesday. (Great for kids, no pets allowed in the field.) If it's

getting late or it's into next week, you might want to call and listen

to the taped message to make sure you're not too late. The tape at

either of these numbers should say it's Mt. Airy U-Pick and the Hopkins

residence:

(410) 798-1862

(410) 798-0838

Happy spring edging into summer, however you're spending the weekend!

[hjshorter]

And what are the savings -- since I don't can, is it worth it to drive out and do the work myself?  And, has anyone seen peas yet?

Are you planning to freeze them or make a ton of ice cream? Because if you aren't, and you don't make jam, then honestly it really isn't worth it to drive out and pick berries. Especially when it's 90+ degrees outside.

(The exception: folks with adorable tykes just dying to get the strawberries-all-over-the-romper shot to send to the grandparents. "Baby's first berry picking!!!!")

Edited May 26, 2007 by hjshorter (log)

[lperry]

Even if you do can a lot of food, sometimes you can do better just asking your regular farmers' market people if they have seconds. Where I grew up in Florida, the pick-your-own fields were an amazing bargain. Here, I think it's more about the "experience." I think it may have something to do with the farms here running completely off the income from the fields, while many places in Florida had small u-pick areas attached to larger, commercial fields that were the bread and butter of the operation.

[C. sapidus]

We drove out to Glade-Link Farms last weekend. Two adults and two children filled a large tub of strawberries in maybe half an hour. The strawberries were orders of magnitude better than anything else available to us. We ate lots, gave a basket of strawberries to friends, and made strawberry soup and strawberry crisp (click) with the remainder.

Most places open very early in the morning, so the mid-day heat is avoidable. I can understand not wanting to drive out from DC, though. For us, the 20-minute drive was definitely worth it. Can you get good strawberries at DC-area farmer's markets?

[Pontormo]

Can you get good strawberries at DC-area farmer's markets?

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Yes, indeed! However, it would cost bundles to stock up on the amount you picked, so the report is appreciated.

[DTBarton]

I can vouch for the Davidsonville U-pick strawberries mentioned in Bavila's post above. I go every year and they're very good if it doesn't rain too much. I think they're about done for this year.