Best Place for Picking Strawberries

[AGM_Cape_Cod]

It is time for my annual strawberry picking outing. I pick enough for canning jams and sauces so I am looking for a place that has a lot of good quality strawberries. I hope for someplace not too crazy with kids and groups. West or south of Boston is preferable. Any suggestions? TIA

[MtVernon]

Where are the good spots this year?

[Gabatta]

The season is pretty much over this year. It started early and is ending early.

[makonna]

We took the kids to Verrill at 10 today and there were lots of sweet ripe berries for the picking. We were overjoyed that the weather held out, and it was perfect for berry picking. Probably the rain during the week kept the fields from being picked over. I picked a flat full (which fits 6 of the normal size containers) and everyone there had beautiful baskets of berries. Today is the festival, so we had burgers and hotdog, their homemade soda. A pony ride and hayride made it perfect for the lil ones. Although we left at 1:30 and the place was already mobbed. But for berry picking, there's have been the sweetest ones I've ever gotten. Not sure if it's the season or their berries. :) But we are happy!

[Chris VR]

We picked at Smolak Farm in North Andover today but didn't get into the field until 1:30 or so and it was pretty picked over. With the playground, ice cream stand and petting zoo, it's definitely NOT where you want to go if you don't want to see a lot of kids.

In past years we've done really well at Russell Orchards in Ipswich, and Cider Hill in Amesbury although again, both are very kid friendly and thus probably not where you want to go.

[Gabatta]

To that point in the OP, I think anywhere is going to have a lot of kids and families. It is sort of the nature of the game. To minimize that try early on a week day.

We have had good luck at Russell Orchards in the past as well. Unfortunately the beach days have been few and far between this summer so far, so no drive bys on the way to Cranes yet.

[autopi]

verill's didn't have too many kids when we were there. certainly no petting zoo or playground or whatever. that said, we were warned that once the strawberry festival hits (this sat, i believe) that would pretty much be it.

which raises the question: anyone know PYO strawberry places that tend to have good picking later in the season, i.e. 2nd half of june?

oh and the strawberries from verrill's were fabulous--great picking conditions when we went last weekend. luscious red, sweet & plentiful. a bit watery on account of the rain, but probably better now.

[almansa]

http://www.connorsfarm.com/

I'm a fan of Connor's Farm in Danvers. I'm going Sunday with my kids.

[Chris VR]

Looks like Connor's Farm is having their strawberry festival on Saturday- you might find things pretty picked over on Sunday (rain date is Sunday).

Most of the places seem to be doing strawberry festivals this weekend so AGM, if you're going this weekend, you probably might want to check in advance and get there early.

[almansa]

yeah, I was hoping for rain on Saturday so I could go Sunday to the festival.

[Gio]

We got some already picked strawberries at Connor's on Wednesday and they were absolutely the sweetest ever. We'll stop by there again on Saturday after our CSF pickup in Ipswich.

[Velda Mae]

I like Jane and Paul's Farm in Norfolk. It's off the beaten path enough so it's not too crowded and they are pretty relaxed there as opposed to some farms that are so strict about where you pick that it ruins the PYO experience.

[AGM_Cape_Cod]

Anyone been picking recently? How have the berries been?

[Gabatta]

The berries are outstanding and only getting sweeter by the day pretty much wherever you go to get them. The two batches this week from Verrill and Apple Crest Orchards in Hampton Falls NH which we picked were both delicious and are both long gone. Time to get more before the window closes.

[j_berry]

Went to Sunshine Farm in Sherborn yesterday with the kids. We had a great time and picked over 4 quarts of nice, ripe strawberries in no time. Had a great strawberry sorbet, strawberry dumplings, and made some preserves with balsamic and pepper. Fabulous!

[tsackton]

Just got back from Verrill's in Concord. Great picking, despite the wet weather. Looks like it is starting to get a bit thin though, so it might be picked clean after tomorrow's strawberry fest (although the bad weather might keep attendance down).

[AGM_Cape_Cod]

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately Verrill Farm is too far for me. Maybe I will get there one day. I think I will try Ward's.

[Scruffy The Cat]

Land's Sake Farm in Weston has good berries and very easy with kids

[winedude]

I really like Ward's Berry Farm in Sharon, great pick-your-own berries.

[tsackton]

I have not done the pick-your-own at Ward's, but I bought a quart of strawberries from them at the Harvard University farmer's market, and they were delicious.

[sablemerle]

I like Verill a lot.

Well, except for my own tiny little alpine strawberries, but no matter how many plants I have, I never get more than a tiny handful of miniature berries at a time.

Seriously, Verill is fun, and they have a very nice farmstand to get picnic fixin's. Make a day of it.

[katrinkala]

I bought pre-picked strawberries from Verrill last week and they were excellent. They have their strawberry festival coming up on the 20th, so I'd make sure to hit them before that, or avoid that Saturday, if you don't want the crowds.

[hiddenboston]

Sorry, I forgot to post a link to Sunshine Farm.

-----
Sunshine Farm
41 Kendall Ave, Sherborn, MA

[hiddenboston]

I really like Sunshine Farm in Sherborn. It's not a huge place, and it's completely no frills (a kid behind a rickety old stand handing out containers, and that's about it), but I've gotten tons of strawberries each of the past two years and plan on going again this year.