It’s strawberry season and the berries are ready for pickin’!
That can leave you with so many questions though. Where should you go for berries? Who has the best prices? What place has a fun farm experience and who just has a sweet simple berry patch? Who’s open when?
And where are these places?!?
I bet you didn’t know strawberry season could be so intense, huh? 😉 Good thing Today’s NC is here with the Top 5 Picks for NC Strawberry patches.
Before you get started, you should know everyone prices their berries a little differently. Pre Picked and You Pick are also priced differently. As listed below, a “bucket” is about 4 quarts. A “basket” is about 1 quart. All of the information I have provided was up to date as of 4/28/15.
Page Farms is the closest farm to the actual city of Raleigh. Located near Brier Creek, Page Farms is now (as of 4/28/15) open for U-Pick Strawberries. This is a family farm where your family will be able to pick or purchase strawberries, and see a few farm animals too. Call ahead of time to make sure they’re up and running (919-596-3227). You can also find Page Farms on Facebook.
DJ’s Berry Patch is the place to go if you just want to pick some sweet juicy strawberries. The people are friendly and the product is perfect. This is another great option without having to drive too far. Feel free to give them a call before you head over (919-600-4020) or check out DJ’s Berry Patch on Facebook.
Porter Farms is a little bit further out in the Triangle, but worth the drive. You can pick strawberries, have the kids play in the giant sandbox, and grab ice cream from their homemade ice cream stand. Sounds like the perfect way to spend a spring day. Porter Farms actually has a second satellite location that just offers strawberry picking and already picked berries at the produce stand. If you’d like, you can call Porter Farms (919-567-0504) and visit Porter Farms on Facebook.
Hours (for Willow Spring location only): Monday – Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
A trip to Smith’s sounds a little like the amusement park of outdoor berry picking adventures. This is probably my top pick off of the entire list. “Benson” might make it sound like it’s too far away, but this place is in a pretty convenient location. In addition to the You Pick and Pre Picked strawberries, Smith’s also has greenhouse grown tomatoes on site, Maple View Farms ice cream, a few farm animals, and tons of annual and perennial plants available for purchase. You can call Smith’s Nursery (919-934-1700) or visit Smith’s Nursery on Facebook.
The Vollmer Farm is the place to go if picking your own Certified Organic Strawberries is what you are looking for. I know I said that Smith’s might be my top pick, but Vollmer is right up there with them. A bit further out for some, there are only a few other nearby farms that offer organic berries. I love the story behind this farm that’s been in the family for generations though.They have Certified Organic strawberry fields, an ice cream stand, a market offering other organic produce, and an area for the kids to play. Give The Vollmer Farm a call (919-496-3076) with any other questions you might have and check out The Vollmer Farm on Facebook.
Prices: You Pick $3.50/lb for a partially full bucket, $17 for a full bucket; Pre Picked $17/5lb, $10/2 lb, $5.50/1 lb.