Here are the Triangle farms where you can pick your own fresh strawberries this spring
It’s true, some heart-shaped fruits labeled “fresh strawberries” are sold in grocery stores nearly year-round, and in November, a dry, pale, odorless orb that rattled across the country in a plastic crate on the back of a refrigerated truck may be the best we can do.
But come April, we can drive a half-hour in any direction, walk into a local farmer’s field with an empty bucket and pick a strawberry so red, so flavorful and so evocative of spring that the juice running down our chins feels like tears of joy.
One of the rewards for suffering January rain, February clouds and March wind is pinching that first sun-warmed strawberry from the vine in mid-April, blowing off the sand and biting down. Technically, the first one is stolen, but you’ll confess at the scales when you’re done picking and anyway, farmers understand.
Strawberry farms across central and Eastern North Carolina have just begun to harvest ripe berries in small quantities for sale already picked, and U-pick operations soon will allow customers into the fields to collect their own. Typically, the season is over by early June, though a few growers have late varieties almost until fall.
Here’s where to go to pick your own before they’re gone. Remember that strawberries are affected by rain and temperature changes, so always call or check a farm’s website or Facebook page to see if berries are available to pick the day you plan to go.
Tip: Most farms provide containers for picking but may charge for those. If you take your own, don’t fill them more than 5 inches deep to avoid bruising the fruit.
Wake County pick-your-own strawberries
Raleigh:
5902 Barber Bridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603
Contact: 919-669-7218 darinkentjones@gmail.com or visit DJ’s Facebook page.
6100 Mt Herman Rd, Raleigh, NC 27617
Contact: 919-596-3227 pagefarms@frontier.com or visit Page Farms’ Facebook page.
Apex:
2700 Holland Rd, Apex, NC 27502
Contact: 919-303-0339 buckwheatfarm@bellsouth.net or visit Buckwheat Farm’s Facebook page.
2300 Richardson Road, Apex, NC 27502
Contact: Andy Jenks 919-524-0991 thebigred@yahoo.com or visit Po Hous Farm’s Facebook page.
Knightdale:
▪ Broadwell Farms / Grasshopper Farms
8004 Poole Road, Knightdale, NC
Contact: Ryan Broadwell 919-373-8511 info@grasshopperfarmsnc.com or visit Grasshopper Farms Facebook page.
▪ Marks Creek Farm Market, LLC
3229 Marks Creek Road, Knightdale, NC
Contact: 919-217-2870 danaparker@gulfstreamproduce.com or visit Marks Creek Facebook page.
Fuquay-Varina:
5490 River Road, Fuquay-Varina, NC
Contact: 919-669-2996 mcleanfarmsandnursery@gmail.com or visit McLean Farms’ Facebook page.
Wake Forest:
7032 Pulley Town Rd, Wake Forest, NC 27587
Contact: Hal Gurley 919-793-3791 thecollardpatch@nc.rr.com or visit the Collard Patch’s Facebook page.
Durham pick-your-own strawberries
5005 Kerley Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Contact: Mark Waller wallermarkw@gmail.com or visit the Waller Family Farm’s Facebook page.
Orange County pick-your-own strawberries:
Hillsborough:
130 Lawrence Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Contact: 919-245-8776 keegan@enoriverfarm.com or visit Eno River Farms’ Facebook page.
Efland:
1100 Efland - Cedar Grove Rd, Efland, NC 27243
Contact: 919-732-7701 mcadamsfarm@gmail.com or visit McAdamas Farm’s Facebook page.
Granville County pick-your-own strawberries
3627 Harry Davis Rd, Bullock, NC 27507
Contact: 919-693-4496 tammyw46@aol.com
Johnston County pick-your-own strawberries
Clayton:
12453 Buffalo Rd, Clayton, NC 27527
Contact: 919-369-8809 pacefamilyfarms@gmail.com or visit Pace Family Farms’ Facebook page.
Benson:
443 Sanders Rd, Benson, NC 27504
Contact: Myron Smith 919-934-1700 smithsnursery@aol.com or visit Smith’s Nursery’s Facebook page.
Princeton:
▪ WDW Strawberry Farm & Roadside Stand
3465 Progressive Church Rd, Princeton, NC 27569
Contact: Wayne & Denise Worley 919-921-0104 wdwfarms@aol.com or visit WDW’s Facebook page.
▪ Worley Family Farms / J&L Produce
5837 US Highway 70 East, Princeton, NC
Contact: Lisa Worley 919-223-0960 Lisacworley@gmail.com
Willow Spring:
▪ Porter Farms and Nursery, Inc.
3525 North Carolina 42, Willow Spring, NC
Contact: 919-567-2129 getfresh@porterfarmsandnursery.com or visit Porter Farms’ Facebook page.
Lee County pick-your-own strawberries:
Sanford:
4047 Cox Mill Road, Sanford, NC 27332
Contact: 919-258-3606 bwharrington@charter.net or visit Barry’s Strawberry Farm’s Facebook page.
443 Thomas Rd, Sanford, NC 27330
Contact: 919-258-3262 pdt2@windstream.net or visit Gary Thomas Farms’ Facebook page.
1621 Kentyrewood Farm Rd, Sanford, NC 27332
Contact: 919-775-9482 skmcneill@windstream.net or visit McNeill Farms’ Facebook page.
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