If you want fresh locally grown produce, but you don’t have the time or space to plant your own garden, a local farm is a great alternative. And, there is just something about picking your own produce. Not only do you know that it is as fresh as it can be, but you are also supporting local farms.
We recently headed out to Day Farms in Layton, Utah to pick our own strawberries for just $1.50/lb (or a bulk rate of $1 if you buy 10 lbs or more!)
It was a lot of fun to get out there and pick our own strawberries, and it is a nice way to educate yourself and your children on how produce comes from the farm to your table.
Day Farms offers fresh produce from April to October.
Asparagus season just ended, and strawberries will be available to pick on your own in June (only a little time left!) and again in August.
Next, there will be sweet corn, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, zucchini, watermelon, and cantaloupe, just to name a few. Some produce you can pick, and some they sell already picked.
The highlight of the adventure was getting to take a nice flat of strawberries home and enjoying their sweet taste right after picking! There’s nothing like freshly picked strawberries!
Here are a few tips and tricks for picking strawberries: (found here)
- Always call before you go to the farm – strawberries are affected by weather (both rain and cooler temperature) more than most crops. And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so call first!
- Select plump, firm, fully red berries. The small berries are often most flavorful.
- Unripe berries will not ripen once picked.
- When picking: Grasp the stem just above the berry between the forefinger and the thumbnail and pull with a slight twisting motion.
- With the stem broken about one-half inch from the berry, allow it to roll into the palm of your hand.
- Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries.
- Carefully place – don’t throw – the fruit into your containers. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
- Don’t overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.
- When you get home: DON’T wash the berries until you are ready to use them. Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
- Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries.
- Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the caps (green tops) off the others and freeze them up! (Unless you’re going to make jam right away)
- For more tips and recipes. Click here.
2500 West Gentile St.
I love Days Farm! I just went for the first time. It should be on the list of field trips for families. Did you know that in the Spring they have u-pick asparagus? Must go and take photos – forget trying to grow my own!
Janet