Kerri, our amazing Rite Aid, QFC and Top/Haggen expert, shares her experience with u-pick berry farms! This post was written by her. Enjoy!
One of the best, and most rewarding, ways my family has found to save on produce is to go u-picking. A few years ago we began u-picking apples. Then we went to our first blueberry farm. And this year we added raspberries. Not only have we saved a lot of money (last year we picked the most delicious apples ever and paid only $0.29 lb!) but we’ve also had a lot of fun.
While I know there are reasons why u-picking isn’t for everyone – limited time and freezer space come to mind – here’s why I do it.
- I save a lot of money. Feeding a large family with plenty of fruits is expensive so I jump on any chance I get to save. Last year I fed my family all fall on fresh apples and made a year’s supply of applesauce on $0.29 lb apples. This year I picked organic blueberries and raspberries for less than I’ve seen conventional berries in stores yet this year. If I can get organic produce for less than conventional produce I’m definitely willing to put in the extra effort of picking.
- I have lots of freezer space. I’ve been able to pick up two extra free freezers which I keep in our garage so I have lots of freezer space. I freeze my blueberries and raspberries to use all year long in smoothies, muffins, breakfasts and desserts. I also make enough jam and applesauce each season to last for the entire year.
- I like knowing where my food comes from. Believe me, we eat our fair share of non-local food but I love having my kids actually know where at least some of our food originates. There’s something about actually picking the apples and making applesauce or having a smoothie made from blueberries we picked that is really satisfying. Much like gardening, I think u-picking is great for my kids.
- I like supporting local farms. I live in a rural area and love to support local farms. U-picking helps keep small farms, well, farms and helps local families and our local economy.
- I think it’s fun. Maybe we’re alone on this one, but my family actually thinks picking is fun. In fact, it is always at the top of our summer to-do list. We pack a picnic lunch or snacks and make a day of it. Or we’ll combine it with another activity like a nearby hike. It’s one of our favorite activities we do together every summer.
Even five-year olds can “help”!
Along the way we’ve learned a few helpful tips that have made our trips more successful:
- Call ahead. I always call ahead to verify hours and the days they are open. I’ve learned the hard way that websites aren’t always correct!
- Go early in the day. We’ve found that early in the day is better. It’s cooler, less crowded and you get the first pick of that day’s newly-ripened fruit.
- Find out when peak season is. One year we made the mistake of going blueberry picking on the actual last day of the season. In the afternoon. We quickly found out where the phrase “slim pickings” comes from. This year we went twice – on the second day of the season and one week later – and the bushes were loaded. I called ahead to find out when there would be a lot of ripe berries and it made a big difference!
- Bring containers. Many places provide containers but not all do. If I don’t know, I make sure to bring containers just in case. It’s helpful to bring smaller containers to pick directly into for berries as well as bigger containers and boxes.
58 lbs of raspberries… We may have gotten a little over-zealous
in our picking but we’ll use them all!
This year so far I have my raspberry jam made, my blueberries and raspberries frozen and my freezer cleaned out for applesauce in the fall. (I was vacationing during strawberry season so I missed out on that this year.) What about you? Do you find you save money by u-picking? What else do you u-pick? I’d love to hear any tips you might have!
Visit PickYourOwn.org to find a You Pick farm near you!
Amazon has The Joy of Jams, Jellies, and Other Sweet Preserves: 200 Classic and Contemporary Recipes Showcasing the Fabulous Flavors of Fresh Fruits
I live up north so I do most of my u-picking either very locally or in Skagit, Whatcom or Snohomish counties. I’ve either heard about places by word of mouth or I’ve used pickyourown.org to find out about places. I’ve had good luck using the website and then calling ahead to farms to ask questions. This year I did both my raspberry and blueberry picking in Skagit County.
i have thought about going apple picking this year with the kids. we live in the tacoma area. where do you recommend going? 🙂
Where did you go to pick the raspberries?
How far from Olympia do you have to go for apples? The pick your own website doesn’t have them listed in our counties. I’m excited to take my kids to Linbo Blueberry Farm today. Thanks for the reminder 🙂