Taste and freshness. There is nothing like the taste of strawberries picked at the peak of ripeness.
Strawberries picked right off the plant are fresher and more nutritious than berries that have traveled long distances to reach supermarket shelves. Fruit begins to lose nutrients as soon as it is harvested so by the time berries reach consumers at a supermarket they will have lost a significant portion of their nutritional value. You just can’t get any fresher than picked right off the plant.
You can choose your berries. When you pick your own strawberries, you get to choose the berries you like best, unlike in grocery stores where you can’t see most of the berries in the container. How often have you thrown away store-bought strawberries that were not suitable for eating? Picking your own ensures that you are only paying for the best strawberries.
Support local farmers. When you purchase food from local farmers, you are directly contributing to the economic stability and growth of your community. Money spent at local farms tends to stay within the community, supporting local businesses and generating more local jobs.
Good for the environment: Supporting local farmers promotes sustainable agriculture practices that are often more prevalent among local farmers who have a vested interest in maintaining the health of their land.
A fun family outing. You might be surprised how close U-pick strawberry farms are to where you live. Pack up the kids and a picnic lunch and then head out for a strawberry hunt.
Stock your freezer: Freezing your picked strawberries is a great way to ensure you have fresh berries all year long. Think about Sunday pancakes with strawberries straight from your local farm, and no trip to the store is needed.
Throughout June, many farms across the state welcome visitors with acres of ripe, juicy strawberries ready for the picking. The Illinois Farm Bureau contributed to this list of U-pick strawberry farms:
Strawberries picking advice
If you plan to use your freshly picked strawberries immediately you can pick them any time during the day. But if you plan to store the fruit for a few days, try to pick in the early morning or on cool, cloudy days. Berries picked during the heat of the day become soft, are easily bruised and will not keep as well.
Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunshine any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking them.
Be careful that your feet and knees do not damage plants or fruit in or along the edge of the row.
Pick only the berries that are fully red. Part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden berries ready for harvest.
Storing your Strawberries
DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them, unless you will be freezing them right away. Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries
Strawberries will stay fresh in the refrigerator for two or three days, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.
Put a couple days' supply into the fridge, wash and cut the caps (green tops) off the others and freeze them. Here are directions on how to freeze strawberries.
Hunting for strawberries at a U-pick farm is a fun, memorable and healthy way to spend a delightful day outdoors with family and friends.
Support local farmers. When you purchase food from local farmers, you are directly contributing to the economic stability and growth of your community. Money spent at local farms tends to stay within the community, supporting local businesses and generating more local jobs.
Good for the environment: Supporting local farmers promotes sustainable agriculture practices that are often more prevalent among local farmers who have a vested interest in maintaining the health of their land.
A fun family outing. You might be surprised how close U-pick strawberry farms are to where you live. Pack up the kids and a picnic lunch and then head out for a strawberry hunt.
Stock your freezer: Freezing your picked strawberries is a great way to ensure you have fresh berries all year long. Think about Sunday pancakes with strawberries straight from your local farm, and no trip to the store is needed.
Throughout June, many farms across the state welcome visitors with acres of ripe, juicy strawberries ready for the picking. The Illinois Farm Bureau contributed to this list of U-pick strawberry farms:
- Backwoods Berry Farm, Hettick, IL
- Big M Berry Patch, Taylorville, IL
- Braffet Berry Farm & Orchard, Carlock, IL
- Cody’s Farm & Orchard, Marengo, IL
- Hallsberry Farms, Buncombe, IL
- Sunberry Orchard, Woodstock, IL
- Heider’s Berry Farm, Woodstock, IL
- Jefferies Orchard, Springfield, IL
- Just Berries, Stewardson, IL
- McLaughlin Strawberry Farm and Vegetables, Murphysboro, IL
- Olive Berry Acres, Mazon, IL
- Rising Sun Family Farm, Willow Hill, IL
- Toms Farm Market, Huntley, IL
Always call before you go to the farm to make sure there are berries to pick:
- Strawberries are affected by weather (both rain and cooler temperatures) - a bad couple of weather days can affect the quantity of berries available to be picked.
- Arrive in the morning. When Strawberries are in season, a large turnout of pickers can pick a field clean before noon. If you plan to arrive after noon, call to make sure there are berries left to pick.
- Most growers furnish picking containers designed for strawberries, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring containers.
- If you use your own containers, remember that heaping strawberries more than 5 inches deep will bruise the lower berries. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3-inch-tall sides and large pots make good containers.
- Cooler with ice packs to preserve freshness during transport.
- Something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite.
- Wear clothing you won't mind getting stained.
- Wear comfortable closed-toed shoes suitable for farm field conditions.
- Bring boots if there has been rain. The ground can get muddy in wet weather.
- Don't forget hats, sunscreen and insect repellent.
If you plan to use your freshly picked strawberries immediately you can pick them any time during the day. But if you plan to store the fruit for a few days, try to pick in the early morning or on cool, cloudy days. Berries picked during the heat of the day become soft, are easily bruised and will not keep as well.
Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunshine any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking them.
Be careful that your feet and knees do not damage plants or fruit in or along the edge of the row.
Pick only the berries that are fully red. Part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden berries ready for harvest.
- 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.
- Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.
Storing your Strawberries
DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them, unless you will be freezing them right away. Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries
Strawberries will stay fresh in the refrigerator for two or three days, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.
Put a couple days' supply into the fridge, wash and cut the caps (green tops) off the others and freeze them. Here are directions on how to freeze strawberries.
Hunting for strawberries at a U-pick farm is a fun, memorable and healthy way to spend a delightful day outdoors with family and friends.