2024 Augusta area of Maine Strawberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
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Strawberry U-Pick Orchards in Augusta area of Maine in 2024, by county
Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for strawberries that we know of in this area.
Not all areas of a state have strawberries farms that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!
Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!
PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.
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Androscoggin County
Berry Fruit Farm - strawberries, raspberries, cherries, peaches, apples, pumpkins, and mixed vegetables, farm market, bakery 361 Crash Road, Livermore, ME 04253. Phone: 207 897 4767. Email: joel@berryfruitfarm.com. Open: Seasonally, see their website. Click here for a map and directions. Berry Fruit Farm Facebook page. joel@berryfruitfarm. combines homemade and homegrown products for a fun and wholesome customer experience. In our U-Pick fields you will find strawberries, raspberries, cherries, peaches, apples, pumpkins, and mixed vegetables. Our retail store is open year around with a full time bakery staff making daily breads, pastry, and menu items in Livermore Falls. At Christmas, a classic Christmas "from the land where Christmas trees grow." This year pick up your Christmas tree and products that will make your season brightoffers the finest quality U-Pick and Retail(ADDED: October 20, 2020, JBS)
Chipman's - strawberries, 32 Goodwin Rd, Minot, ME 04258. Phone: 207-998-2027. Open: End of June - Mid July; 8am to 7pm; Please call the strawberry hotline for picking conditions and hours. Directions: only 10 minutes from the farm on the Intersection of Goodwin road and Pottle Hill; Just follow the strawberry signs!. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Chipman's Facebook page. Our Pick your own strawberry fields are in Minot. For updates on hours and pickability like us on Facebook or call the strawberry hotline: (UPDATED: February 08, 2019)
Earley Farm & Nursery - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, Fresh eggs, restrooms, picnic area, farm animals 639 Gardiner Road, Wales, ME 04280. Phone: 207 375-4884. Email: Kristengl@aol.com. Open: Friday and Saturday from 9am to 4 pm, Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm; Closed July 4th subject to change with weather and picking conditions; the strawberry season lasts about 4 weeks, generally from Mid June to Mid July. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Earley Farm & Nursery Facebook page. Fax: 207 375-8682. Friday and Saturday from 9am to 4 pm, Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm; Closed July 4th (subject to change with weather and picking conditions); the strawberry season lasts about 4 weeks, generally from Mid June to Mid July. UPDATE for 2021: they will not have U-pick Raspberries in 2021, but they will have U-pick Blueberries Be sure to call the Berry Hotline (starting June 10th) 207-375-8682 just before coming. Once in awhile we need to close for a day to let the berries ripen. We kindly asked that you leave your beloved four -legged friends at home. However, if you are traveling through with your pets please keep them safe in your vehicle. We would be glad to accommodate your pets with fresh water, and a shady spot in hot weather. Formerly Roaring Brook Nurseries. facebook page. (UPDATED: July 12, 2021, JBS) Comments from a visitor on June 13, 2011: "Beautiful country setting with picnic tables under birch trees, children of all ages welcome, Baby bunnies and play area for children. "
Goss Farm - Strawberries and raspberries. 158 Megquier Hill Road, Poland, ME . Phone: 207-998-2565. Open: June through September, Monday to Saturday from 7am to dusk. Click here for a map and directions. . Apples in the fall. Beautiful country setting. Open The Farm Stand sells ready-picked pumpkins, assorted apples, assorted plums, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, assorted flowers, rhubarb, and gourds.
Full Fork Farm - Uses natural growing practices, strawberries, 154 Dutton Road, China, ME 04358. Phone: (978) 460-1140. Email: anson@fullforkfarm.com. Open: Wednesdays, from 3:30pm to 6:30pm; Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 9:30am to 6:30pm. Directions: Our u-pick operation, including parking, is in the field, not at our house. Look for the roadside pop-up tent along the road for where to enter. An . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. Full Fork Farm Facebook page. Picking updates: Click here for picking updatesOPEN flag will be displayed during u-pick hours. Strawberry season is typically June 15th to July 15th;. We use natural practices, but are not yet certified Organic(ADDED: June 16, 2018)
Richardson's Strawberry Farm - strawberries and red raspberries Hinckley-Canaan Road (Route 23), Clinton, ME . Phone: 207-453-2093. Open: mid-June to mid-July, 7 days a week, hours vary depending on weather. Click here for a map and directions. We have approximately five acres of luscious strawberries and one acre of red raspberries. Come pick your own.
Stevenson's Strawberries - strawberries, pumpkins Berry Road and Tucker Road, Wayne, ME . Phone: 207-685-3532. Email: stevensonstrawberryfarm@gmail.com. Open: end of June - mid-July, 7 am to 8 pm, daily. Click here for a map and directions. . Fax. 207-685-4164Fifteen acres of beautiful strawberries to pick from! Peas available during strawberry season. Children supervised by an adult are welcome. Restrooms available. At Stevenson's you can pick your own strawberries and fresh fruit. Strawberries have been our business since 1974. We are handicap accessible and have bathrooms available. PYO pumpkins from the end of September through the end of October, weekends only!. (UPDATED: June 16, 2024, JBS)
Knox County
School House Farm - strawberries, apples, peas (English), peas (Snap), 171 Atlantic Highway, Warren, ME 04864. Phone: 207-273-2440. Email: elenaburdina@gmail.com. Open: Starting Mid-September through October, 9 am to 5 pm. Click here for a map and directions. From SW 1.2mi on left after Rts. 90 & 1 intersection. From NE 2mi on Route after W/T bridge on Rte 1. Bus parking. 25 varieties of apples.
Lincoln County
Popp Farm - flowers, strawberries, cranberries Route 128, Dresden, ME . Phone: 207-737-4351. Open: in season, daily, 7 am to 7:30 pm. Click here for a map and directions. Popp FarmFax 207-737-8969 Pick your own in Dresden, the heart of Maine's finest, strawberry growing area. U-pick cranberries in October. We also have U-pick peas and beets in season. Restrooms available. Bus parking. Possibly also cranberries, peas and beets
Sheepscot General at Uncas Farm - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, strawberries, Fresh eggs, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), picnic area 98 Townhouse, Whitefield, ME 04353. Phone: 207 549 5185. Email: sheepscotgeneral@gmail.com. Open: Strawberries; June 20 to July 11, Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm; Saturday and Sunday, from 7 am to 5 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, SFMNP Vouchers. Sheepscot General at Uncas Farm Facebook page. We are certified organic for some crops
Sagadahoc County
Fairwinds Farm - peas, strawberries, Brown\'s Point Road, Bowdoinham, ME 04008. Phone: 207-729-1872. Email: fairwindsfarm08@gmail.com. Open: 7 am to 7pm, seven days per week, in season. Directions: Take Route 24 to Bowdoinham and follow the signs. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover. Eight acres of beautiful berries on the banks of the Kennebec River. Also, pick your own beet greens. Restrooms available. Formerly called \Prout\'s Vegetables. ". Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover. Fairwinds Farm Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 207-522-0246 Take Route 24 to Bowdoinham and follow the signsEight acres of beautiful berries on the banks of the Kennebec River. Also, pick your own beet greens. Restrooms available. Formerly called "Prout's Vegetables"
Waldo County
Daisychain Farm - Certified Organic, apples, raspberries (red), strawberries, Fresh eggs, restrooms, picnic area you may bring your own food 102 Tufts Rd, Belfast, ME 04915. Phone: (207) 338-7839. Email: daisychain.farm@gmail.com. Open: Monday through Saturday from 8 am to 11 am. Directions: Tufts road is between Jessie Robbins and Edgecomb roads. Edgecomb road connects to route 52 and route 3. Jessie Robbins connects to route 3 and Back Belmont. Strawberries Late June through mid July; We do . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. Picking updates: Click here for picking updatesopen July 4th; Raspberries mid July through early August; Check website or call for this year's dates. We are certified organic for all crops! We also sell eggs at Bahner Farm on route 3 in Belmont Ask us about wholesale apples for hard cider. (ADDED: June 29, 2019)
Mueller's Fruit Farm - raspberries (red), strawberries, 431 Mount View Road Route 220, Thorndike, ME 04986. Phone: (207) 568-2009. Email: schart04@gmail.com. Open: Daily 5 am to 1 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Strawberries: Starting Saturday June 20thManaged fields, weed-free beds. (UPDATED: May 06, 2015, JBS)
Raven's Berry Farm - strawberries, 127 Raven Road, Freedom, ME . Phone: 207-382-6329. Open: in season, 7 days a week. Click here for a map and directions. Pick your own farm fresh
Strawberry
Strawberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information
In the U.S. strawberries typically peak during April in Florida and Texas,
May in the deep South, and in early June in middle sections and later June in the
far North and Canada. Keep in mind that crops are ready at various times of the
month depending on which part of the state you are located. In order to produce
good local strawberries, producers depend on ideal spring weather conditions.
Before you leave to go to the farm:
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!
Leave
early. On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
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. I like the Glad storage containers like the one at right.
Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can
work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the
sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring
along if it has been rainy.
Tips on How to Pick Strawberries
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.
General Picking Tips
Whether you pick strawberries from your garden or at
a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
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.
To help the farmers, also remove from the plants
berries showing rot, sunburn, insect injury or other defects and place them
between the rows behind you. If they are left in the plants, the rot will
quickly spread to other berries.
Berries to be used immediately may be picked any
time, but if you plan to hold 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 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. Strawberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for two or three, 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.
For interesting and fun strawberry facts and
trivia from the California Strawberry Commission,
click
here!
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) See this
page about how to freeze strawberries.
If you like the strawberries you picked, ask the farm what variety they
planted, and not the weather conditions the week or two before. The flavor
of a strawberry is affected by the variety, the weather and the degree of
ripeness when picked.
Picking the best strawberries:
Select firm, fully red berries. Strawberries DO NOT continue ripen after
they are picked! In the photo, only the berry on the far right is
completely ripe.
Strawberry festivals: Most areas that grow strawberries have a strawberry festival, at which you
can taste all kinds of fresh strawberry foods, pies, jams, cakes - and most
commonly, fresh strawberry shortcake. To find out where and when there
is one near you, see this
page for a list of strawberry festivals, sorted by state!
Strawberries measurements: government agriculture
websites tell us that 1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups and is about the
same as 1 liter and 1 quart of fresh strawberries weighs 1 lbs to 1.25 lbs (or
450 to 600 g).
Of course, the weight
varies on variety and weather conditions. 1 quart is normally
enough for 4
servings, although I'll admit my son can eat 1 pint by himself!
How much to pick? In general, 1 quart of fresh, whole, just-picked strawberries =
approximately 3.5 cups hulled, whole berries. In other words, removing
the caps/hulls and the occasional mushy berry means you lose 1/4 cup to 1/2 (it depends how much fruit you remove with the hull) or
about 7 to 12% of every quart you pick.
One cup of strawberries contains only about 50 calories
U-pick strawberries are much healthier than store-bought. Consumer
reports says store bought strawberries have so many pesticide and fungicide
residues on they, that they don't recommend you eat them at all!
U-pick strawberry farms typically sell berries by the
pound. 1 lbs of fresh strawberries is about 2/3 of a quart.
It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to pick a quart, if the berries
are reasonably plentiful
The strawberry plant adapts to wide variety of soil conditions, but does
not tolerate drought well, and the berries quickly rot if the weather is
rainy. For this reason, the plants are usually grown on raised beds through
plastic mulch!
Cultivation of strawberries began in Europe in the 1300's, but the berry
only became very popular in the early 1900's in California.
Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase
as strawberries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a
couple of days in the refrigerator.
You can easily freeze berries that you cannot use right away - just
wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a ziplock bag, removing as much
air as possible. Those vacuum food sealers REALLY do a good job of
this! The berries will keep for many months frozen without air.
Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside.
Strawberries were originally called strewberries because the fruit was
'strewn' amongst the leaves of the plant.
California is king of strawberry productions because: California
produces 75 percent of the nation's strawberry crops; one billion pounds
of strawberries each year. If all the strawberries produced in
California in one year were laid berry to berry, they would go around
the world 15 times. Each acre of land in California in strawberry
production produces an average of 21 tons of strawberries annually, with
a total of 23,000 acres of strawberries planted in California each year.
More conversions
1 pint (2 cups) of fresh whole strawberries
= about 8 oz (1/2 lb) of strawberries
= 2.25 cups of sliced strawberries
= 1
cup pureed strawberries
= 12-14 large strawberries
2 quarts of fresh strawberries are needed for a 9" pie
A 10 oz package of frozen berries is about the same as 1 cup of sliced
fresh strawberries