2024 Vermont Strawberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Strawberry U-Pick Orchards in Vermont 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 any state, nor even every state, have strawberries orchards 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.

Bennington County

• Apple Barn & Country Bake Shop - strawberries, blueberries, Fall red raspberries
  Rt 7 South, Bennington, VT 5201. Phone: (888) 827-7537. Email: customerservice@theapplebarn.com. Open: Call for PYO hours and availability; the Local Farm Market is open Daily, May through November from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday - Sunday. Click here for a map and directions.
  Apple Barn & Country Bake Shop Facebook page. . Alternate phone: 447-7780. . Pick Your Own, Weather Permitting; Everbearing Strawberries - Mid June until October; Blueberries - Early July - Early August; Red Raspberries - Mid August to late September. (UPDATED: May 4, 2015, JBS)

Rutland County

• Liebig Berries - blueberries, raspberries (red), strawberries, U-pick and already picked, porta-potties
  1482 Button Falls Road, West Pawlet, VT 5775. Phone: (802) 645-0888. Email: liebigberries@gmail.com. Open: Monday through Sunday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm weather permitting. Directions: Enter 1482 Button Falls Road, West Pawlet, Vermont in your GPS. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Monday through Sunday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (weather permitting). Early-Mid July through Mid-September depending on weather and season;. Seasonal sweet corn is also available. Customers may purchase pre-picked or pick-your-own berries. Liebig Berry Farm (aka or Liebig Strawberries) is located in West Pawlet, Vermont, just across the border from Granville, New York. (UPDATED: July 20, 2020)
• Wood's Market Garden - ORGANIC, strawberries, and prepicked produce, snacks and refreshment stand
  Route 7 South, Brandon, VT 5733. Phone: 802 247-6630. Email: woodsmarketgarden@msn.com. Open: farmstand open daily 9 am to 6 pm. Directions: On highway route 7, about 1 mile south of the village of Brandon. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Click here for a map to our farm. Crops are usually available in June, July. PYO hours vary depending on availability. please call ahead end of June thru mid July for strawberries We use natural practices, but are not yet certified Organic. Our farm is Certified Organic and we are proud to be able to offer organic strawberries for your family to enjoy.

Windham County

• Dutton Berry Farm & Farm Stand - - blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, vegetables, pumpkins, apples, peaches,
  136 Grassy Brook Road, Brookline, VT 5345. Phone: 802-362-3083. Email: duttonbf@sover.net. Open: year round. Directions: Rte 1130, Manchester Center. . Click here for a map and directions. . . Rte 11/30, Manchester Center. Pick your own blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, pumpkins, vegetables, apples, peaches.
• Dwight Miller Orchards - ORGANIC, apples, blueberries, peaches, strawberries, Honey from hives on the farm, Maple Syrup from trees on the farm, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), and prepicked produce, gift shop
  511 Miller Road, E. Dummerston, VT 5346. Phone: 802-254-9635. Open: Seasonally, open during business hours. Directions: Take Exit 3 on 91, continue north on Route 5. Turn left on Schoolhouse Rd and continue about 2 miles to Miller Road, a steep hill on the right. Follow signs. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . September thru Christmas, open everyday from 9am to 5pm. Strawberries: June to mid-July, Blueberries: mid-July thru August, Peaches: mid-July thru August, Apples: September thru Columbus Day. Crops are usually available in June, July, August, September, October. We are certified organic for all crops! We grow rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries, sour cherries, plums, cherry plums, peaches, pears, apricots, grapes, fall raspberries, apples, spinach, mesclun, tomatoes, green beans, squash, pumpkins, and harvest our own honey. We offer a variety of jams and fruit butters made from our own organic fruits, as well as our own violet and natural mint jellies. We produce pure maple syrup, maple candy, sweet apple cider and apple cider vinegar which we sell in bulk. We sell Vermont-made wines at our giftshop made from our rhubarb and apples.A visitor writes on July 23, 2021: "Dwight Miller is still in operation, they just don't use social media!"
• Harlow's Sugar House - Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, apples
  563 Bellows Falls Road, Putney, VT 5346. Phone: 802-387-5852. Email: harlows@sover.net. Open: March - December. Directions: I-91, Exit 4, 3 mi north of Putney Village on US Rte 5. . Click here for a map and directions. . McIntosh, Cortland, Empire, Red Delicious, (UPDATED: May 4, 2015, JBS)

Windsor County

• Wellwood Orchards - apples, strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins, squash, peaches
  529 Wellwood Orchard Road, Springfield, VT 5156. Phone: (802)263-5200. Email: wellwood@sover.net. Open: PYO Strawberries: mid-June to mid-July, 7 am to 7 pm, 7 day a week; PYO Apples: August 20 to November 1, 9 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week. Directions: From Springfield VT: take Valley Street past Crown Point Golf Country Club, then first left; From Ascutney Vt: take Route 131 west, go about 2 miles, take left onto Center Road. . Click here for a map and directions. . We provide 2 acres of PYO blueberries, 60 acres of PYO apples, 3 acres of PYO peaches, 1 acre of PYO plums, 6 acres of PYO pumpkins, and 4 acres of PYO winter squash. The store also holds our fresh cider, cider doughnuts, maple syrup, honey, fudge, Grafton cheese, a variety of jams, relishes, and gift items. Enjoy the haunted house inside the store that is open September first through November first. We have a spooky Hollow ride that begins the first Friday in October through and including Halloween night. Enjoy a spooky ride and scary stories by the fire Friday and Saturday nights by reservation. Call ahead for weather conditions. Witch Hazel awaits! There is a petting zoo with an assortment of farm animals that vary from year to year, open September to mid-October. in addition to the petting animals we have birds, chickens, peacocks, rabbits, deer and many more to look at.

 

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:

1. 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!
2. Leave early.  On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
    
3. 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.
4. 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

1. Grasp the stem just above the berry between the forefinger and the thumbnail and pull with a slight twisting motion.

2. With the stem broken about one-half inch from the berry, allow it to roll into the palm of your hand.

3. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. 

4. Carefully place - don't throw - the fruit into your containers. Repeat the picking process with both hands.

5. 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:

1. Be careful that your feet and knees do not damage plants or fruit in or along the edge of the row.
   
2. Pick only the berries that are fully red. Part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden berries ready for harvest.
   
3. 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.
   
4. 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.
   
5. 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.
   
6. For interesting and fun strawberry facts and trivia from the California Strawberry Commission, click here!

When you get home

1. DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them.  Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
2. Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Now, get ready to make strawberry jam. It is VERY easy - especially with our free strawberry jam instructions - they're illustrated and easy.

Strawberry Recipes, Canning and Freezing Strawberries

• How to freeze strawberries!
• Strawberry jam (with pectin) (uses less sugar or honey and less cooking)
• Strawberry jam (without pectin) (requires much more sugar and cooking)
• Strawberry (and other berry) jams without sugar
• Strawberry jelly
• Strawberry-rhubarb jam!
• Homemade strawberry ice cream (regular, low fat, nonfat, low sugar, vanilla and even gelato)
• Canning strawberries
• Make gourmet chocolate-covered strawberries
• How to make fruit juice -  strawberry and other berries
• Strawberry pie filling
• Strawberry pie
• Easy Rhubarb-Strawberry pie
• Fig-strawberry jam
• Fig-strawberry jam, made with Jello gelatin

Strawberry Facts, Measurements and Tips

• 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.
• Want to grow your own strawberries?  Here's an article about how to: Strawberries are an Excellent Fruit for the Home Garden, HYG-1424-98!
• See this page for many more fun and interesting strawberry facts, nutritional information and trivia

Other weird strawberry facts

• 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

References:

• University of Illinois Extension
• Driscolls
• Ohio State University Extension
• Strawberries-Average retail price per pound and per cup equivalent

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Local Honey Finder
• Local Meat, Milk and Eggs
• Venues: Farms, Wineries, Orchards for your event, wedding or party
• Easter egg hunts
• Children"s consignment sales
• Fruit and vegetable festivals
• Winery tours and wine tastings
• Horse rides, stables, lessons, trails
• Maple Syrup farms and sugarworks
• Bed & Breakfasts on Farms, Wineries, Ranches and Orchards
• Pumpkin patches
• Corn mazes
• Zombie Paintball venues
• Christmas Tree Farms & lots
• Environmental resources
• Consumer fraud information
• Wholesale food sources
• Resources for Farmers