There is something therapeutic about picking my own vegetables and fruit on a farm. The smell of freshly growing fruit lofting through the air is one that you cannot find at a grocery store. Maybe I enjoy it so much because I feel like I’m finding gold when I find the most perfectly shaped strawberry. Certain urban parts of California might not seem like there is any room for farmland, but there are a few farms scattered in between the cities that offer “U-pick” days. Below you will find a list of my favorite U-Pick farms that I have visited in SoCal.
Carlsbad Strawberry Company
1050 Cannon Rd, Carlsbad, CA 92008
The Carlsbad Strawberry Company is located right next to the famous flower fields; in fact you can see the strawberry fields as you are driving on the 5 freeway. The fields are usually open between February to July with designated “U-pick” weekends. You will buy a container on the premises for $10 and may fill the container with as many berries as you want to take home. In the fall, the fields will turn into a pumpkin patch and you can pick your own pumpkin for a $5 admission fee. After you are done picking strawberries, you might want to venture into the flower fields. You can check out my post for more information on the Carlsbad flower fields!
The Ecology Center
32701 Alipaz St, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
The Ecology Center is a 28 acre organic farm. I remember this farm used to be nearly triple the size when I was in elementary school. I would walk past it everyday walking home from school. Since then, it has really evolved into more than a farm. It has an ecology center on site and frequently hosts interactive onsite programs linking ecology to food. There is a farm stand everyday, selling the farm’s own fruits, vegetables, herbs, and eggs. During strawberry season, The Ecology Center will open up its doors to members of the community to pick their own strawberries. On your way out, you will pay for the berries based on the weight. Strawberry pie, coming right up!
South Coast Farms
Tree of Life Nursery, 33201 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
South Coast Farms is a beautiful farm that is off the beaten path. It gives me that true farm feeling, since it is surrounded by rolling hills without city life in sight. It is surprising that this farm is only about 15 minutes away from booming residential communities. Usually their strawberry picking season will start in Mid March. You can bring your own bag and pay for your berries per pound. Last time I went there it cost $4/lb. This farm also offers a potato picking season for $1.50/lb. The produce that is harvested will sell at a farm stand in Dana Point located at Monarch Beach Promenade, 24040 Camino Del Avion, Dana Point, 92629.
Tanaka Farms
5380 3/4 University Drive, Irvine, CA 92612
This is one of the largest farms in Orange County, harvesting over 60 different type of fruits and vegetables. This farm offers strawberry picking, watermelon tours, pumpkin patch, and a U-pick produce tour. The wagon tour is a really unique feature for this farm because you can take a wagon ride around the farm and stop along the way to pick your own produce depending on the availability of what crops are being grown at the time. The wagon tours occur only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10am-4pm and costs $20 per person (age 3 years and above). How would you like to say you cooked dinner using the crops you picked at the farm?!
Things to consider before "U-pick"
What to Wear
If you are visiting these farms to pick your own produce, I strongly recommend leaving the fashion at home!
- Wear closed toe tennis shoes: you will be stomping through narrow dirt rows and may be muddy from watering the plants
- Wear a hat and sunscreen to protect you from the strong sun. There is no shade out in the fields!
- Wear long pants: when you walk through the fields, you might brush up against some of the plants and get scratches in areas that are not covered by clothing
Tips
- Bring your own bag. Sometimes the plastic bags the farm provides will easily rip, but if you bring your own bag as extra support you won’t have to worry about perfectly good berries falling through the bag to the ground
- If you touch a berry, keep it. I’m sure you wouldn’t want another stranger touching the berries you just picked!
- Carry cash with you to purchase the berries. Some of the farms accept cash only
- When you get home, place your berries in an airtight container in the refrigerator so they last longer
How to Store Strawberries
I don’t know about you, but I get so frustrated when I see mold starting to grow on my fruit a day after I picked them. Here are some tips on how to store fresh strawberries and how to keep the strawberries from molding:
- Do not wash them! I know, I know, I am going against what you normally should do for most fruit, but you will want to keep the strawberries dry up until you are about to eat them.
- Inspect your harvest and throw out any bruised or moldy strawberry. Mold travels like wild fire.
- Put a paper towel on the bottom of a container and place the berries on top in a single layer. Cover with a lid.
- Enjoy your strawberries within 5-7 days.
If you make it out to one of these farms in southern California, let me know how you enjoy your experience. I would love to hear what you end up making with your freshly picked crops! Perhaps it will be fruit pie, a fresh salad, or maybe a berry pastry. If you need a little inspiration on a berry recipe to make, you can check out my recipe for blueberry scones!
2 Comments
This looks like such a fun activity to do on a weekend! I love the Walk The Farm event at Tanaka Farms as well (highly recommend!)
Another tip I’ve learned with keeping my strawberries from getting moldy is to actually wash them in a vinegar solution when I get them (1 part vinegar to 2 parts water). Then rinse and let fully dry before putting them in the fridge. I’ve managed to keep strawberries for up to 2 weeks that way. The vinegar kills any mold spores keeping my berries mold free.
Thank you for the trip on how to keep the berries living longer, I will definitely have to try washing them in a vinegar solution!