Pick Your Own: Strawberries

Unseasonably warm weather means it's almost strawberry picking time!  This is one of my favorite parts of spring.  You finally get through the duldrums of winter, scrambling to find one more bag of frozen berries in the back of your freezer, when it happens -- Spring.  Spring = fresh berries.  Finally.  North Carolina is wonderful because the growing season is slightly longer than in some states and there is a big push back into growing and producing food right here. 

Back to the berries!  The NC Strawberry Association puts together an online list of the strawberry farm closest to you with their Strawberry Farm Locator.  Here are a few that I know about:

• Oakley's Farm: 383 Oakley Farm Rd., Chapel Hill, 919-360-2924
• Jean's Berry Patch: 3003 N NC 751, Apex, 919-362-5800
• Buckwheat Farm: 2700 Holland Rd., Apex, 919-303-0339
• DJ's Berry Patch: 1223 Salem Church Rd., Apex, 919-600-4020
• Vollmer Farm (certified organic): 677 NC Hwy 98E, Bunn, 919-496-3076
• Whitted Bowers Farm (certified organic): 8707 Art Rd., Cedar Grove, 919-732-5132

Don't forget that the Piedmont Farm Tour is April 28-29. You can grab a button for this event at your local Weaver Street Co-op.

Happy picking!