According to the US Department of Agriculture, strawberries are the first fruits to ripen in the spring, and they are emerging in the fields of red juicy berries. In fact, Virginia Beach is the largest strawberry grower in the state due to its mild climate and lush soil.
To experience the best of this year's harvest, grab a bucket, load the car with family and friends, and choose your own farm. Freshly picked strawberries are available in some places. Before you arrive, check the times and availability of strawberries as they vary from day to day.
Strawberry picking tips
Roy Flanagan, a Virginia Beach farmer and extension agent for agriculture and natural resources, offers tips on how to choose:
Find strong berries that are bright red in color.
Bend and pull the stem just above the berry to break the fruit without damaging the plant.
To prevent injuries, carefully place the beer in a shallow container (no more than six inches deep).
Avoid overfilling containers and do not pack berries too tightly.
Leave the stems and do not wash them unless you intend to eat them to refresh them.
When the berries are ready to use, wash them, cut off the green tops, and then refrigerate.
Where to get strawberries
The list below includes information from news releases and partnerships from Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Some places only allow people to buy pre-selected berries.
This is not a complete list.
Chesapeake
Pre-picked berries are also available at these locations:
Brookdale Farm, 2133 Mount Pleasant Road, facebook.com/brookdalefarmva
Greenbrier Farms, 225 Sign Pine Road, historygreenbrierfarms.com
Hickory Ridge Farm, 2928 S Battlefield Blvd., jrpx28.wixsite.com/hickoryridgefarm
Lilly Farms, 2800 Tire Neck Road, www.facebook.com/lilleyfarmsstrawberries
Mount Pleasant Farms, 2201 Mount Pleasant Road, mountpleasantfarms.com
Poor John's Farm, 914 S. Dominion Blvd., tinyurl.com/poorjohnsfarm
The story continues.
Warren Farms (Tink's Berries), 1448 S. Battlefield Blvd., facebook.com/warrenfarmsvirginia
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East coast
Just picked up already.
Shockley Farms, 23184 Beach, Cape Charles, www.shockleyfarms.com
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Franklin
Pre-Pick Limited
Goose Hill Farm, 22090 Bethel Road, Franklin, www.goosehillfarmva.com
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Isle of Wight
Browder's Fresh Pickins, 14489 Bethel Church Lane, Smithfield, browdersfreshpickins.blogspot.com
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سوفولک
Pre-selected is also available:
Evans Farms, 1901 Walroy Road, facebook.com/evansfarms1901
Faith Farms, 3259 Lake Prince Drive, tinyurl.com/faithfarms
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Virginia Beach
Brookdale Farm, 2060 Van Road, brookdalefarm.va@gmail.com
Cullipher Farm Market, 772 Princess Anne Road, cullipherfarm.com
Flanagan Farms, 1707 Princess N Road, flanagan-farm.com
Flip Flop Farmer, 3244 New Bridge Road, flipflopfarmer@yahoo.com
Hanley Farm, 3213 Charity Neck Road, barbarahenley@cox.net
Henley’s at Pleasant Ridge, 2061 Pleasant Ridge Road, barbarahenley@cox.net
Salemberry Farm, 1763 Salem Road, salemberryfarm@gmail.com
Van Farms Production, 1258 Princess Ann Road, vaughanfarmsproduce@yahoo.com
Virginia Beach Market Stands (only pre-selected strawberries)
Baybridge Farms, 1136 Sandbridge Road, barnessteve43@gmail.com
Sandis Produce, 2385 Harper's Road, Sandis Produce. Business site
Virginia Beach Farmers Market, 3640 Dam Neck Road, vbgov.com/farmersmarket