Thursday, June 5, 2014

2014 Strawberry Pickin' Season Options

The Stoddart Avenue Community Garden has its own strawberry patch and volunteer berry plants that have creeped into a few plots.  Our berries have been ripening in waves for the past two weeks.  I’ve had a couple.  Typically, the neighborhood kids eat most of them.  The adult gardeners who are interested in bulk strawberries drive to a local u-pick farm for our strawberry fix.  Unlike 2012 (when the strawberries ripened two weeks early), the strawberries this year appear to be running ever so slightly behind schedule this year.

a. Hann Farms4600 Lockbourne Road has u-pick strawberries this year at $1.79/pound (still the least expensive option in Franklin County). This is the closest u-pick farm to Bexley and your least expensive option by far, but the trip there is a little tricky (through an industrial district in Obetz, etc.). You can pick 10-6 Monday through Saturday and 12-5 on Sunday. You must pay with cash or check, so come prepared. Call 491-0812 for more information.   We’ll be dropping by there tomorrow morning.

b. Jacquemin Farm, (between Plain City and Dublin), $2.05/pound (a slight increase over last year). I visited here several years ago with my nieces and it is very quaint and very close to Dublin and Sports Ohio. They are typically open weekdays 8-5.  They will not be open for strawberry picking tomorrow because they are picked out.   They recommend that you come early on Saturday because the anticipated number of expected visitors.  They also have a program for organized groups of 10 or more young children.  The strawberry field trip costs $4 per child and includes 1 quart of strawberries (picked by the children, of course), and an ice cold slushee to cool down with after the picking is done. Please call the farm for more information regarding a field trip and to set a date.  Call 873-5725 for more information.
d. Doran Farms, 5462 Babbitt Rd. New Albany, I've never been there, but have heard good things about it. They closed early today because they were picked out of berries and need to wait until more ripen.   When they are open, they begin picking from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. every day until the strawberries are gone (with temporary suspensions while the ripe strawberries catch up with the pickers). Their berries are $1.99/pound.   Call 855-3885 for more information.

e. Circle S Farm, 9015 London-Groveport Rd west of Grove City. I went here a few years ago with my oldest niece and it's a nice, large farm, but is way, way out in the country. Their u-pick berries are $2.49/pound.  Their u-pick hours start at 8:30 a.m. and they have chicken and noodles for lunch if you are there then.

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