Susie's Garden Patch

So, this year we combined our strawberry-picking expedition with a trip to the car repair shop, putting us on the northerly side of the map. I'd noticed that the listing on pickyourown for Susie's Garden Patch showed more than just strawberries: eggplant, herbs/spices, peas, peppers, pumpkins, raspberries (red), winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables. After a quick stop for lunch at La Hacienda Los Lopez (a servicable Ameri-mexican restaurant with an interesting Al Pastor taco and one of the nicest bathrooms I've seen in a lower-tier place) we headed up Rt. 20 past Garden Prairie Rd. and soon saw Susie's sign.

We were greeted by a young person who walked us to the strawberry patch and gave us the drill: to keep track of when they're picked out, this farm uses a system: you're assigned a particular row, starting where the yellow flag is (there are apparently a couple different varieties, but we didn't know this until we were weighing out) and then you take the flag with you as you pick down the row, so you can mark where you stop. (You can see Sparky's flag in the distance as he takes revenge on me for taking pictures with an overripe berry)



The rows are mulched with corn husks and smell sweetly of manure: I learned from her pickyourown listing that Susie uses organic practices, but isn't certified. You are provided with quart containers and a handy metal holder for them. Other vegetables will be available as the season progresses, there's also "Susie Picks" lettuce - you go and point out which one you want, and she cuts it for you. The farm is pretty small, includes a little play area for bored kids, and a farmstand where the early vegetables like green garlic, spring onions, and greenhouse tomatoes and zukes are sold - Susie has a few helpers, but is very hands-on and happy to chat about canning, vegetables and the weather as she bustles about. On a Friday afternoon, we were one of two families that were there - but the garden is small enough that I'd be sure to call before I headed out.



It's kind of a schlep for maybe an hour's worth of activity - there were a LOT of berries; we picked 6 quarts before Sparky was able to get bored (read: pretty damn fast.) However, just like the story of the little red hen, those who pick the berries get to eat the berries:

Berries and mint macerating


Shortcake:


No pictures, but I also put up 7 jars of strawberry-rhubarb jam and probably have 7 more to go - and we had strawberry-buckwheat pancakes with strawberries and syrup for breakfast this morning. Mmmm.

La Hacienda Los Lopez
(815) 568-8778
150 E Grant Hwy
Marengo, IL 60152

Susies Garden Patch
(815) 597-3011
10258 Us Highway 20
Garden Prairie, IL.

Addendum: a flyer I just found nestled in with our produce notes the entire farm is 50 acres; they also run a stand the following farmers' markets: Edgebrook, Rockford; Colonial Village, Rocford and Dodge Lanes, Belvidere.

Susie's Garden Patch wrote:Organic??
Organic is not chemical free.
We are not organic, however; we use organic practices along with IPM (integrated pest management)
We only do what is necessary to have a great crop.