Looking for a strawberry pick-your-own farm near Clarendon Hills, Illinois. Thanks. Art

Art, if you click on the first link in this thread, you will find a Google Map of all the farms, farmstands, and orchards that I've been able to find in the area. If you zoom in near Clarendon Hills and click on the blue tagmarks, it will bring up whatever information I've been able to find about that location. I highly recommend calling ahead, as farms go under every year.

Strawberry picking in Wilmington is done for the year. The farms in Momence and Hobart still had berries as of yesterday (6/24). Hobart said they had another 5-7 days left. As Mhays suggested, call first.

Has anyone ventured out picking yet this year? I'm hoping to plan a trip next week...is it too late? The websites I've checked say it's in full swing, but I wanted some impartial 'on the ground' reviews. I'd hate to drive any real distance and find it's already slim pickins, as I gather it would have been in previous years.

Also, does anyone know how all the rain and cool weather will impact fruit quality for strawberries, peaches, etc? Thanks in advance...

I think we're going to go on Friday...we were thinking of trying Rosey's Berry Farm in Indiana, but they've listed the 2009 season as closed (thank you Rosey's for updating your website!) I've noticed that when the season for anything closes in Indiana, it's usually got a while to go in Wisconsin - though Johnsen's, where we went last year, isn't listing any closings (which doesn't mean anything without a phone call.) I'll let you know when we start planning for Friday...

Mhays wrote:I think we're going to go on Friday...we were thinking of trying Rosey's Berry Farm in Indiana, but they've listed the 2009 season as closed (thank you Rosey's for updating your website!) I've noticed that when the season for anything closes in Indiana, it's usually got a while to go in Wisconsin - though Johnsen's, where we went last year, isn't listing any closings (which doesn't mean anything without a phone call.) I'll let you know when we start planning for Friday...

FWIW, I was at Earl's today in Fennville, MI, and they still have U-pick going strong. The woman there told me that she expected the strawberry season to last another week up there. It's not as short of a jaunt as Indiana, but totally doable as a day-trip with Sparky. With a stop in Saugatuck for a dune buggy or boat ride or even a few hours at Oval Beach, it would be a very worthwhile trip.

(P.S. I did "we-pick;" you call ahead, tell them how much you want and when you're picking it up; then you swing by and freshly picked strawberries await. Not bad for convenience.)

Earl's Farm Market
1630 Blue Star Highway
Fennville, Michigan
(Exit 30 of I-196)
(269) 227-2074

Went to Susie's Garden Patch near Marengo yesterday - longer post to come, U-Pick going strong, they also have "U-choose, Susie picks" lettuce and many vegetables at the farmstand (they'll have u-pick peas, tomatoes, and squash in season. It's small, I'd still make a call first to make sure they aren't picked out.

10258 US Hwy 20 (a little bit west of the intersection of 20 and Garden Prairie, which is just outside of Marengo)
Garden Prairie IL 61038
(815) 597-3011

jujubee wrote:FYI: Thompson's said they hope they will be ready 6/20/08.

Thompson's
14000 - 75th Street
Bristol, WI 53104

Anyone know of any strawberries patches in the Northern Illinois area that are ready now?

The above note was from 2007, I just checked their website to learn:

The 2010 Strawberry season is just around the corner. With the warm weather we have been having we hope to open some time between the 5th and the 10th of June. Check back next week and we hope to have a starting date.

This year I have to do strawberries, because we finally ran out of jam.

Regards,

I got an email from Johnsen's in Indiana, saying they were ready June 5 as well. Sigh - we were hoping to go on Monday...

FWIW, Earl's Berries in Fennville, MI has We-pick ready June 3, and U-pick on June 8.

Yay! Rosey's Berry farm near Michigan City will be open all weekend for U-Pick (call first!) I hope that means Strawberries and wood-fired pizza!

For the past few years, we've been doing u-pick strawberries at Garden Patch Farms in Homer Glen, IL. Per their website, the strawberry fields are now open for picking; traditionally, we've gone the first weekend of June. Always plenty of berries to eat in the fields and take home.

Garden Patch Farms & Orchard
14154 w. 159th St.
Homer Glen, IL 60491
708-301-7720
www.gardenpatchfarms.com

I saw way back in the thread, someone had asked about using the Alton Brown fast-freeze method. We did that last year, and came to regret it. Without hulling the strawberries, when they thaw, you get a juice-filled bag with crispy strawberry leaves. This year, we're hulling them first, and will then freeze them in dry ice, to use in breakfast smoothies the rest of the year.

Mhays, did you try Rosey's? If so, how expensive were they? I usually go to Thompson's, but was thinking of branching out tomorrow....

FYI...I just called. Berries are .90/lb. and Saturday is their last day of picking. The woman on the phone said that berries are still out there in her fields, you just have to search harder for them. So, I'll think I'll stick with my routine and head back up to Thompson's. Oh, and maybe try to get my act together earlier next year! Darn little league games interfere with my berry picking aspirations...

Well, see, there's a story in that...

I checked the weather on Memorial day, it said the storm was going to go out over the lake and miss Michigan City entirely...and we drove all the way there, right along with it. By the time we got there, Rosey's was closed and it was thundering and downpouring.

It seems like a nice place; I'm guessing their berries are picked over by now, but we may go back at some point.

I was disappointed when my wife and one of our friends drove out to Rosey's last Saturday. It was my first time strawberry picking, but my wife has been before to another strawberry patch closer to Wisconsin. I don't know if it is the result of Rosey being 100% organic without the use of pesticides/herbicides, but the strawberry fields were not very well kept, having had a lot of overgrown prickly weeds and plenty of bugs. The strawberries themselves were a little bit on the small side (they do mention on their website that they do not use growth hormones) and not as sweet or as large as the ones you find in your local grocery store. My wife said her previous strawberry picking experience was a lot better than this, but to be honest, I was ready to leave after spending 5 minutes in that field.

Well, at least we were able to get good pizza and beer at Stop 50.

(they do mention on their website that they do not use growth hormones)

"Growth hormones"? On fruit?? That's a new one!

sundevilpeg wrote:

(they do mention on their website that they do not use growth hormones)

"Growth hormones"? On fruit?? That's a new one!

Maybe not hormones, but growth enhancers.

Quote from their website:

"We use no chemical pesticides, herbicides, or growth enhancers on our strawberries."

"You may find our strawberries smaller than commercial berries. That’s because many commercial growers use a spray to make strawberries draw in extra water and pull away from the core."

sundevilpeg wrote:

(they do mention on their website that they do not use growth hormones)

"Growth hormones"? On fruit?? That's a new one!

Although their hormones are not like ours, plants do have a complex system of hormones promoting growth, cell division, defense, etc. Giberellins are plant hormones that stimulate cell growth (as opposed to cell division):

Gibberellins are used in agriculture for various purposes. GA-3 is sprayed on seedless grapes to increase grape size and yield, and it is used on navel oranges, lemons, blueberries, sweet and tart cherries, artichokes and other crops to decrease or increase fruit set, delay rind aging, etc.

from: http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/GibberellicAcid.htm

I'll stop now.
Jen

We went today


Plenty of berries some riper than others.
I'd wait a week
wear gloves to help avoid the prickly weeds.

I've got no idea if they spray for anything growth or otherwise...
Susie's Garden Patch
www.susiesgardenpatch.com
10258 U.S. 20
Garden Prairie, IL 61038-9528
(815) 597-3011

I called Thompson's today (the IL number is out of service, but the WI number works), and checked their website. They have strawberries to buy and to pick. Roads are a bit wet but the fields have dried up some and they describe the picking conditions as good.

mhill95149 wrote:I've got no idea if they spray for anything growth or otherwise...
Susie's Garden Patch
http://www.susiesgardenpatch.com

We did Susie's last year - FWIW, the [url=pick your own website]http://www.pickyourown.org/ILchicago.htm[/url] says they follow organic practices. Monica Eng did a post on The Stew post and found precious few organic U-Pick places.

Katie wrote:I called Thompson's today (the IL number is out of service, but the WI number works), and checked their website. They have strawberries to buy and to pick. Roads are a bit wet but the fields have dried up some and they describe the picking conditions as good.

I went picking at Thompson's yesterday and I thought it was great. I filled 6 of their baskets in about 2 -2.5 hours. I worked way back in the fields and in the far corners of the rows. Lots of ripe berries, and also lots of green ones, so I guess next week will be good, too. Some of the rows had soggy spots, but they weren't too bad. Of course, I had just put baskets 5 and 6 in the trunk and the heavens opened up, so who knows what they're like today. I got very lucky! I also think the berries taste better than they did last year and have a nicer perfume.

Hello friends--does anybody have a preferred nearby orchard for picking yummy strawberries for jam?

From Thompson's Strawberry Farm on Route 50 over the Wisconsin border:

WE ARE GOING TO START THE 2011 STRAWBERRY SEASON TODAY JUNE 13TH. WE WILL HAVE VERY LIMITED PICKING THIS WEEK. WE HAVE ONE VARIETY THAT IS READY TO PICK, BUT 95% OF THE FIELD IS A WEEK FROM BEING READY TO PICK. WE WILL BE OPEN FROM 9AM TO 4PM THIS WEEK.

WE STILL THINK THAT WE WILL NOT START PICKING OUR MAIN VARIETIES UNTIL AFTER JUNE 20TH

Cathy2 wrote:From Thompson's Strawberry Farm on Route 50 over the Wisconsin border:

WE ARE GOING TO START THE 2011 STRAWBERRY SEASON TODAY JUNE 13TH. WE WILL HAVE VERY LIMITED PICKING THIS WEEK. WE HAVE ONE VARIETY THAT IS READY TO PICK, BUT 95% OF THE FIELD IS A WEEK FROM BEING READY TO PICK. WE WILL BE OPEN FROM 9AM TO 4PM THIS WEEK.

WE STILL THINK THAT WE WILL NOT START PICKING OUR MAIN VARIETIES UNTIL AFTER JUNE 20TH

Cathy,

How far west is Thompson's?

FYI: just went today to Rosey's Berries near Michigan City. Post to come, but they're probably picking for the next week or so. Wear long pants.

Hi,

Thompson's is only a few miles west of 94 on Route 50.

You can pick as well as buy picked strawberries.

I would bring at the very least a change of shoes. Maybe even a change of clothes, because it can be muddy sometimes.

Regards,

Hi,

Memorial Day weekend, I visited the farm with LAZ. I had hoped to drop in at Thompson's Strawberry Farms to get a reading on the season. While I never reached them, I learned Von Bergen Farms in Hebron was already picking strawberries.

I called Thompson Strawberry farms to learn they anticipate opening June 6, though they expect by June 11th it will be easier and more plentiful berries. Prices are $7.25 per gallon, though if you buy six, you pay for five. Prepicked are $13. per gallon.

Like everthing else this year, this is about two weeks early.

Thompson's Strawberry Farm
Wisconsin Rt 50, 1 mile west of I-94
(Less than 5 miles from the Illinois boarder)

Tel: 414/857-2353 (Wisconsin) and 847/679-8140 (Illinois)



Regards,

Yeah! I wanna go strawberry picking! Haven't been since I was a kid. I will try to get to Thompsons on Saturday!

Johnson's Farm Produce started last weekend.

U-Pick Strawberry Season

Strawberries at Johnson's Farm Produce are typically ripe in early June, but if you are coming out just to pick, please call us at (219) 962-1383 to be sure we have strawberries available.

New this year, we will provide a bus to take you to the strawberry fields, where you can personally pick just the berries you want. Sampling is allowed!

When you are ready to go, we'll bring you back from the field and weigh your strawberries. Bring the whole family, and teach your kids how their food is grown, and just how delicious fresh-picked can be.

http://johnsonsfarmproduce.com/johnsons ... stival.php
Hobart Location
8960 East Ridge Road
Hobart, Indiana 46342
(219) 962-1383