Call ahead for picking conditions and availability as they change daily.
Strawberry picking preparation, tips and etiquette:
- To begin, please come find a Fifer staff person inside our Country Store for daily picking instructions.
- Plastic buckets are provided for a nominal fee of $.50 at your first picking. You can re-use this bucket for future pickings at no charge. Green quart containers are also available at no charge.
- After receiving your buckets and instructions, follow the U-Pick strawberry signs out to the patch. Please do not stray out from the designate picking areas. This is a working farm with equipment such as tractors, trucks and forklifts operating on the other side of the fences. Please heed the DO NOT ENTER signage for your safety and ours.
- Only pick in rows that are marked with orange flags. Orange flags indicate where the best picking is located. The rows not flagged, have already been picked.
How to Pick: With the strawberry lightly in your hand, grasp the stem just above the berry and pinch with your thumb and index finger, pull with a slight twist.
- Make sure to pick only the fully red strawberries. Berries with white or green tips will be not be fully sweet. Strawberries are one of the fruits that do not ripen after they are picked, so be sure to pick only mature, red berries.
- Size is not an important characteristic. Small red berries taste just as good, if not better, than large red berries. Again, color is the most important quality to look for.
- Strawberries like to hide! Be sure to look deep in the center of the plants for hidden red strawberries.
- Do not pick flowers or green berries as this hurts the strawberry plants
- The best berry picking is usually on the far end of the patch where fewer pickers venture. A little extra walking is usually worth the effort for easy, prime picking.
- All produce should be washed before eating at home. Please do not consume strawberries in the field.
- Do not overfill your containers to where berries are falling on the ground. The weight of overfilled containers crushes the berries at the bottom. A level-filled container is best. You can always get additional containers if needed.
- Please stay in your row. Do not jump over or straddle the plastic raised beds.
- Please do not walk-on or tear black plastic raised beds
- Children must be under adult supervision at all times.
- When you get home…cool your berries down as soon as possible after picking.
- Do not wash strawberries until right before you are ready to eat them.
- Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly. It’s always best to wear comfortable closed toed shoes. Sandals and flip flops are not recommended in the patch.
- No pets allowed in the strawberry patch per food safety guidelines
- We work hard to keep Fifer Orchards clean and enjoyable. Please do not leave trash in the fields. Waste baskets are available for your convenience.
- Restrooms and hand sinks are available. Beverages are available for sale in our Country Store.
Freezing Tips:
Simply wash and drain well on paper towel. Place the berries in your freezer on a cookie sheet single layered. After frozen, move the berries into freezer tight containers or plastic bags and then place back in the freezer for long term storage. The berries are good for up to 1 year in the freezer. Great for smoothies!