2024 Southern Indiana Strawberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
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Strawberry U-Pick Orchards in Southern Indiana in 2024, by county
Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for strawberriesthat we know of in this area.
Not all areas of a state have strawberries farms that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using theadd a farmform!
Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email themif they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!
PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect infousing the "Report Corrections" form below.
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Clark County
Berry Best Farm- U-pick Strawberries and Vegetables 26011 Highway 62, Nabb, IN 47146. Phone: 812-293-3541. Email:christinebozak@gmail.com. Open: Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm and Sundays from 1pm to 5pm; Call ahead for availability. Directions: Berry Best is located in Southern Indiana on Highway 62, just 3 miles east of New Washington. Payment: Cash and check. .Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash and check. Berry Best Farm Facebook page. Family owned and operated since 1975. Our farm has been a local landmark, known for sweet strawberries, delicious sweet corn, and juicy tomatoes for more than 30 years. The growing season starts with amazing asparagus in April, an extensive selection of tasty fruits and vegetables throughout the summer, and ends with pumpkins and mums in October. Berry Best strives to always have a bountiful harvest. Please visit our "In Season" page for approximate harvest dates. We would love to have you and your family visit our farm. Come out to u-pick berries or stop in to buy some of our delicious produce picked daily at our standBerry Best Facebook page. (UPDATED: April 6, 2021 JBS)
Jim Book- Pumpkins, Vegetables and Strawberries 8502 St. John Road, Borden, IN . Phone: 812-523-8541.Click here for a map and directions. . Call ahead for availability.
Joe Huber Family Farm and Restaurant- apples, pumpkins, strawberries, Honey from hives on the farm, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, events at your location (call for info) 2421 Scottsville Road, Starlight, IN 47106. Phone: 812-923-5255. Email:info@joehubers.com. Open: Monday to Saturday, from 11 am to 8 pm; Sunday and Holidays from 11 am to 6 pm. Directions: I-65 to Exit 9 "Starlight Attractions" Follow Signs for 14 miles to Joe Huber Family Restaurant. .Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. Joe Huber Family Farm and Restaurant Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 812-923-5597Fax: 812-923-0853 Facebook page. The now has the 7th generation of descendants included in our family farm operation. Our goal has always been to create an atmosphere where everyone young and old can enjoy a day with us here on our farm. Come and experience a "Taste of the country" where everyone is treated like "Family." See You Soon, Joe Huber Family See their seasonal schedule of events. (UPDATED: April 6, 2021 JBS) (UPDATED: August 06, 2011)
Dearborn County
Phillips Berry Patch- strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, pumpkins 9429 Yorkridge Road, Guilford, IN 47022. Phone: 812-623-1433. Open: Monday through Friday, 9 am to 6 p.Click here for a map and directions. . Alternate phone: (812) 623-3774m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am to 4 pmI -74 to St. Leon exit. South on State Road 1 approximately 3 miles to Dover. West on North Dearborn Road - 3 miles to New Alsase. South on Yorkridge Road. Farm is one half mile on the right. U-pick or pre-picked strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. (Blueberry season usually begins in late June or early July). Early June: strawberries. July: early blueberries. August: blackberries. September to October: pumpkins, gourds and mums. Also offer jams and jellies, pumpkins and gourds in the fall, and other fall produce. May through October. (UPDATED: June 12, 2016, JBS) A visitor writes on June 19, 2013: "We visited 6/15/13 and picked strawberries. They will have blueberries in a few weeks. They have have blackberries but when we visited they were not sure how this years crop was going to turn out. Young children are NOT allowed to pick blackberries due to canes being damaged. Containers are provided for picking (small buckets) but you will want to bring your own boxes or buckets to take your fruit home in, as the provided containers are used for picking and weighing only. " Comments from a visitoron August 03, 2010: (positive) - "Even though we live in SW Ohio, this Farm is about 40 minutes away in Dearborn County, Indiana. A quaint farm with many gardens. Blueberries were under netting, safe from birds. The berries were small, but the sweetest I have ever had! When my kids and I finished picking and put the berries on the scale, the owner only charged us $4.00! Delicious berries, friendly folks, and great value! Comments from a visitoron July 16, 2010: (positive) - "I took my teenage children out to this small picking farm in dearborn county, Indiana last week. The season was in for blueberries. We had a great time picking and talking to the owner. She is a fabulous woman with a great love for her family. By the time we were done picking we had 6-1/2 pounds of blueberries. I could have picked for hours out there in the field surrounded by blueberry bushes and talking. We will be back to pick here again. PS: this farm is organic. at least as far as their blueberries are concerned. Comments from a visitoron July 14, 2009: (positive) - "Decided to pick blueberries on Flag Day at this small farm in Guilford, IN. (BTW, for those of you who ski at Perfect North, this farm is less than 10 miles farther north in SE Indiana.) Lovely, quiet, country setting. Berry bushes are inside a net- which was fine for me, a tall person might feel awkward. Buckets provided for picking. PYO delicious blueberries are $2.50 a pound. They estimate the season going until first week of August."
Dubois County
Ahrens Garden of Eatin- strawberries, Petting zoo , Bakery , School tours County road 585W, Huntingburg, IN 47542. Phone: 812-536-4155. Email:pcahrens@psci.net. Open: for straberries, typically mid May to mid June; Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm; Sunday from noon to 5 pm. Directions: 3 Miles West Of Huntingburg .Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, WIC Vouchers. Mailing address: P.O. Box 415Also prepicked Apples , Pears , Strawberries , Blueberries , Peaches , Cherries , Vegetables, and a Fall Corn maze
Gibson County
Decker's Berries- blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries Route 1, Box 25, Hazleton, IN 47640. Phone: 812-784-2469. Open: daylight hours in June and July.Click here for a map and directions. U-pick blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries available on a seasonal basis, starting with strawberries in May and June, then raspberries, blackberries and blueberries
Jennings County
Clark's Berry Farm- Uses integrated pest management practices, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries (red), raspberries (black), strawberries, U-pick and already picked, porta-potties are available, picnic area you may bring your own food 8905 West 350 South, North Vernon, IN 47265. Phone: (812) 344-5401. Email:clarksberryfarm@frontier.com. Open: Monday to Saturday, from 8 am to 1 pm; closed on Sunday, late June thru July blueberries; strawberries are typically available in June and the blackberries are July and August. Directions: Located between Seymour and North Vernon Just off Highway 50. Turn south on 900 west to 350 south. .Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Strawberries: Memorial weekend to early June, Raspberries: mid June to late June, Blackberries: early July to early August. We use integrated pest management practicesPicking containers are supplied. (UPDATED: May 27, 2021)
Knox County
Brad's Berry and Peach- strawberries, 6066 South State Road 61, Monroe City, IN 47557. Phone: (812) 743-2130. Email:natureman812@gmail.com. Open: 7 days a week 9am to 6pm starting in mid may. Directions: Located 1 and one half miles south from Monroe City Indiana directly on state road 61 watch for sign also 7miles north from Petersburg on state road 61.Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Brad's Berry and Peach Alternate Phone: (812) 690-0439 we are WE LET THEM GET RIPE!!!
Lawrence County
Applacres, Inc.- Apples, apple butter, blackberries, cider, fruit baskets and boxes, nectarines, melons, peaches, pears, pumpkins, strawberries, sweet corn, winter squash 9104 State Road 37, Bedford, IN 47421. Phone: 812-279-9721. Open: Year Round. Directions: 3 miles south of Bedford on State Road 37. Monday through Saturday 9 am to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 1 pm to 6 p.m. .Click here for a map and directions. Open
Posey County
Farview Orchard Inc. -- u-pick sour cherries, apples, pumpkins and strawberries 4200 Oliver Springfield Road, Mount Vernon, IN 47620. Phone: 812-783-2571.Click here for a map and directions. Farview Orchard Inc. - Wadesville, 7 miles south off U.S. 66 in Oliver. Call for hours. Prepicked Apples (in season only), apple cider, nectarines, peaches, plums, pumpkins.Peaches are not u-pick,but available pre-pick
Spencer County
Hedinger Farms, LLC.- blackberries, raspberries (red), raspberries (Autumn, red), strawberries, 11480 E. County Road 1740 N, St. Meinrad, IN 47577. Phone: 812-357-2270. Email:jmzellers@yahoo.com. Open: from 8am to 6pm, you can call for more availability. Directions: Call 812-357-2549 for directions. Strawberries: May 6 to Early June, Raspberries: Early June to October, Blackberries: End of June thru July. Payment: Cash, Check. Coming soon to our farm is Monkey Hollow Winery! Target .Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Alternate Phone: 812-357-2549 opening date is May 7 2011!.
Lakeview Orchard- U-pick Strawberries 2349 N CR 300 W, Rockport, IN 47635. Phone: 812-649-2753. Open: in season, daily 8 am to 5 pm. Directions: 2 miles west and 1 mile north of Rockport, North of South Spencer High School. .Click here for a map and directions. Phone Plus a seasonal Farmers Market
Vanderburgh County
Engelbrecht's Evansville Countryside Orchard- cherries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, plums, apples, pumpkins, porta-potties are available, school tours 16800 Old Petersburg Road, Evansville, IN 47725. Phone: 812-490-9559. Email:info@countrysideorchard.com. Open: Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 4 pm; Saturday and Sunday, from 9 am to 1 pm. Directions: .Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx, WIC Vouchers. Engelbrecht's Evansville Countryside Orchard Facebook page. Typical dates are: Strawberries mid-May. Cherries from end of May to early June (usually 2 weeks only), Peaches from mid-June through August, Nectarines from mid-July and August, Apples from July to mid-October, Pumpkins Late September through October Evansville Countryside Orchard Facebook pageFrom Evansville, Indiana Using U.S. 691. Take Interstate Hwy 69 North to Exit 18.2. Turn left onto Indiana 57 South and then take the first right onto Petersburg Road3. The orchard is 0.2 miles on the right.Using Highway 571. Take Hwy-57 heading north past the airport and through Daylight. 2. Turn left onto Baseline Rd. (immediately after RR tracks/Kingmen's Event Facility)3. At 4-way stop, turn right onto Petersburg Rd.,4. The orchard is .5 miles on the left.From the north(3 miles south of I-64)1. Take Exit 18 (Hwy 57/Elberfeld)2. AFTER yellow flashing light, take first right onto Petersburg Road3. The orchard is 0.2 miles on the right. (UPDATED: April 24, 2022 JBS) (UPDATED: October 16, 2016)
Mayse Farm Market- U-pick strawberries, corn mazes, hayrides 6409 N. St. Joe Avenue, Evansville, IN 47712. Phone: (812) 963-3175. Email:maysefarmmarket@mw.twcbc.com. Directions: .Click here for a map and directions. Mayse Farm Market Facebook page. UPDATE for 2021, Their website says they no Pick-your-own strawberries "at this time"; Monday - Saturday: 8:30 am - 6 pm, Sunday: 10 am - 4 pm On-site Farm Market. Other fun activities for families, groups, scouts, and school tours. The ONLY pyo crops offered is strawberries
Warrick County
Engelbrecht Orchard- Apples, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cucumbers, cantaloupe, cherries, green beans, nectarines, peaches, peppers, pumpkins, pears, plums, raspberries, summer and winter squash, sweet corn, strawberries, tomatoes, turnips, watermelon. 3922 Saint Rd. 261, Newburgh, IN 47630. Phone: 812-853-8778. Open: Daily from 10 am to 3 pm.Click here for a map and directions. East of Hwy. 164 at the intersection of Hwy. 66 and 261 in Newburgh. You won't get anything fresher than pumpkins and apples that you hand-pick right from Engelbrecht's Orchard & Pumpkin Patch! Pick-your-own apples and other exciting fun on the farm at Engelbrecht's Orchard just north of Evansville, Indiana . With 13 varieties of apples, our apple season picks up in July, with delicious, crunchy apples for eating and cooking available well into October. As with our apples and other fresh fruit, each season is slightly different, so if you are coming to the orchard, please check our U-Pick box for availability. Check our ripening calendar for information on when your favorites will be ready for picking! (UPDATED: January 24, 2022 JBS) (ADDED: October 07, 2017, JBS)
Strawberry
Strawberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information
In the U.S. strawberries typically peak during April in Florida and Texas,
May in the deep South, and in early June in middle sections and later June in the
far North and Canada. Keep in mind that crops are ready at various times of the
month depending on which part of the state you are located. In order to produce
good local strawberries, producers depend on ideal spring weather conditions.
Before you leave to go to the farm:
Always call before you go to the farm - strawberries are affected by weather
(both rain and cooler temperature) more than most crops. And when they are
in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL
first!
Leave
early. On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
Most growers furnish picking containers designed
for strawberries, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring
containers.
If you use your own containers, remember that heaping
strawberries more than 5 inches deep will bruise the lower berries.
Plastic
dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sidesand large pots make good
containers. I like the Glad storage containers like the one at right.
Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can
work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the
sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring
along if it has been rainy.
Tips on How to Pick Strawberries
Grasp the stem just above the berry between the
forefinger and the thumbnail and pull with a slight twisting motion.
With the stem broken about one-half inch from
the berry, allow it to roll into the palm of your hand.
Repeat these operations using both hands until
each holds 3 or 4 berries.
Carefully place - don't throw - the fruit into
your containers. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
Don't overfill your containers or try to pack
the berries down.
General Picking Tips
Whether you pick strawberries from your garden or at
a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Be careful that your feet and knees do not
damage plants or fruit in or along the edge of the row.
Pick only the berries that are fully red. Part
the leaves with your hands to look for hidden berries ready for harvest.
To help the farmers, also remove from the plants
berries showing rot, sunburn, insect injury or other defects and place them
between the rows behind you. If they are left in the plants, the rot will
quickly spread to other berries.
Berries to be used immediately may be picked any
time, but if you plan to hold the fruit for a few days, try to pick in the
early morning or on cool, cloudy days. Berries picked during the heat of the
day become soft, are easily bruised and will not keep well.
Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunshine any
longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or
shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible
after picking. Strawberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for two or three, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few
days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor
and tends to shrivel.
For interesting and fun strawberry facts and
trivia from the California Strawberry Commission,click
here!
When you get home
DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them. Washing
makes them more prone to spoiling.
Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting
berries
Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the caps
(green tops) off the others and freeze them up! (Unless you're going to make
jam right away)See this
page about how to freeze strawberries.
If you like the strawberries you picked, ask the farm what variety they
planted, and not the weather conditions the week or two before. The flavor
of a strawberry is affected by the variety, the weather and the degree of
ripeness when picked.
Picking the best strawberries:Select firm, fully red berries. Strawberries DO NOT continue ripen after
they are picked! In the photo, only the berry onthe far right is
completely ripe.
Strawberry festivals:Most areas that grow strawberries have a strawberry festival, at which you
can taste all kinds of fresh strawberry foods, pies, jams, cakes - and most
commonly, fresh strawberry shortcake. To find out where and when there
is one near you,see this
page for a list of strawberry festivals, sorted by state!
Strawberries measurements:government agriculture
websites tell us that 1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups and is about the
same as 1 liter and 1 quart of fresh strawberries weighs 1 lbs to 1.25 lbs (or
450 to 600 g).
Of course, the weight
varies on variety and weather conditions. 1 quart is normally
enough for 4
servings, although I'll admit my son can eat 1 pint by himself!
How much to pick?In general, 1 quart of fresh, whole, just-picked strawberries =
approximately 3.5 cups hulled, whole berries. In other words, removing
the caps/hulls and the occasional mushy berry means you lose 1/4 cup to 1/2 (it depends how much fruit you remove with the hull) or
about 7 to 12% of every quart you pick.
One cup of strawberries contains only about 50 calories
U-pick strawberries are much healthier than store-bought. Consumer
reports says store bought strawberries have so many pesticide and fungicide
residues on they, that they don't recommend you eat them at all!
U-pick strawberry farms typically sell berries by the
pound. 1 lbs of fresh strawberries is about 2/3 of a quart.
It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to pick a quart, if the berries
are reasonably plentiful
The strawberry plant adapts to wide variety of soil conditions, but does
not tolerate drought well, and the berries quickly rot if the weather is
rainy. For this reason, the plants are usually grown on raised beds through
plastic mulch!
Cultivation of strawberries began in Europe in the 1300's, but the berry
only became very popular in the early 1900's in California.
Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase
as strawberries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a
couple of days in the refrigerator.
You can easily freeze berries that you cannot use right away - just
wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a ziplock bag, removing as much
air as possible. Those vacuum food sealers REALLY do a good job of
this! The berries will keep for many months frozen without air.
Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside.
Strawberries were originally called strewberries because the fruit was
'strewn' amongst the leaves of the plant.
California is king of strawberry productions because: California
produces 75 percent of the nation's strawberry crops; one billion pounds
of strawberries each year. If all the strawberries produced in
California in one year were laid berry to berry, they would go around
the world 15 times. Each acre of land in California in strawberry
production produces an average of 21 tons of strawberries annually, with
a total of 23,000 acres of strawberries planted in California each year.
More conversions
1 pint (2 cups) of fresh whole strawberries
= about 8 oz (1/2 lb) of strawberries
= 2.25 cups of sliced strawberries
= 1cup pureed strawberries
= 12-14 large strawberries
2 quarts of fresh strawberries are needed for a 9" pie
A 10 oz package of frozen berries is about the same as 1 cup of sliced
fresh strawberries