Farms
Midwestern strawberries peak during June. Illinois 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.
Pick Your Own
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U-pick strawberry farms sell berries by the pound. A quart equals 1 1/2 pounds of fresh berries.
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Do the math and be careful not to over purchase as strawberries quickly mold when left at room temperature.
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Select plump, firm, fully red berries. The small berries are often most flavorful.
Picking Tips
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Grasp the stem just above the berry between the forefinger and the thumbnail and pull with a slight twisting motion.
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With the stem broken about one-half inch from the berry, allow it to roll into the palm of your hand.
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Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries.
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Carefully place - don't throw - the fruit into your containers. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
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Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.
More 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:
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Be careful that your feet and knees do not damage plants or fruit in or along the edge of the row. At a Pick-Your-Own farm, it is important that you pick only on the row assigned to you.
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Most growers furnish picking containers designed for strawberries. If you use your own container, remember that heaping strawberries more than 5 inches deep will bruise the lower berries.
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Pick only the berries that are fully red. Part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden berries ready for harvest.
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Pick the row clean. Remove from the plants berries showing rot, sunburn, insect injury or other defects and place them between the rows behind you.
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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.
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Avoid placing the picked berries in the sun 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 three or more days, 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.
Illinois Farms
Austin's Strawberries
12505 Springfield Road
P. O. Box 361
Tremont, IL 61568
309-925-3206
Pick Your Own: strawberries - Call first for availability
Backwoods Berry Farm
27244 Hettick-Scottville Rd.
Hettick, IL. 62649
217-436-2510
Strawberries, asparagus, blueberries, and blackberries.
Berry Patch
351 Spangle Rd.
Stauton, IL 62088 (Madison County)
(I-55 Frontage Road 1 mile North of Livingston)
618-637-2686
Pick Your Own: Strawberries
Open: Open after May 15- June 9
Suggest you call before coming. Expect a good crop.
No children under 14 years of age.
The Berry Patch
James & Charmaine Orr
11471 Lynn Road
Buffalo Hart, IL 62515 (Sangamon County)
217-364-5606
Email: jdcdorr@fgi.net
Website: www.the-berry-patch.com
Pick Your Own and Roadside Market: Asparagus, strawberries, blackberries, red raspberries (fall crop), pumpkins, ornamental corn, gourds.
Blue Berry Hill Farm
675 Wrights Crossing Road
Cobden, IL 62920
(Strawberry farm just off Hwy. 51, north of Cobden)
618-893-2397
Pick Your Own and Roadside Market: Fresh blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries.
Broom Orchard
12803 Broom Road
Carlinville, IL 62626 (Macoupin County)
217-854-3514
Pick Your Own: Fresh apples, Roadside Market and Wholesale: peaches,
plums and strawberries (crop is good).
Open: May
Demange Farm
10349 W. Aster Road
St. Jacob, IL 62281 (Madison County)
618-644-9218
You pick or they pick. Ready end of May.
Open: Around May 20, 7 am - 7 pm daily (only)
W. J. Donahue Sunshine Farm
3540 Fairmont
Collinsville, IL 62234 (Madison County)
618-345-0766
Pick Your Own: Strawberries
Open: 8 am - 7 pm
Dunn's Farmstand
21302 W. Angle Rd.
Wilmington, IL 60481 (Will County)
815-476-7667
Pick Your Own and Roadside market: Asparagus, strawberries, green beans, okra, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant.
Open 9 am – 5 pm, daily. Appointments welcome.
Eckert Orchards, Inc.
951 S. Greenmount Road
Belleville, IL 62220 (St. Clair County)
618-233-0513
Website: www.eckerts.com
Pick Your Own, Roadside market and wholesale: Fresh apples, blackberries, peaches, strawberries, pumpkins, apple cider, apple juice, bread products, gift and fruit baskets. Farm is closed January 1 - March 1. Restaurant is closed first two weeks of the year. Opens after January 15th. Has also a gift store.
G & C Meyer Farm
4370 Rockcastle Road
Steeleville, IL 62288 (Randolph County)
618-965-3800
Pick Your Own: Strawberries, blackberries, pumpkins
Roadside Market: Strawberries, blackberries, red & black raspberries,
garden vegetables in season, pumpkins
Open April 26 - Halloween, 8 am - 6 pm, Monday-Friday; 1 pm - 5
pm, Sunday; call for appointment otherwise.
Grandpa's Berry Farm
3031 Sand Road
Edwardsville, IL 62025 (Madison County)
618-692-4519
Jefferies Orchard
(Sangamon County)
5 miles north of Springfield off of Rt.29 on Jefferies Rd
217-487-7582
Pick Your Own: Strawberries
Guelde's Strawberries
4779 E. 1525th Road
Earlville, IL 60518-6074
815-246-9609
Website: www.gueldestrawberries.com
Produce available: Asparagus, strawberries, pumpkins
Mary's Berries
9495 East 1500 N
Momence, IL 60954 (Kankakee County)
815-472-6015
Pick Your Own: Strawberries, blueberries, black raspberries, blackberries
U-pick and pre-picked strawberries - Monday - Saturday
Call for more information & hours
McCann Berry Farm
18110 Kishwaukee Valley Road
Woodstock, IL 60098 (McHenry County)
815-568-8810
Pick Your Own: Strawberries and blueberries
Strawberries - June 10 - Call for picking conditions
Monday - Friday 8 am - 7pm, Saturday and Sunday 8 am - 5 pm
Mulberry Lane Farm
414 Mulberry St.
Loda, IL. 60948
Ph: 217-386-2690
Family Farm! Organic strawberries and organic red raspberries. Strawberries
are available late May through June. Raspberries in July. We also carry
organic vegetables, home made bread and brown eggs. Please call ahead before
coming to the farm.
Nyman's Harvest Corner
390 Knox Highway 8
Maquon, IL. 61458
CLOSED SUNDAYS.
Email: cnyman4@insightbb.com
Roadside Market: Fresh blueberries, strawberries, asparagus, honey
and popcorn.
Pick Your Own: Fresh strawberries.
Farm is one mile North of Herman Illinois on Knox County Rte. 8
Open May 1. Hours: 8am–5pm, Mon-Sat, 8am–3pm Sunday. Call first.
Plow Creek Farm
19183 Plow Creek, Unit 10
Tiskilwa, IL 61368-9500 (Bureau County)
815-646-4862
Website: http://www.plowcreekfarm.com
Email: farm@plowcreek.org
Plow Creek Farm is located 3/4 miles East of Tiskilwa, Illinois on Bottom Road. Tiskilwa is 8 miles south of Princeton, Illinois.
Pick Your Own and Roadside Market: Fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, red raspberries, and concord grapes.
We also have produce: Tomatoes, seedless watermelons, sweet corn, peppers, rhurbane, zucchini, muskmelon, and ornamental corn, fresh and natural.
Open in June.
Reinhardt's Berry Patch
7508 Kerin Road
Alhambra, IL 62001 (Madison County)
618-633-2888
Pick Your Own: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries,strawberries.
Also Pre-picked
Also available: handmade arts and crafts; pumpkins and gourds, Indian
corn.
Call for availability and picking appointments.
Seals Orchard
R. R. 1
Bone Gap, IL 62815 (Edwards County)
618-456-3545
Pick Your Own: Strawberries. Larger patches this year.
Roadside Market: Fresh apples for sale.
Shady Knoll Farm
3115 Dennhardt Road
East Moline, IL 61244 (Rock Island County)
309-496-3545
Pick Your Own and Roadside: Fresh raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, asparagus, beets, sweet corn and walnuts.
Susie's Garden Patch
10258 U.S. 20
Garden Prairie, IL 61038 (Boone County)
815-597-3011
Website: susiesgardenpatch@hotmail.com
Pick Your Own and Roadside Market: Asparagus, raspberries &
strawberries
Pre-picked: Cherries, melons, peaches, tomatoes, watermelon, asparagus,
beans, beets, cucumbers & gherkins, eggplants, garlic, onions, peppers
& sweet corn.
Open May 1.
Strawberry Festival June 12
Terry's Berries
6930 N. Dog Town Lane
Elmwood, IL 61529 (Peoria County)
309-742-8081 (Call if you have questions.)
U-pick strawberries. They will pick for cost.
Theis Produce
6 North 593 County Line Road
Maple Park, IL 60151 (Kane County)
815-895-9712
Pick Your Own: Strawberries, also pre-picked available.
When in season open daily 9 am - 6 pm. No phone calls after 8 pm
Bring own containers.
White's Berry Farm
1729 N. Blackjack Road
Galena, IL 61036 (Jo Daviess County)
815-777-3106
Call for directions and for more information.
Strawberries & raspberries(red, yellow and black), peaches, tomatoes, peppers, melons, sweet corn, pumpkins, gourds, squash and much more.
Indiana Farms
Johnson's Farm Produce
8960 E. Ridge Road
Hobart, IN
219-962-1383
Directions: I-80/94; exit Ripley Street south, go to the 2nd stop light. Turn left; ½ mile on north (left) side of road.
Monday – Saturday 8 am – 7 pm, Sunday, 8 am – 6 pm (until July 4th).
Pick Your Own: Strawberries, raspberries.
Produces available July – September.
Now have gardening supplies, plants and flowers.
Michigan Farms
Beard's Produce
2751 140th Avenue
Dorr, MI 49323
616-896-8296
Directions: 1 mile south of Burnips to 140th and follow signs, or 4 ½ miles west of Dorr to 27th street and follow signs.
Asparagus, blueberries, corn, and strawberries in season.
Call for hours to be sure. Recording with all information when closed.
Bixby Orchards
5745 Pokagon Road
Berrien Springs, MI
269-473-6681
Pick Your Own: Strawberries.
Direction: ½ miles south of Berrien Springs on Old US-31 then ½ mile East on Pokagon Road, North side of road.
Burda's Berry Farm
269-279-5093
Three Rivers, MI
6 miles East of Three Rivers on M-60. 7 miles West of Mendon on M-60.
U-pick strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, currants and gooseberries available. Open June 15 - October.
Earl's Berry Farm
1630 Blue Star Hwy.
Fennville, MI 49408
269-227-2074
Directions: Exit #30 off 196, go north ¼ miles. Will have signs.
Strawberries and raspberries, u-pick or already picked. Open for strawberries, June 10-July 1, daily. 8 am – 7 pm. Raspberries, July 6 – July 27, daily, 9 am – 6 pm.
Ice cream shop and homemade pies.
Harvey's Farm
2651 15 Mile Rd
Tekonsha, MI
517-767-3408
Email: harveysfarm1@cbpu.com
Directions: 12 miles south of Marshall take Exit #25 off of I69 turn west on M-60, then turn north on 15 mile road, then ¼ mile to farm.
Asparagus, May 1 thru mid-June, open weekly. Call ahead for orders (or call fro other available times). Strawberries, early to mid-June to early – July, pick your own, seven days a week, 7 am – 7 pm. Blueberries, late July, call for picking time. Pumpkins in October. Chestnuts now available beginning in October (picked) and pre-picked.
Husted Farms
9191 West Main
Kalamazoo, MI
269-372-1237
Directions: Take US-131 to the Kalamzzoo exit, 38-B. Go west of 131 on West Main 3 miles to our market on the south side of the road.
We open May 1st with bedding plants and flowers. Then we have asparagus when it gets ready. After that, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, peaches, plums, pickling cucumbers, apples, apple cider, cider mills, broccoli, cabbage, honey, jams/jellies, squash, pumpkins, sweet & hot peppers, maple syrup and ship apple gift boxes.
Open all season daily 9 am – 7 pm.
Mandigo Farms, Inc.
61077 41st Street
Paw Paw, MI 49079
Strawberry Shed: (269) 657-4481
evenings: (269) 657-5062
email: alan@mandigofarms.com
MICHIGAN STRAWBERRIES
U-pick or picked or wholesale
We supply containers
First few weeks in June
Open daily 8 am-5 pm
Mandigo Farms... since 1955
We have picnic tables with umbrellas. Bring a lunch and make a day of it.
We are also 1 block from 3 Mile Lake. There is a public beach for swimming
and FUN!!!
Nottawa Fruit Farm
24878 Hwy. M86
Centreville, MI 269-467-7719
Website: www.nottawafruitfarm.com
Directions: 2 miles east of Centreville on M-86 (corner of M-86 and Bucknell Road).
U-pick strawberries, raspberries, and pumpkins, nice selection of homegrown fruits and vegetables in season. Bakery and coffee shop open daily October hayrides and other activities. Open May 1 – November 1, 8 am – 6 pm closed on Mondays.
S & S Farm Market & Greenhouse
1762 N. M37 Hwy.
Middleville, MI 49333
269-795-9758
Website: http://www.nottawafruitfarm.com
Directions: On M-37. 3.5 miles South of the M-37 & Main street light in Middleville on north side of the road. Or, 7 miles north of the M-37 & M-43 light in Hastings.
Bedding plants, picked or u-pick strawberries, raspberries & blueberries. Fresh sweet corn picked daily. Pumpkins and Pumpkin World in October, hayrides and animals. Open May 1 – October 31, Monday – Saturday, 9 am -6 pm, Sunday 12 pm -5 pm.
Wisconsin Farms
Engelberry Strawberry Farm
N2591 Highway 107
Merrill, WI 54452
715-536-9091
Pick Your Own: strawberries
Roadside Market: strawberries
Open: Mid-June - Mid-July
Seven days a week - 7 am - 7 pm
Mike's Berries
3708 N. 108th Ave.
Wausau, WI
715-675-3188
Pick Your Own - strawberries only
The Berry Basket and Greenhouse
4026 N. Henke Road
Milton, WI 53563-9763
608-868-2290
Website: http://www.berrybasketandgreenhouse.com
Directions: 3 miles east of Hwy. 26 to Kettering Rd east on Rotamer Road on the corner of East Rotamer Road and Henke Road.
Pick Your Own: Strawberries
Roadside Market: Strawberries
Open: May and June 1, 2005
Annuals, Perennials, ornamental grasses
Thomson Strawberry Farm
14000 – 75TH Street
Bristol, WI 53104
262-857-2353
Illinois number 847-679-8140
Website: http://www.thompsonstrawberryfarm.com
Pick Your Own: Strawberries, pre-picked berries also available.
Not open until mid-June for 3 weeks .
Other States
Minnesota Grown Directories
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/mngrown/directory.htm
