June 19th. - IT'S BERRY TIME!!!!
AND, Lots more on the way in 2 weeks!
The "Berry Tram"
Most kids think the most fun part of strawberry picking is the "Berry Tram" ride out to and back from the strawberry field. With this tram we built, we can haul 18 people, with their berry flats, to and from the field. If it has just rained, this keeps your feet clean till they get to the straw in the rows of berries.
Our Strawberry Field!
Noreaster Berries ready to pick!
Welcome to our Pick-Your-Own and Pre-Pick Strawberry Farm here near Brothertown! For 2012 we have 4 early mid-season varieties, Brunswick , Noreaster, Cavendish and L'Amour, and 1 late mid-season variety, Clancy. This should spread out the picking season for 3-4 weeks. We have THREE acres of strawberries for picking. All of our strawberry plants have underground drip irrigation lines under their roots. We pump water from our spring fed irrigation pond when it is dry to help the plants produce sweet fruit.
Walk or ride the strawberry tram to the strawberry field. You can then ride back to the buildings with your strawberries to have them weighed and then check out. We will have pre-pick strawberries for sale as well. Our large walk-in cooler allows us to have them picked ahead of time and cool them down for you to pick up. REMEMBER, all pre-pick strawberries we sell here have been picked thru and sorted, so there are no green ones or bad ones. They are ripe and ready to take home and use! We advise you to call ahead to order the pre-pick strawberries so they are ready when you get here. Our pickers pick early in the day, so calling a day ahead with your order is appreciated.
The hay rides are operating and the activity area is open during strawberry season. The hay ride price will be $5 for adults ages 12 on up, and $3 for children ages 2 thru 11. Under age 2 is free. And just like in the fall, the activity area is included with the hayride. Young children that are helping their parents pick strawberries must stay with them. However, children can go to play in the activity area for free while their parents are picking strawberries!
All strawberries are weighed and sold by the pound. All containers are provided. Please call ahead at (920) 418-2676 or check here on our website to see what the picking hours are for the day you plan to come. If you would like to receive an e-mail or text message to notify you when picking starts, please call or e-mail us at meuerfarm@bugnet.net and you will be on our list to be notified when picking is to begin!
To find strawberry jam recipes, go to http://www.pickyourown.org/strawberryjam.htm.
Walk or ride the strawberry tram to the strawberry field. You can then ride back to the buildings with your strawberries to have them weighed and then check out. We will have pre-pick strawberries for sale as well. Our large walk-in cooler allows us to have them picked ahead of time and cool them down for you to pick up. REMEMBER, all pre-pick strawberries we sell here have been picked thru and sorted, so there are no green ones or bad ones. They are ripe and ready to take home and use! We advise you to call ahead to order the pre-pick strawberries so they are ready when you get here. Our pickers pick early in the day, so calling a day ahead with your order is appreciated.
The hay rides are operating and the activity area is open during strawberry season. The hay ride price will be $5 for adults ages 12 on up, and $3 for children ages 2 thru 11. Under age 2 is free. And just like in the fall, the activity area is included with the hayride. Young children that are helping their parents pick strawberries must stay with them. However, children can go to play in the activity area for free while their parents are picking strawberries!
All strawberries are weighed and sold by the pound. All containers are provided. Please call ahead at (920) 418-2676 or check here on our website to see what the picking hours are for the day you plan to come. If you would like to receive an e-mail or text message to notify you when picking starts, please call or e-mail us at meuerfarm@bugnet.net and you will be on our list to be notified when picking is to begin!
To find strawberry jam recipes, go to http://www.pickyourown.org/strawberryjam.htm.
Some of the later variety coming yet!!!
Weeding the Strawberries!
Everyone asks how our rows stay so nice and clean. That is because we use a mechanical weeder to do most of the weeding of the strawberries. You move along real slow with the tractor and the person on the weeder moves the weeding wheels around every plant. Once the plants get older and are mulched, all weeding is done by hand with our crew of local workers. It is hard work but really makes a difference. And the straw mulch suppresses weeds as well.
Mulching the Strawberry Field, Dec. 3 - 4 ,2011.
Mulching the strawberry field 2010.
A bale processor is used to grind our large square bales of wheat straw for mulching. We then come along with forks to touch up the cover. This process is alot faster and easier on the back! Mulching with straw helps maintain an even temperature for the strawberry plants. This also helps to protect them against being dried out in the winter winds. And, of course, when the mulch provides control of weeds, keeps the berries clean and helps to conserve moisture for the plants.