Friday, April 26th is opening day at Moon Farms Country Market!
We have some red, ripe strawberries ready to be picked!
Due to the cooler weather so far this spring, the berries are ripening more slowly than usual. It is possible they could get picked over quickly, so please call to make sure we are open and to check berry availability before you come out to the farm!
It looks like we are going to have a great season with lots of berries!
At Moon Farms Country Market, we strive to provide you with the sweetest, juiciest, and finest strawberries in the Athens area. Yearly, we plant over 25,000 plants consisting of two different varieties of strawberries on our farm, Camarosa and Chandler. Both of these varieties are well known for their large and flavorful fruit. We plant our strawberries on raised plastic beds to provide you with the cleanest, easiest to pick, and highest quality berry you can get anywhere. You may pick-your-own fresh from the farm, or we will pick them for you. Feel free to call ahead and check on strawberry availability or place a pre-pick order.
No pets please.
View printable information sheet
Prices:
Pick-your-own strawberries: $10 per gallon bucket
Pre-picked: $12 per gallon bucket (call ahead for pre-picked orders)
We take cash or checks only!
We provide you with a bucket to put all the strawberries you pick. If you choose to keep the bucket it will be an additional $1.00. However, feel free to bring your own containers from home. You may always bring your Moon Farms Country Market bucket back with you when you return!
Things to Remember While Picking:
- Please do not bring any pets to the farm. We strive to provide you with a clean and sanitary environment.
- Only pick strawberries on marked rows while not stepping on the beds. Please, finish picking the row before moving to another one.
- Pick all red ripe berries, large or small, making sure not to pick green ones. While picking, please make sure you do not damage any of the blooms on the plant. These will soon become vine ripe strawberries.
- Make sure you pinch or pull off the stem when picking strawberries trying not to pull off the cap until you are ready to eat.
Strawberry Care:
Your berries will last at least 5-7 days by just following these simple steps:
- Do not leave your berries in the car for any longer than absolutely necessary and make sure that on the drive home, you leave the air conditioner on. Always put your berries in the car with you and not in the trunk.
- Refrigerate your berries as soon as you get home. Put them in a sealed container and leave them exactly as you picked them (uncapped, uncut and unwashed) in the container. It is usually best to place them in a shallow container only 1 to 2 deep.
- Do not cap, wash or cut your berries until just before you get ready to eat or use them.
- Always wash strawberries in cold water.
Freezing Guidelines:
- Before freezing your berries, wash and cap them, sweeten as needed with a touch of sugar. Halve them and put into pint baggies or sealed containers for later use.
- To freeze berries whole -- place berries on a cookie sheet in the freezer and once frozen, put into a sealed container. This allows you to later take berries out individually.
- Berries will have the best consistency if they are eaten just before being thawed completely.
Strawberry Recipes:
- Strawberry-Buttermilk Sorbet from Southern Living
- Healthified Vanilla Strawberry Fool from Eat Better America
- Share your favorite recipe with us
Related Links:
- Strawberry Picking Tips from PickYourOwn.org
- Easy Strawberry Jam Recipe from PickYourOwn.org
- How to Freeze Berries from PickYourOwn.org
- All About Home Canning, Freezing, and Making Jams and Jellies from PickYourOwn.org
