U-Pick
The U-Pick Fields are now CLOSED for the season.
Thank you for choosing Krause Berry Farms!
U-Pick Etiquette
1. Call ahead just before you plan to come out to hear about our berry availability and conditions of fields.
2. Check in at the U-Pick Station. If you brought your own containers to pick into, make sure to have them weighed - so that this may be deducted from the total weight of your berries upon check out. We have u-pick containers available for purchase for $1 each.
3. Try to pick all the ripe berries. The small ones taste just as good as the big ones.
4. Should you bring the kids? That depends on how many berries you plan to pick and how old your kids are. If you're on a family outing and you only want to pick enough berries for your dessert, of course you can bring your children into the fields! If you need two hundred pounds for a years' supply of preserves for your youself & your entire extended family, probably not - unless your kids are old enough to be of help. Also remember, it can get very hot in the fields so please make sure to pack hats, sunscreen. We have water and food items for purchase at the Porch. Berries are tempting for kids to eat. Please remember that our fields are grocery shelves. All berries should be picked, paid for and then eaten. If you desire a taste, please come into the Market for a free sample. Please make sure that your children or those coming with you understand this. If you do bring your children, please watch that they do not trample on the plants or pick in other people's rows.
5.We do have a play area for children but it will only entertain them for so long and we do NOT hire staff to look after them. All children need to be monitored while enjoying the play area. Please do NOT leave your children unattended in the play area while you go and pick berries. Our farm is a large farm and could get easily disoriented trying to find you as there are so many visitors here. You may want to bring someone along to supervise them in the play area while you enjoy picking the berries.
SAMPLING - ONLY IN THE MARKET.
You wouldn't think of eating your way throught the rows of the produce section at Safeway.....it is the same on a farm.
Now for some advice:
1. Picking strawberries with or without hulls depends on what you plan to do with the berries. If you're not going to be able to process them for a while or want them for fresh eating, leave the hulls on - they stay fresh longer that way. If you're just taking them directly home to make jam or freeze them, pick the hulls off as you're picking them. It will save you a lot of time.
2. As soon as you get home, put your berries into the refrigerator. You can’t leave them in the garage overnight. Our berries are more perishable than the imported ones because they are picked FRESH and not green & no other preservatives are added. The sooner you process them, the better the flavour.
3. It's best to pick in the morning, when there are lots of berries and it's cooler out, then process them in the afternoon.
