When May and June roll around, it’s strawberry-picking time in Northern Virginia. This is a great Mother’s Day and/or Father’s Day activity, depending on whether the season starts early or goes long. For two or three precious weeks in the early fruit season, picking strawberries in Northern Virginia becomes the region’s most lovely agricultural activity– especially if the weather presents the expected late-spring dappled sunshine.
Below, we spotlight our favorite go-to farms for strawberry picking in Northern Virginia/DMV area. You have to stay on top of each farm’s live updates, however, as the exact days of picking vary from year to year based on climate and recent weather conditions.
The best move is to sign up for email updates so that each farm will contact you when the berries are ready for picking– then, plan your trip quickly as most crops only last about two or three weeks. (That’s what makes it such a special and fun annual tradition! The season is short but sweet, and worth waiting for.)
Bookmark this list for easy reference each spring!
***
Great Country Farms
Great Country Farms in Bluemont is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to U-pick. Here, in addition to strawberries, you can pick sweet and tart cherries, gorgeous peaches from ancient fruit trees, potatoes, blackberries, apples, and pumpkins when the Fall hits.
But when it’s strawberry picking time, you’ll know it. The farm hosts an annual Strawberry Jubilee, usually during the last two weekends in May, that involves a wagon ride to the U-pick fields, where guests can also pick cornflower and celosia in the contiguous field free of charge (kids love it, as it’s very wild and lush).
Come Mother’s Day, they offer a fun Mother’s Day brunch that usually coincides with peak strawberry picking season, as well. Plus: there’s a bounce house (one for older kids and another for the smallest ones), as well as a lovely farm shop and bakery, two on-site restaurants, a giant tube slide, goats for feeding and petting, and a swan-filled lake where young boys are often seen fishing in the late spring. It’s a whole vibe.
We love that charming and rugged wagon ride that takes visitors to the strawberry picking fields at this farm, as well as the stunning pastoral views up the hillside above. Most folks initially come here for the U-pick fruit, but the beautiful, picturesque views are the real star. Most days it looks like a scene from a Cézanne painting. It’s gorgeous! I can’t recommend it enough.
Yankey Farms
Yankey Farms in Bristow, Virginia is an excellent hidden gem that delights visitors from all over Northern Virginia and beyond. Be sure to check their Facebook Page each for the latest updates, as the berries in this roadside field move quickly and are highly weather- and season-dependent. As a result, the FB page is updated more often than the website.
They also have a roadside stand and CSA for those interested buying other produce, as well. We love the no-frills seriousness that pickers at this farm bring to the fore; if you want to get a beautiful, big hall of strawberries with little fanfare, this is the strawberry picking patch for you.
Normally, the farm is closed on Sundays, though they do make exceptions when there is a bumper crop. Ultimately, if you can swing a weekday visit during the season, you’ll likely have your pick of the berries. This farm can get muddy after it rains, however, so be sure to wear closed-toed shoes appropriate for spring.
Wegmeyer Farms (Three Locations!)
Wegmeyer Farms has three locations for strawberry picking in Northern Virginia: a home farm in Hamilton, Virginia; Oatlands Historic Mansion location in Leesburg, Virginia; and Gilbert’s Corner, also in Hamilton, which mostly features pre-picked strawberries and fresh-baked donuts. (Both are also great!)
To get tickets for U-pick strawberries at any of these locations, you’ll have to book tickets in advance but only the night before your desired picking date. (One booking per party at the time of this writing.)
Be sure to monitor their Facebook Page for the latest updates, as berry-picking season comes and goes quickly.
All of these properties have beautiful grounds and they’re not too far from downtown Leesburg, which is another great place to explore if you have time before or after your outing.
Hollin Farms in Delaplane
Hollin Farm in Delaplane is one of our favorite places to go apple picking Northern Virginia because of it’s pastoral hillside views– but it’s also a nice farm for picking strawberries, digging-your-own peanuts, buying crazy-looking butternut squash, potatoes, and all kinds of other fruit and vegetables available for picking.
Here, nestled in the rural valley hills, you can also pick juicy strawberries each May and into June, depending on seasonal conditions.
The farm uses integrated pest management practices to support ethical agricultural, and because of their unique location in the Crooked Run Valley of Virginia, the berries have a unique terroir that changes year to year.
Be sure to wear sturdy footwear and check the weather and website before heading out. The hills can create microclimates across the farm, so on any given day you might need a sunhat, windbreaker, and/or shoes with grip.
Closed-toe sneakers are strongly recommended. (Oh, and the farm is so secluded– charmingly so!– that GPS might lose signal once you enter the main road to the farm. That’s okay– just follow the signs towards the farm and you’ll see it eventually.)
Also, the nearest gas station is in Marshall, VA about 10 miles away. Be sure to fuel up before heading out!
Green Truck Farm
Green Truck Farm in Markham, Virginia is home to some of the region’s best apple picking, but their strawberry picking is equally lovely if lesser known.
Call in advance to see what fruit they are picking at any given time throughout the summer, and you’re likely to be met with a delightful surprise. (Their gold and black raspberries, which fruit in the late summer, are lovely!)
Ultimately, the hours for u-pick depend on what fruit is ripening at the time, so it’s best to call the farm at 540-316-7715 before you leave. (Yes, they are old school like that.)
~ Honorable Mention Further Away ~
Chiles Family Orchard
Chiles Family Orchard in Crozet isn’t technically located in Northern Virginia, but if you happen to be making a trip out to Charlottesville, it is an excellent place to pick strawberries (and gorgeous donut peaches) when they are in season in late May/early June. Check ‘um out!
***
Related: The 5 Best Places to Go Apple Picking (& Pumpkin Picking!) in Northern Virginia.
Leave a Reply