Pick Your Own Fruits – PYOF or PYOS – pick your own strawberry is a very popular British summer activity for families and kids. You go to farms who are open and welcome visitors for this activity and can pick your own fruit and vegetables fresh from the field. These usually include strawberries, raspberry, and so in summer that is in the mainly in the month of July and other fruits like blueberry towards the end of August or September.
Generally the produce available and other details are listed on the website of various farms. Also, there are several farms in UK that one can visit.
Pick your own fruits holds nostalgic memories for many of us. Earlier there were thousands of farms in the country but now only a few hundred remain. If you are someone who likes to know where their food comes from and look for seasonal and local produce then pick your own fruits is a perfect summer time activity for you. On a nice sunny day, you can enjoy the fresh crisp air and connect with the nature by picking seasonal delights like strawberries, raspberries, rhubarbs and blueberries in a wide, huge and open field.
It’s a great day out and one a fun and healthy activity for the entire family. We stay so cooped up in the city that a day out refreshes our senses and rejuvenates us all. It’s also a great activity for kids and a fun way to bring them close to the nature. The best part of the entire activity is that you get to take fresh fruits like strawberries back home and make yummy puddings, smoothies, jams and so on with it. Usually the farms provide baskets or containers to pick the produce. There are signposts to spot the crops. And you weigh the produce and are charged per kg for the fruit.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you going to a pick your own farm:
- When picking strawberries choose firm and fully red berries because strawberries don’t ripen after they have been picked.
- Make sure your feet or knees don’t damage the plants near the edge of the row.
- You can help the farmers by removing the defected or damaged berries by placing them in the mud. Because if they are rotten then the rot will spread to the other berries quickly as well.
- Try to consume berries immediately after they have been picked. If you plan to store them then try to pick them on a cloudy or cool day. Berries picked in the heat become bruised and soft easily.
- Place the picked berries in the shade of a tree or in your car to cool them after picking.
- You can store berries in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and maintain the freshness.
Have you visited any pick your own farms? Share your experience in the comments below.
