The one activity I’ve been dying to do with my family is go strawberry picking. I’ve said year after year that we were going to do it and then just didn’t follow through. So for Mother’s Day my husband asked if I wanted to take the kids up to the strawberry fields to go strawberry picking. And I quickly said yes!
We made our way up the 5 freeway towards Carlsbad and just stopped at the first U-Pick Strawberries sign we found. We didn’t do much research beforehand that I know of other than to find out how much it was so we had enough cash on hand.
When we got there we parked, paid for our small bucket. Then after a quick run down of the rules we made our way to the strawberry plants to get picking.
The kids quickly jumped on board and started picking and eating like crazy. Until my husband noticed the moldy strawberries next to the ones the kids just ate and picked. So we became the pointers for the kids and showed them which ones to pick.
My son was quite excited about the whole “eat as many as you’d like” and quickly had a ring of red around his lips and on his fingers. I highly recommend bringing baby wipes with you as you pick the strawberries!
After traipsing up and down just about every row, the kids were too exhausted to walk back to the car alone. So my husband scooped them up and carried them. He quickly learned why the owners recommend wearing old shoes after putting the kids down at the car… his shirt and pants were not only covered in strawberries but caked with muddy dirt as well. The sign of any great adventure!
So if you are interested in picking some strawberries this season I highly suggest that you check out where your local U-Pick strawberry farms are. They’re great fun for kids and adults alike! Next year we’ll definitely be checking out the other strawberry fields around town.
Where to Pick Strawberries in San Diego
Carlsbad Strawberry Co. – Camarosa Strawberries
Located on Hwy 5 at Cannon Road in Carlsbad
Open 7 days a week, 9 am to 5 pm
PO Box 479,
Carlsbad, CA, 92018-0479
760-519-4154
m1h2ouse@yahoo.com.
U-Pick Fields open April 17th through June, perhaps as late as July 4th weekend.
Prices: $8.70 for a 1 quart bucket, $17.00 for a 3 quart tub (think fried chicken tub size), Cash only
Temecula Valley Strawberry Farms –
Click here for current open hours, days, dates, and directions.
Open Friday-Sunday 10am-6pm
5452 5th Street,
Fallbrook, CA 92028
951-212-4899
kfietz3@gmail.com
U-Pick Fields open March 15 pm to August 30.
Price: $4 per pound, Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard accepted
Heritage Farms –
Call for picking hours
21345 San Pasqual Road,
Escondido, CA.
(760) 746-8822
Danielle, great article on the Strawberry Fields in Carlsbad! Seems like you and your boys had alot of fun.
How fun!!! I’m not sure they had any of these berry picking places when I was growing up. I went to school k-8 on San Pasqual Road (Old San Pasqual road?? I can’t remember; it was past the Wild Animal Park). So much has changed since then. If I ever visit during strawberry season, I’ll have to make sure I take my boys berry picking.
Aw, how fun. It looks like the kids had a blast visiting the strawberry fields. We go down by our pond and pick blackberries each year, usually make blackberry cobbler, sometimes blackberry jelly.