VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Strawberry season is officially underway in Hampton Roads, and local growers are encouraging pickers to come down to pick your own — or grab some pre-picked by the basket.
As of Thursday, April 21, growers have said it’s still early in the season (and recent cold weather has affected some crops) but there are plenty of strawberries to be had overall. Most of the area farms have listed their price per pound as $3.29.
Check out the map for the strawberry farm locations HERE.
Here are some of the locations you can check out.
Cullipher Farm (Virginia Beach)
Cullipher Farm at 772 Princess Anne Road in Pungo opened its fields on April 21 so you can pick them yourself. The Upick goes from 9-6 p.m., with the last group of pickers entering the field at 5 p.m., but hours and field closures can vary depending on the weather and other conditions.
Check on this Facebook post daily to see if the Upick is open.
Cullipher Farm’s market and play areas are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday regardless of whether Upick is open.
Henley Farm (Virginia Beach)
The farm at 3484 Charity Neck Road has been family owned for four generations and has all kinds of produce — including strawberries.
They’re open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and you’re asked to bring your own container.
For more information, click here.
Brookdale Farm (Virginia Beach + Chesapeake)
Brookdale Farm has locations in both Chesapeake (2133 Mount Pleasant Road) and Virginia Beach (2060 Vaughan Road)
Both locations are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., but check their Facebook page for changes due to weather, etc. They said on Thursday that their Ruby June variety is near peak production.
Greenbrier Farms (Chesapeake)
The farm at 225 Sign Pine Road offers pick-your-own strawberries, a farmers market, garden center and more.
Their hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. They’re also open 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Check the latest updates and hours on their Facebook page.
Hickory Ridge Farm (Chesapeake)
The farm at 2928 S. Battlefield Blvd. announced this week that they’re in full swing for picking, open Saturdays and Sundays from 9-5 and weekdays from 9-6. They’re also hosting a Strawberry Season Kickoff event on Saturday and Sunday with ice cream and food trucks from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., hay and pony rides and more.
Mount Pleasant Farms (Chesapeake)
The Chesapeake farm 2201 Mount Pleasant Road is open daily and its strawberry patch is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. You can bring your own bucket, but there are also some for purchase. For more information, click here.
Mill Farm (James City County)
Mill Farm at 4900 Fenton Mill Road says it’s opening for strawberry picking as well. They will be open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekends. You can check their Facebook page for the latest updates.
Meanwhile, other strawberry operations such as Flanagan Farm (opening May 1) and Lilley Farms (they’re hoping to announce the week of April 25) have yet to open for the strawberry season.
And of course, the area’s big Pungo Strawberry Festival unfortunately was canceled for the third straight year due to “unforeseen circumstances and the time constraints to resolve the issues.”