Latest news with #localfarm
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
8 U-Pick Farms In The South For A Sweet Summer Outing
For Southerners, fresh fruit is best enjoyed outdoors with grass under our bare feet and sunlight overhead. It's easy enough to grab a container from the air-conditioned grocery store, but there's something far more rewarding about picking it yourself. Whether it's biting into a juicy peach or balancing a slice of watermelon bigger than your plate, the experience can transport you back to childhood. If you're looking to spend a day under open skies, with stained fingertips and the scent of ripening fruit in the air, these eight farms offer just that—plus beautiful views and memories worth savoring. Blue Ridge, Georgia Surrounded by mountain views in beautiful Blue Ridge, Georgia, this four-generation, family-owned orchard has been a local treasure since 1943. Mercier is best known for its 50-plus varieties of apples—but fruit picking stretches nearly year-round. Late spring kicks off with the Blueberry U-pick, inviting guests to gather bright, sun-ripened berries destined for jams, cobblers, or straight-from-the-bucket snacking. By August, guests can pick the coveted apples. Both experiences begin with a scenic tractor ride through the fields, but you haven't seen it all until you've visited the on-site market and bakery, where fried pies, apple fritters, and more are all made with the farm's bounty. 8660 Blue Ridge Dr, Blue Ridge, GA 30513; 706-632-3411 Explore Blue Ridge Tuskegee, Alabama This 46-acre plot is home to four acres of specialty crops and 40 acres of mixed hardwoods and pines, but it's the two-acre blueberry patch—lovingly tended by Josie Gbadamosi—that turns this place into a beloved summer ritual. Each summer, the gates of Shady Grove Road Blueberry Patch swing open, inviting neighbors and travelers to grab a bucket, brave the sun, and gather ripe, plump berries straight from the bush. Make the most of your visit by planning around the farm's biannual Rhythm and Blueberry Festival, a two-day celebration packed with live music, arts, horse rides, food demos, giveaways, and a bustling farmers market. 690 Co Rd 81, Tuskegee, AL 36083; 334-521-6006 Hendersonville, NC It's not every day that you get to pick your own thornless Navaho blackberries, but this family-run orchard in Hendersonville invites you to do just that starting in early July. (Exact ripening dates depend on the weather, so be sure to check the schedule.) Pick blackberries and select varieties of apples, then celebrate your hard work by unwinding at the on-site Taproom, where you can sip on house-made hard ciders, local beers on tap, and regional wines. For the kiddos—or anyone with a sweet tooth—stop by the bakery for fried apple pies, cider donuts, and more seasonal treats. 187 Garren Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792; 828-974-1232 Explore Hendersonville Lucedale and Wiggins, Mississippi Fruit picking gets all the love, but vegetable picking is just as fun. What began with a single newspaper ad—'Pick Your Own Tomatoes, $5 Bucket'—has grown into a beloved summer tradition across southern Mississippi. At Charlie's U-Pik, now run by the children and grandchildren of founder Charlie Eubanks, families can snag watermelons and warm-weather vegetables like tomatoes, peas, peppers, sweet corn, and the list goes on. The farm's two locations in Lucedale and Wiggins offer a no-frills, deeply rewarding kind of harvest. Produce is charged by the five-gallon bucket (bring your own), so it's easy to load up and linger. 257 Charlies Ln, Lucedale, MS 39452; 3787 MS-26, Wiggins, MS 39577; 601-530-0548 Crozet, Virginia As you drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, this farm near downtown Crozet is the perfect roadside stop for fresh fruit mountain views. From blackberries to blueberries to peaches, the property is bountiful in the summertime. Visitors pre-pay by container size, with at least one container required for every two to three people. After your time in the fields, head to the farm market and bakery for creamy soft-serve ice cream. Order a waffle cone outside or enjoy a milkshake inside the 'Clubhouse,' and don't forget to try their homemade hot fudge and fresh cider donuts, both local favorites. Related: 15 Must-Visit Vineyards In Virginia For Wine Enthusiasts Long Creek, South Carolina Set on 200 acres in the Blue Ridge foothills, Chattooga Belle Farm doubles as a lively event space, known for everything from sunset dinners and outdoor weddings to whiskey tastings at its on-site distillery. There's plenty of room to roam, with wide-open views and U-pick fields that shift with the season—blueberries ripen in June and July, followed by early apples in August. As summer winds down, you'll find more unexpected treasures, like crisp Asian pears and sweet Brown Turkey figs. 454 Damascus Church Rd, Long Creek, SC 29658; 864-647-9768 Enigma, Georgia Summer's at its sweetest when the blackberry brambles are full and the muscadine grapes are just starting to blush at this family-run U-pick farm. Blackberries are typically ready from May through mid-July, with muscadines following from July into September. Pick by the quart or the gallon (containers are provided) and when you're done, cool off with a scoop of homemade ice cream or a brightly colored slushie, both made with the farm's Georgia-grown produce. 3131 Vickers Church Rd, Enigma, GA 31749; 229-533-4314 York, South Carolina This family-owned farm in the heart of South Carolina's Piedmont has been growing peaches for more than a century. July is prime time for picking the Southern stone fruit, but early June offers the last of the season's bright-red strawberries. After your harvest, stick around for lunch at the farm café, where meals are made with fresh produce and grass-fed beef. For dessert, there's house-made ice cream, and the farm store is stocked with honey, jams, jellies, and pantry favorites sourced from across the region. 1800 Black Hwy, York, SC 29745; 803-684-2333 Read the original article on Southern Living
Washington Post
28-05-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
These carrot lettuce wraps are bursting with texture, color and crunch
One of my signs that spring is officially here is the day my go-to farmer returns to the farmers market. It always feels good to welcome him back after a long winter and pick up fresh, locally grown produce. The joy of it is more about the promise of what's to come: In the summer, his farmstand overflows so much that I have to restrain myself from overbuying. Get the recipe: Roasted Carrot Lettuce Wraps With Avocado Mid-spring, however, things are a bit sparse at the farm, with mostly herbs and lettuces available. I buy what I can, and get the rest at the supermarket, grateful for access to foods that don't grow quite so near me. (Hello, lemons and avocados!) This recipe centers on one of those lovely lettuces — Bibb, which can also be found in the supermarket — where the tender leaves become wraps for layers of flavorful, colorful fillings. I like to serve it DIY taco-bar-style, arranging individual components in separate bowls so everyone can build their own. Start by spreading Greek yogurt over a lettuce leaf for a creamy base. Top that with some of the carrots, which have been roasted with warm spices — cumin, coriander and ginger — until tender and fragrant. Then layer buttery slices of avocado, a generous sprinkle of toasted sunflower seeds and some of the carrot greens (which have a beautiful carrot-y aroma); finish with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of hot sauce; and take a bite. Once you're done eating a wrap, make another (and another, and another) for a satisfying vegetarian meal that's creamy, crunchy, savory, fresh and just right for the season. Get the recipe: Roasted Carrot Lettuce Wraps With Avocado
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local farm opens in time for strawberry season
POLAND, Ohio (WKBN) — A local farm is open just in time for strawberry season. Molnar Farms opened its farmer market on Saturday in Poland. They shared the news on Facebook on Friday. You can buy pre-picked strawberries in the market. Customers can also buy plants, vegetables and other groceries. The farm will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Sundays. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBC
16-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Cows running loose on Highway 400 in King Township, causing traffic chaos: OPP
Several cows are running loose on Highway 400 in northern King Township on Friday, causing significant traffic delays, Ontario Provincial Police said. Around six cows are "running up and down" the highway between Aurora Road and Highway 9, OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said in a video posted on X on Friday. Police are working with the owners to get the cows back into trailers, but he said the cows are "not too cooperative at this time." Schmidt told CBC Toronto the cows came from a local farm in Aurora and appear to have been spooked during a thunderstorm. They have been running along the highway for around five hours, he said. The owners have successfully caught one cow, but there are still five in the fields next to the highway. Officers are trying to contain them in the fields, he said. Animal welfare teams are also on scene, Schmidt said. Schmidt said traffic in the area is a "disaster."
