Destination: Strawberry picking at Porter Farms & Nursery
Berry plants across the region are swelling with the sweet fruit, ripened under the warm sun.
Posted — UpdatedThis week marks what's likely to be the peak of strawberry season.
Berry plants across the region are swelling with the sweet fruit, ripened under the warm sun. And farmers would love to see those fields teaming with pickers, taking home those juicy berries before the next batch grow big and red.
"It's a really good lesson for parents to take the time to teach their kids that food comes from the farm," Crissy Porter tells me. Crissy loves seeing the fields filled with little ones and their adults, finding the perfect berries to take home.
The Porters have pick-your-own fields and farm stands at 3525 N.C. Highway 42 in Willow Spring and 7615 Ten-Ten Rd. in Raleigh. I stopped by the Willow Spring location on Monday where moms, kids and others scattered across the fields to pick strawberries.
The Willow Spring location feature a large farm stand, which will be bursting with fresh produce pretty soon. There's also a homemade ice cream shop where Charity Morris, another local mom, makes about 600 gallons of ice cream a week. The shop features about 18 flavors, including strawberry, made with Porter's own fruit, and chocolate thunder, which includes homemade brownie pieces, caramel and pecans (and are both absolutely amazing).
During strawberry season, you also can pick up your own strawberry shortcake for $5. It includes homemade pound cake, homemade vanilla ice cream and strawberries picked from the fields steps away.
You'll find some picnic tables next to the shop so you can bring a picnic lunch or dinner. There's also a small playground with swings, a large sand box and a wooden train that kids can play in.
Of course, the main focus are the strawberry fields, which feature the Camarosa, Chandler and Sweet Charlie varieties. It's been a good year for the Porters and most other strawberry farmers. The season came early - Crissy tells me her kids were eating out of the fields in March.
"The crop is beautiful," she said. "It's probably the best crop we've ever had. People need to get out and experience this at its best. The time is now."
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