Harvest Time

Friday, May 25, 2007

Winter and spring got a little confused this year with budding trees in December and snowy tulips in April. But such meteorological shifts don't intimidate regional farmers who depend on such seemingly delicate crops as strawberries for their livelihood. Colleen Hairston, farm manager at Belvedere Plantation in Spotsylvania County, Va., says the farm has berries ripe for picking due to "tireless days of crop protection."

When cold weather threatens the strawberry plants, "we turn on the water system and deliberately freeze the flowers," she says. Running water contains energy; when water freezes, the energy is released as heat and provides just enough warmth to keep the blossoms safe. Now "our crops are wonderful," Hairston says. "We'll probably have fruit through the first week of June." The unseasonable April, meanwhile, benefited strawberry crops at Baugher's Orchard in Carroll County, Md., according to manager Cheryl Vural. "For the past couple of years they've ripened in mid-May, but now we're back on track," she says, with an anticipated harvest starting in late May. But "if we get a stretch of 80-degree days, they'll kick into high gear," she warns, evidence of nature's ongoing whimsy.

This year, Weekend has compiled a list of pick-your-own fruit and vegetables with approximate harvest times in counties surrounding the metro area, stretching from mountainous Harpers Ferry to Piedmont Virginia's Caroline County. Because of the farms' geographic diversity, peak seasons for a specific crop may differ from place to place. The overlapping strawberry harvests at Belvedere Plantation and Baugher's Orchard, however, reflect a general rule of thumb: Crops south and east of Washington tend to ripen earlier than those north and west. So if you've missed strawberry season at one farm, look for another farther north. Variables such as crop rotation, weather and ravenous bands of berry-picking Girl Scouts can also affect availability. Before venturing to any pick-your-own farm, call to check what's ripe to avoid hauling home a bushel of beets when you were hoping for blackberries.

Many farms sell small plastic baskets for your produce, but ask in case you need to bring your own. For urban- and suburbanites new to the fields, remember to start out early in the morning to avoid the high heat, slather on plenty of sunscreen and wear a baseball cap. Leave Rover at home, but take along plenty of bottled water -- you'll need it.

Use our pick-your-own calendar to map out family adventures. Pick small, piquant black raspberries and their sweeter cousins, red raspberries, early in the summer, then return for a second harvest of red raspberries in the fall. Plum season is all too short, with just a few weeks in late June. Meanwhile, apple picking lingers for months as different varieties ripen, such as the mellow Gala in late August and the tart Granny Smith in October. We've also included a number of popular vegetables such as peas, tomatoes and sweet corn. Children who have spent a fun morning at a farm picking green beans might work up enough enthusiasm to actually eat them -- a triumph in any household.

-- Hetty Lipscomb

Maryland

Anne Arundel County

MOUNT AIRY U-PICK Strawberries. 832 Mount Airy Rd., Davidsonville. 410-798-1862 or 410-798-0838.

Baltimore County

C & E FARMS Blackberries, melons, pears, vegetables. 11415 Old Pond Dr., Glenn Dale. 301-352-2958.

HUBER'S FARM Strawberries, blackberries. 11898 Old Philadelphia Rd., Bradshaw. 410-679-1941 or 410-679-1948. http://www.hubersfarm.com/.

WEBER'S CIDER MILL FARM Apples. 2526 Proctor Lane, Parkville. 410-668-4488. http://www.webersfarm.com/.

Calvert County

SEIDEL FARM Thornless blackberries, grapes. 2790 Plum Point Rd. (Route 263), Huntingtown. 410-535-2128.

Carroll County

BAUGHER'S ORCHARD Strawberries, sweet and sour cherries, peas, peaches, apples. 1236 Baugher Rd., about three miles west of Westminster on Route 140. 410-857-0111 or 410-848-5541. http://www.baughers.com/.

Charles County

SHLAGEL FARMS Strawberries. 12850 Shlagel Rd., Waldorf. 301-645-4554. http://www.shlagelfarms.com/.

Frederick County

CATOCTIN MOUNTAIN ORCHARD Blueberries, sweet cherries, black raspberries. 15036 N. Franklinville Rd., on U.S. 15 a half-mile north of Thurmont. 301-271-2737. http://www.catoctinmountainorchard.com/.

MAYNES FARM Strawberries. 3420 Buckeystown Pike, Buckeystown. 301-662-4320.

PRYOR'S ORCHARD Blueberries, sweet and sour cherries. 13841-B Pryor Rd., Thurmont. 301-271-2693.

Harford County

LOHR'S ORCHARD Strawberries, sour cherries, peaches, apples, vegetables. 3212 Snake Lane, Churchville. 410-836-2783. http://www.lohrsorchard.com/.

Howard County

LARRILAND FARM Strawberries; blackberries; black, red and purple raspberries; peaches; sour cherries; blueberries; apples; vegetables. 2415 Woodbine Rd. (Route 94), three miles south of Interstate 70 Exit 73, near Lisbon. 301-854-6110 or 410-442-2605. http://www.pickyourown.com/.

Montgomery County

BUTLER'S ORCHARD Strawberries, blueberries, peas, sour cherries, blackberries, red raspberries, apples. 22200 Davis Mill Rd., Germantown. 301-972-3299. http://www.butlersorchard.com/.

FARM AT HOME Blueberries. 15350 Partnership Rd., Poolesville. 240-372-0674.

HOMESTEAD FARM Strawberries, sour cherries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, apples, vegetables. 15600 Sugarland Rd., Poolesville. 301-977-3761. http://www.homestead-farm.net/.

ROCK HILL ORCHARD Strawberries, sour cherries, blackberries, red raspberries, apples, green beans. 28600 Ridge Rd., Mount Airy. 301-831-7427.

Prince George's County

JOHNSON'S BERRY FARM Blueberries, blackberries. 17000 Swanson Rd., Upper Marlboro. 301-627-8316.

MILLER FARM Strawberries. 10140 Piscataway Rd., Clinton. 301-297-9370.

Virginia

Caroline County

MOUNT OLYMPUS FARM Blackberries. On Route 1, one mile north of Interstate 95 Exit 104, in Carmel Church. 804-448-0395. http://www.mtolympusfarm.com/.

Fairfax County

POTOMAC VEGETABLE FARMS Blackberries. 9627 Leesburg Pike, Vienna. 703-759-2119. http://www.potomacvegetablefarms.com/.

Fauquier County

HARTLAND ORCHARD Sweet and sour cherries, blueberries, peaches, apples. Near Markham: From Interstate 66 Exit 18, north on Leeds Manor Road (Route 688), west on Belle Meade Lane (Route 284), follow signs to Hartland Lane. 540-364-2316. http://www.hartlandorchard.com/.

HOLLIN FARMS Strawberries, peaches, sweet corn, blackberries, raspberries. In Delaplane: From Interstate 66 Exit 23, Route 17 north for seven miles to Route 688 (Leeds Manor Road), left one mile to Snowden Road, right to 11324 Pearlstone Lane. 540-592-3701. http://hollinfarms.com/.

STRIBLING ORCHARD Peaches, apples. 11587 Poverty Hollow Lane, Markham. 540-364-3040. http://www.striblingorchard.com/.

VIRGINIA PERFECTION FARM Peaches, blackberries, vegetables. 1562 Leeds Manor Rd., Delaplane. 540-592-3730.

WILLOW OAKS BERRY FARM Blackberries, blueberries. 2521 Midland Rd., Midland. 540-788-1086.

Loudoun County

BROSSMAN'S ORCHARD Peaches, nectarines. 43975 Spinks Ferry Rd., near Lucketts. 703-777-1127.

CROOKED RUN ORCHARD Sweet and sour cherries, blackberries, peaches, apples, pears. 37883 E. Main St., Purcellville. 540-338-6642.

GREAT COUNTRY FARMS Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, vegetables. 18780 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont. 540-554-2073. http://www.greatcountryfarms.com/.

PATOWMACK FARM Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries. 42461 Lovettsville Rd., Lovettsville. 540-822-9017.

TARARA WINERY Blackberries, apples. 13648 Tarara Lane, Leesburg. 703-771-7100. http://www.tarara.com/.

Rappahannock County

HIGH PLACES ORCHARDS Apples. 121 Winesap Lane, Flint Hill. 540-635-5537.

MUSKRAT HAVEN Strawberries, blueberries, thornless blackberries, black and red raspberries. On Route 211, 15 miles west of Warrenton. 540-937-5191 or 540-937-5892.

Shenandoah County

ADAM'S APPLES Strawberries. From Interstate 81 at Woodstock exit, west on Route 42 to Hisey Avenue, right to Walton Farm Road, left a half-mile to farm. 540-459-2010.

BLUE RIDGE BERRY FARM Blueberries. From Interstate 81 at Toms Brook exit, east on Route 651 to Route 11, south to Toms Brook, west at Brook Creek Road (Route 653), left at Harrisville Road (Route 655), 1.8 miles to farm on left. 540-436-9194.

SWOVER CREEK FARMS Raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, vegetables. From Interstate 81 at Woodstock exit, west nine miles on Route 42 to Swover Creek Road, left a half-mile to farm on right. 540-984-8973.

Spotsylvania County

BELVEDERE PLANTATION Strawberries. On Route 17, seven miles southeast of Fredericksburg. 800-641-1212 or 540-371-8494. http://www.belvedereplantation.com/.

Westmoreland County

WESTMORELAND BERRY FARM Strawberries, cherries, tayberries, blackberries, blueberries, black and red raspberries, peaches, apples. In Oak Grove: From Fredericksburg, east on Route 3, seven miles past U.S. 301 to Claymont Road (Route 634), turn right and follow signs. 800-997-2377 or 804-224-9171. http://www.westmorelandberryfarm.com/.

West Virginia

Jefferson County

RIDGEFIELD FARM & ORCHARD Apples. Near Harpers Ferry on Kidwiler Road off Route 230. 304-876-3647. http://www.ridgefieldfarm.com/. ·