Berries!
Almost time for strawberry and blueberry seasons
By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]
‘Tis the season where farms invite ordinary people to come onto their land to take part in the berry harvests.
Although last summer may have been a slight disappointment for berry aficionados, this year’s harvest is appearing to be much better.
Samantha Fay, Farm Stand Manager at Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com),is positive about this year’s crop of berries.
“Everything seems to be going really well this year. Last year was pretty devastating due to the late frost that we had … strawberries last year with the rain was really bad,” Fay said.
It was the worst of yields but now it’s the best of yields in this tale of two berry seasons.
“This year, everything looks good. We haven’t had a frost and we haven’t had the really really cold temperatures, so all the crops thus far look really good,” Fay said.
Future pickers should keep an eye on the weather.
“As long as we don’t get too much rain, the strawberries should look great,” Fay said. “Right now, fingers crossed, everything looks great.”
Not all berries grow the same way, though, and depending on foraging style, certain berries may be more fun to pick than others.
“Your strawberries are really low to the ground, so you’re more down on your knees harvesting them, where[as] raspberries, they’re a higher bush, so people can walk through those and pick at their height, which is nice,” Fay said. Since Sunnycrest only has a few rows of blackberries, visitors will only be able to pick these up at the farmstand when they do ripen.
The schedule typically flows from strawberries to blueberries and cherries to raspberries, then peaches and finally apples. A family could pick berries all summer long at the many farms and farm stands in the state.
“I think that it’s a really nice family activity for people to do and it’s really important for people to be able to have access to fresh fruit,” Fay said. “It’s nice to be able to harvest your own fruit and bring that home, because you have the satisfaction of seeing where it grows and being able to take it home and have it yourself.” But how much of the tasty reward can one bring home? A few ounces? A couple pounds?
“Maybe like 80 pounds at once just for a regular customer that comes in because we have some people come in that like to jam, so they’ll buy a good amount for jamming,” Fay said. “I’d say like 80 to 100 pounds for some people. But it’s not like an everyday thing…. That’s their one pick for the season when they make their batch of jam.” Ten to 20 pounds is a more typical amount for people to acquire in a single visit.
The delicate dance of berry harvesting is not for the faint of heart, but it is worth the effort. “They’re definitely a difficult crop to grow. They take a lot of care and the weather definitely plays a huge factor because they don’t like too much rain. It’s very rewarding when you get a great crop but it does take a lot to grow them. And we enjoy it,” Fay said.
Where to pick your own berries
Here’s a list of local farms that plan to offer fresh berries for pick-your-own throughout this upcoming season — we’ve included those that will have everything from strawberries and blueberries available for picking to raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and even peaches at some locations. Do you know of any in our area that we may have missed? Tell us about it at [email protected].
Apple Hill Farm
580 Mountain Road, Concord, 224-8862, applehillfarmnh.com
What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black currants, apples
When: Projected opening date is around mid to late June, starting with pick-your-own strawberries, then blueberries from early July to early September, raspberries from mid-July to early August, black currants from late July to early August, and apples from late August to mid October, according to their website.
Applecrest Farm Orchards
133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest.com
What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, nectarines, pears
When: The farm stand is open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; projected opening date TBA for pick-your-own strawberries will be around mid-June; followed by blueberries in early July and raspberries in mid-August; peaches, nectarines and pears early August through mid September, according to their website.
Bartlett’s Blueberry Farm
648 Bradford Road, Newport, 208-270-0466, bartlettsblueberryfarm.com
What: blueberries
When: Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the picking season is from mid-July to August; the self-service farm stand is open now from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. daily, or by appointment, offering items like blueberry jam, local maple syrup and honey, according to their website.
Bascom Road Blueberry Farm
371 Bascom Road, Newport, 359-7703, bascomroadblueberryfarm.com
What: strawberries and blueberries
Expected hours: The farm store is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The farm is offering pick-your-own strawberries for limited days in June to early July. Pick-your-own blueberries are expected to happen from July through September, according to their website. 2023 pricing, according to their website, was $12 for a small bucket, around 3 pounds, or $22 for a large bucket, which was around 6 pounds.
Beaver Pond Farm
1047 John Stark Hwy., Newport, 543-1107, beaverpondfarm.com
What: blueberries and raspberries
When: Daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., weather permitting, call on the day for conditions. Their season usually begins between July 1 and July 10 and typically runs through July and into early August, according to their website. They charge by the pint, not the pound, and offer free containers as well as water to pickers, according to the website.
Berry Good Farm
234 Parker Road, Goffstown, berrygoodfarmnh.com
What: blueberries
When: Anticipated to be open Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. as well as Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Their pick-your-own blueberries will likely start around mid-July, according to their website.
Berrybogg Farm
650 Province Road, Strafford, 664-2100, berryboggfarm.com
What: Blueberries
When: Pick-your-own blueberries will likely start sometime shortly after the Fourth of July, according to last year’s dates. Last year’s prices were $3.50 per pound (seniors 65 and older and military $3.40 per pound), and if participants pick 10 or more pounds the price will be $3.25 per pound, according to their website.
Brookdale Fruit Farm
41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com
What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black raspberries and blackberries
When: Pick-your-own strawberries are expected to be available around mid to late June, followed by blueberries and raspberries by early July and blackberries and black raspberries into August, according to their website.
Carter Hill Orchard
73 Carter Hill Road, Concord, 225-2625, carterhillapples.com
What: blueberries
When: Pick-your-own blueberries will likely start sometime in July, according to their website.
Devriendt Farm Products
178 S. Mast St., Goffstown, 497-2793, devriendtfarm.com
What: strawberries
When: Pick-your-own strawberries expected around the second or third week of June and they will have Pick Your Own boxes at a cost of $1 for you to pick into if you do not bring your own container, according to their website.
Elwood Orchards
54 Elwood Road, Londonderry, 434-6017, elwoodorchards.com
What: cherries
When: TBA; pick-your-own cherries are expected to be available around early July.
Gould Hill Farm
656 Gould Hill Farm, Contoocook, 746-3811, gouldhillfarm.com
What: Blueberries, peaches
When: Farm stand is closed until mid-July. Pick-your-own blueberries will likely start around mid-July and will run into early August; peaches typically start in early August and run to early September, with peaches available in the store from late July to early September, according to their website.
Grandpa’s Farm
143 Clough Hill Road, Loudon, 783-5690, grandpasfarmnh.com
What: blueberries
When: Daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. They offer blueberries from the middle of July to the middle of August and their new Lower Field has three varieties, Duke, Spartan and Bluecrop, which will ripen in that order, according to their website.
Grounding Stone Farm
289 Maple St., Contoocook, 746-1064, groundingstonefarm.com
What: blueberries, Certified Organic by the NH Dept. of Agriculture, Markets & Food, according to their website
When: Open July 6 through the third week of August.
Hackleboro Orchards
61 Orchard Road, Canterbury, 783-4248, hackleboroorchard.com
What: blueberries
When: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; pick-your-own blueberries are expected between mid-June and late August, and will be $3.29 per pound, according to their website.
Kimball Fruit Farm
Route 122, on the Hollis and Pepperell, Mass., border, 978-433-9751, kimball.farm
What: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries
When: Pick-your-own strawberries are projected for the middle of June, blueberries from July to early August (best picking usually mid-July), raspberries from July to early October, and blackberries from August to early October. The farm stand is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to their website.
Lavoie’s Farm
172 Nartoff Road, Hollis, 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.wordpress.com
What: strawberries and blueberries
When: Their hours vary by season but they are normally open June 1 until Oct. 31, according to their website.
McKenzie’s Farm
71 Northeast Pond Road, Milton, 652-9400, mckenziesfarm.com
What: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and peaches
When: Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; strawberries are expected to be ready by the middle of June, followed by raspberries around July 4 and blueberries also in early July, with peaches available in August, according to their website.
Norland Berries
164 N. Barnstead Road, Center Barnstead, 776-2021, norlandberries.com
What: blueberries
When: Berries will likely be available by early to mid-July, according to last year’s dates.
Saltbox Farm
321 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 436-7978, saltboxfarmnh.com
What: blueberries
When: The farm stand is open only during seasonal hours during their berry picking season and typically runs from early July to early September, according to their Facebook page.
Smith Farm Stand
15 Smith Farm Road, Gilford, 524-7673, smithfarmstand.com
What: raspberries and blueberries
When: The farm features three raspberry beds and one blueberry field, according to their website. Raspberries are expected to be ready for picking around the second week of July, followed by blueberries in mid-July. If their supply allows, one night each year they stay open late for twilight picking with special discounts, according to the same website.
Spring Ledge Farm
37 Main St., New London, 526-6253, springledgefarm.com
What: strawberries
When: Pick-your-own strawberries expected in June, and their picking field address is 985 Pleasant St. in New London, according to their website.
Sunnycrest Farm
59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com
What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries and peaches
When: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily for pick-your-own strawberries beginning in June, with cherries starting around June 15, followed by blueberries and raspberries around the start of July and peaches in August if supplies allow, according to their website.
Trombly Gardens
150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net
What: strawberries and blueberries
When: Pick-your-own strawberries are expected later in June, followed by blueberries in early July.
When are they ready?
Sources: agriculture.nh.gov and extension.unh.edu
• Strawberries: early to mid-June
• Blueberries: early to mid-July
• Raspberries: early to mid-July
• Cherries: early to mid-July
• Blackberries: mid to late July or early August
Lavender fields forever
2024’s hot flavor gets its own harvest season
By John Fladd
[email protected]
Get acquainted with lavender by starting at the source — a field where it’s grown.
“We have generations that come here together, and it’s really a lovely sight,” said Missy Biagiottie, owner of Lavender Fields (393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner, 456-2443, pumpkinblossomfarm.com), a farm where families can pick their own lavender. “You see mothers, grandmothers and granddaughters all picking together. It’s a really nice experience.”
If you’re imagining groups of women in sundresses and straw hats, Biagiottie said, that’s pretty much what she sees. “Our target market is women. I’d say 95 percent of the people who visit us are women. It’s a nice, family, low-key event. It’s meant to be serene.”
Lavender is a perennial plant — meaning that it continues to grow, season after season — but requires year-round maintenance to be at its peak for a two- to three-week harvesting season in mid-July. This year, Biagiotti estimated her farms will be open for “U-Pick” customers between July 5 and July 21. When the farm’s staff harvests lavender, they use old-fashioned sickles, bundle the stalks, and hang them to dry in the farm’s barn to dry until it is needed.
“Of course, we give our U-Pickers nice little garden snips,” she said, “and give them instruction on how to cut the lavender so it might generate another bloom later in the season.”
She said most customers are not looking to take a lot of lavender home with them.
“They’re usually looking for a perfect stem,” Biagiotti said. They take it home and make lavender lemonade or lavender cookies. They might use it decoratively or for craft purposes. Most people will take it home for a memory and hang it up to dry like another herb. The scent lasts for a very long time, she said.
Biagiotti and her team harvest the rest of the lavender to distill into lavender hydrosol — a lavender-infused water — and lavender oil, both of which they use as a base for lavender products that they sell at the farm and online. They sell bath and body products but also lavender food products and cooking ingredients, such as lavender simple syrup, lavender honey, lavender-infused vinegar and oil, white hot chocolate with lavender, a blueberry lavender drink mixer and culinary lavender buds.
Inspired to cook with your lavender? According to pastry chef Emilee Viaud, owner of Sweet Treats by Emilee and pastry chef for Greenleaf Restaurant in Milford, lavender is not an ingredient you can throw into a recipe on a whim; it needs a bit of planning.
“With lavender, it’s not really enjoyable to eat in itself,” she said. “In pastry, infusing it into pastry cream is what I like to do, because the floral soapiness complements the creaminess of the pastry cream really well. They kind of balance each other out.”
Viaud said lavender often works best as a supporting flavor.
“Lemon and lavender work well together. The spices I like to add to that is cardamom or fennel. With fennel seed, you can grind it up and infuse it into the pastry cream, and when you strain it, you’ll remove all those extra components you don’t really want to eat,” Viaud said.
“My husband [chef Chris Viaud] uses it in one of his cocktails,” she said. “He infuses it into a simple syrup and uses it that way.”
He is not the only one to do that. For the past several years, as bartenders have experimented with more and more nontraditional flavors for cocktails, lavender has become a go-to flavor to play off more orthodox ingredients.
“We do a couple of lavender drinks,” said Niko Kfoury, bartender at Firefly Restaurant in Manchester. “Under the Favorites section of our cocktail menu, we’ve got a lavender-blueberry lemonade. We’ve got a lavender gin gimlet as well. The Favorites never change; those are always on the menu. I think it [lavender] has a floral quality. It’s just a really calming, soothing flavor that’s really complementary with a lot of different ingredients. It adds a calmness to a flavor profile.”
Lavender!
Lavender to pick
Lavender Fields at Pumpkin Blossom Farm
393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner
456-2443, pumpkinblossomfarm.com
Tentative dates for picking lavender are Friday, July 5, through Sunday, July 21, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Lavender to taste
Sweet Treats by Emilee
facebook.com/EmileesSweetTreats
Greenleaf
54 Nashua St., Milford
213-5447, greenleafmilford.com
Open Tuesday through Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m.
Firefly Bistro and Bar
22 Concord St., Manchester
935-9740, fireflynh.com
Open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m; Saturday and Sunday brunch 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday dinner 4 to 9 p.m.; Sunday dinner 4 to 8 p.m.
Market season
Farmers markets build customer loyalty
By John Fladd
[email protected]
Selling at a farmers market, meeting your customers one-on-one, letting them try your product and answering their questions is a way for farmers, craftspeople and other makers to build customer loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing.
Becca and Mindy Dean, for instance, have a passion for goat milk, and their farm, Galomime Farm Too in Mont Vernon, sells its goat products at the Bedford Farmers Market on Tuesday afternoons.
Co-owner Becca Dean said that working at a farmers market gives them the opportunity to introduce goat milk products to customers who wouldn’t normally look for them.
“We have a unique product and it may not be for everyone, but everyone who has tried our product seems to love it!” Dean said. She has noticed that the sorts of customers who shop at farmers markets seem to be open to new experiences.
“One [customer] stated that he and his family plan dinners for the week based on what they get at the market,” she said
Although some New Hampshire farmers markets open in May, most wait to open until June, when the weather is more reliable and some fresh produce is ready to pick and sell. John Blake of DJ Honey, who also sells at the Bedford market, said business will pick up significantly with the end of the school year.
“The beginning of the season seems to be normal,” he said. “We did start a few weeks earlier than usual [this year]. When school gets out the market will be in full swing. I see the rest of the season being a good one.”
If you shop at a farmers market, you will notice that many vendors there sell a variety of goods other than fruits and vegetables.
Donna Silva of Lone Willow Farms in Mont Vernon sells her farm’s products in Milford and Bedford but limits her food sales to Milford.
“This is my first year at the Bedford Farmers Market,” she said. “I don’t sell food products there because they have enough farm-to-table vendors. … This will be my fourth year at the Milford Farmers Market, where I do sell my awesome veggies, produce, herbs and edible flowers. At both markets I sell flowers and gifts [or] art I make from my flowers.”
According to Joshua Marshall, the Director of the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture’s Division of Agricultural Development, numbers and statistics for New Hampshire’s farmers markets can be elusive.
“New Hampshire has a pretty vibrant farmers market industry and the interesting thing is we don’t have any sort of centralized registration that they [farmers markets] are required to do, so it’s hard to get a big picture of how many are out there,” he said. The Agriculture Department keeps a voluntary publication on its website where farmers markets can publish their events, but submitting information to it isn’t mandatory.
“Between the summer and winter markets, we have just over 40,” Marshall said. “That is a little bit down over previous years, which has been closer to 50, but I know that there are a lot more out there.”
Marketeers
Galomime Farm Too
60 Old Amherst Road, Mont Vernon
facebook.com/GalomimeFarmToo
Sells at Bedford Farmers Market
DJ’s Pure Honey
facebook.com/djspurehoney
Sells at Bedford Farmers Market and Nashua Farmers Market
Lone Willow Farms
70 Tater St., Mont Vernon
731-0611, lonewillowfarms.com
Sells at Bedford Farmers Market and Milford Farmers Outdoor Market
