Strawberry season in North Carolina is one of the best times of the year. The days are getting longer, the air is getting warmer, and North Carolina strawberries are ripe for the picking and available at grocery stores, farmers markets and roadside stands across the state.
North Carolina is one of the top strawberry producers in the nation. From the mountains to the piedmont to the coast, there is no shortage of strawberry farms where you can fill a pint container, bucket or your stomach with ripe, red strawberries.
On a day trip to Wilmington last weekend, I stopped by Lewis Farms to grab my first batch of the season. It was easy pickings — the berries were ripe and plentiful. Plus, it was a great reminder of where our food actually comes from and the labor required to get these fruits to our tables.
Strawberry picking is an easy and fun activity, making it perfect for the whole family. The process is straightforward: pick your container (a gallon bucket or pint container) and head into the fields. To ensure the rows get picked evenly, there might be staff pointing you to a specific area of the field. The picking part is simple, too: look for the berries that have turned red, cup one in your palm between your pointer and middle fingers, and gently tug it off the plant. If it’s ready to be picked, it should pop right off.
Many strawberry farms that offer pick-your-own experiences also have fresh ice cream, animals and other farm activities. Support local farmers this strawberry season by taking time to stop by and pick up some fresh, North Carolina strawberries! If you can’t make it out, you can still find North Carolina-grown strawberries at the grocery store or farmers markets near you.