Charlotte Berry Farm keeps the weekends going with pumpkins, mead, and creemees
A visit to the Charlotte Berry Farm will only make you feel happy and warm despite the cold. Located on Route 7 across from Higbee Road, it is now open on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4:00 p.m.
The farm has been in existence since the early 1980s, growing blueberries, black raspberries and strawberries as well as seasonal vegetables such as pumpkins.
Russ and Melissa Beatty purchased the farm in 2013. When asked why, their answer was what Charlotters all say: “fabulous place and a chance to farm, to be close to plants and to have happy customers”. They have experienced it all.
On this October visit all types of pumpkins adorned the place, awaiting either carving or baking, or both.
Ahhh, also the creemees. They still have frozen pints and quarts of peach and blueberry. Also, you can purchase bags of frozen blueberries that, this author can attest, make a magnificent pie. Just pile on the frozen blueberry creemee mix.
The first impression is of a vast, very vast sea of blueberry bushes. Russ and Melissa mulch the blueberries, an acid-loving plant, with pine needles for a uniform look in the rows. This facilitates picking by the folks who stop by.
Sadly, the strawberries did not flourish this year because of a soil fungus that inhibited their growth. Time (like in most situations) is the cure, so hopefully the Beattys will reach their goals of 30 to 40 thousand (!) strawberry plants over the next several years. They also plan to add red raspberries to their very popular black raspberries.
The big surprise for this energetic and charming couple soon after they purchased the farm was the road work on Route 7, which constricted traffic flow and thus customers. With this experience now behind them, they plan to expand the “pick your own” from berries to sunflowers and pumpkins. They have also added mead, both blueberry and strawberry, to their offerings. They offer a taste, and it is scrumptious…stop by and give it a try.
We are so fortunate to have places like the Charlotte Berry Farm. Make a visit soon.