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Summer brings to mind picnics, vacations and wonderful weather that is perfect for picking farm-fresh produce. And few field-to-fork items scream summer quite as much as fresh berries. Throw them on a salad or into a pie, or enjoy them straight from the carton. Berries are as versatile as they are tasty.
But berries — strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, boysenberries and more — aren’t just delicious; they’re also nutritious. Many are packed with antioxidants and nutrients that are essential for eye health as you age. Because they come in a wide array of colors, from yellow and red to purple and blue, berries can help you, according to the Mayo Clinic, “eat the rainbow” for good health. Considering that friends are also good for your health and well-being, berry picking could be the perfect activity to get you and your gang together to try something new.
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Walking through beautiful berry farms is not only easy on the eyes; it’s also a great way to work in some exercise, which can help ward off some of the deadliest threats to people 50-plus, such as heart and liver disease. Get in your steps by walking through the fields, and work out some oft-ignored muscles while bending over to pick berries. Want to improve your health even more? Consider parking in the back of the lot to get in additional steps.
With experiences ranging from pickleball and strawberry picking in California to wading through cranberry marshes in Wisconsin, here are some fabulous farms to visit to find berries this year.
Blackberries and blueberries are available for picking at Chattooga Belle Farm, which boasts mountain views.
Perry Baker/Chattooga Belle Farm
Blackberries and blueberries, Long Creek, South Carolina
Rustic Chattooga Belle Farm is a picturesque working farm with an open-air event barn set against magical mountain vistas. In addition to offering blackberry and blueberry picking in the summer, they grow peaches as well as scuppernong and table grapes, so you can fill your basket and get in your steps throughout the entire harvest season. The farm also has a general store, a bistro restaurant focusing on local food and a distillery offering tastings and tours, so you can make an entire day out of your visit. 454 Damascus Church Rd. $3.75/lb for blueberries.
Farm in the Dell offers job training, employment and a sense of accomplishment to people with disabilities.
Courtesy Farm in the Dell
Strawberries, Moorhead, Minnesota
Pick with purpose at Farm in the Dell, which was founded by parents of teens with disabilities who want to offer job training, employment and a sense of accomplishment to people with disabilities. In addition to strawberries, you can pick fresh flowers and herbs here. The farm also offers berry breakfasts, volunteer opportunities, make-your-own bouquet garden parties and a farm dinner series. 7426 40th St. N. $6/quart.
