GOING TO STRAWBERRY FIELDS...
THERE’S nothing better than a piece of fresh fruit and there’s nothing fresher than a piece of fruit you’ve picked yourself. Pick Your Own (PYO) is a popular past-time for many families, with strawberries one of the most popular soft fruits.
And, if the warmer weather and the thought of next month’s Wimbledon tennis fortnight has got you hankering for some strawberries and cream, there’s an abundance of farms up and down the country where you can get stuck in and stock up on juicy goodies.
It’s a great day out for the whole family and the reward for all that hard work is very sweet. 1. HENDREWENNOL Where? Heol Y March, Near Bonvilston, Cardiff, CF5 6TS. Tel: 01446 781670. What: With more than 30 years’ experience in fruit farming, this Vale of Glamorgan farm knows what it’s doing.
And once you’ve had your fill of picking fruit you can get stuck in to the other fruit and veg and stock up on the home-made jams, honey and other goodies on offer. You can also pick gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and tayberries. 2. HOOTON’S HOMEGROWN Where: Gwydryn Hîr, Brynsiencyn, Anglesey, LL61 6HQ. Tel: 01248 430644. What: Strawberries at the Anglesey farm near Menai Bridge are just one of the many fruits you can pick to take home with you.
The strawberries, which are grown using a table top system, will be available to pick from June to September, 11am to 5pm. PYO blackcurrants, rhubarb, peas and broad beans are also available. 3. LLANVIHANGEL CURCORNEY PYO FRUIT FARM Where: Llanvihangel Crucorney, Hereford Road, Abergavenny, Gwent, NP7 8DH. Tel: 01873 890567 What: You are spoilt for choice here with apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, tayberries, redcurrants and gooseberries.
The on-site farm shop sells own grown and local produce, apple juice and jams made from their own fruit and eggs from their own chickens. 4. BROOKSGROVE FARM Where: Brooksgrove Lane, Haverfordwest, SA61 1XR. Tel: 07854 212945. What: Strawberries are the star of the PYO show at this small, family-run farm in Pembrokeshire but you can also pick seasonal raspberries and gooseberries. The farm is also known for its daffodils and pumpkins. 5. BELLIS BROTHERS PICK YOUR OWN FARM Where: Wrexham Road, Farm Holt near Wrexham Tel: 01829 270302. What: The PYO farm within 10 miles of Wrexham also has a restaurant – aptly called Strawberry Fields – a farm shop, children’s play area and a garden centre.
Among other delights the restaurant sells strawberry tarts, strawberry cream scones, strawberry crumble pie and strawberry beer, so a great place for strawberry lovers!
The fruit and veg on offer to pick include strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, tayberries, loganberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, rhubarb, peas and beans. 6. HAWARDEN ESTATE FARM SHOP Where: Chester Road, Hawarden, Flintshire CH5 3FB. Tel: 01244 533442. What: Between June and October families are invited to come and pick their own, with a choice of raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, and seasonal apples, pears and plums.
It’s a working farm so crop yields can vary. Strawberries are usually available until midjuly. Later in the season, you will find English apples, pears and plums, both for eating and cooking, and of course the famous Hawarden Estate Pumpkins. 7. ABERBRAN FAWR Where: Aberbran Fawr Caravan and Camping Site, Aberbran, Brecon, LD3 9NG. Tel: 01874 623301. What: A campsite in the Brecon Beacons National Park that also grows PYO soft fruit and is open for business from mid June to August.
As well as strawberries you can stock up on a variety of fruit and veg including broad beans, peas potatoes, raspberries and blackcurrants. Strawberries should be ready mid-June. The on-site farm shop sells potatoes, jam, free-range eggs and other items. 8. THE FRUIT GARDEN AKA WILD FIG FARM Where: Groes Faen Road, Peterston-super-Ely, CF5 6NE. Tel: 01446 760358. What: It’s a small farm with 2.5 acres of covered, table-top strawberries, potted cane raspberries, blueberries, currants, gooseberries, tayberries, tummelberries, blackberries and jostaberries.
They make their own luxury Wild Fig ice-cream there too which is sold in the shop, as well as free-range eggs and honey. 9. BERRY HILL FRUIT FARM Where: Coedkernew, Newport, Monmouthshire, NP10 8UD. Tel: 01633 680938. What: Berry Hill combines the very best in pick your own fruit and vegetables with a well established farm shop and garden centre. You can pick apples, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, mange tout and corn on the cob. 10. TREDILION FRUIT FARM Where: Llantilio Pertholey, Abergavenny, Gwent, NP7 8BG. Tel: 01873 854355. What: You will find strawberries, blackberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, raspberries, pears and apples. They also have broad beans, kidney beans and peas. 11. PENLANLAS FRUIT FARM Where: Penlanlas Rhydyfelin, Aberystwyth, SY23 4QE. Tel: 01970 625319. What: Penlanlas has five acres of soft fruit for you to pick, from red and blackcurrants, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries, tayberries and jostaberries. Good news for bad back sufferers too as the fruit grown in polytunnels is set out on table-tops, making them easy to pick.