FAQ

What hours are best for picking?

The hours set for picking allow for ‘ripening time’ between picks & offer coolest part of day to pick/some shade picking. You can usually get an abundance of berries anytime you come; however, best times to pick are always the early part of ANY picking shift. We ALWAYS update farm phone outgoing message (540-552-4195) with what’s picking & how fast. We try to be upfront on FB also.

What do I wear/bring?

SEASON 2021: BYO water, sunscreen & bug screen, same as last season. THANKS!

Close toed shoes recommended! This is an active, working farm. Protect your toes and legs. It’s hot and sunny too, so bring what makes your family comfortable in outdoor conditions (water, sunscreen, hats)-strollers welcome. NOTE: If you are allergic to bees, please bring your own Epi-Pen; we are not allowed to keep them on site.

What payment do you accept?

At checkout: CASH faster & preferred, Good CHECK accepted AND VENMO offered (for contactless pmt).

What containers do I take my berries home in?

SEASON 2021: Continue to HELP US make check out as CONTACTLESS as possible by buying the $1 vented bucket you pick in because…

1) we can measure it faster & without touching your berries

2) you can re-use it to pick 3 crops-Blueberries & Blackberries-directly in them and rest your Rasp pints/quarts in them also

3) there is less waste than with the green pulp containers. 

NO picking in ice cream gal buckets, sand buckets, etc., please

YES, bring your 1 gallon white (or yellow, red, green) vented bucket you bought from us or other fruit growers in year’s past     OR

YES, bring your box and favorite Tupperware OR clean gallon bags to TAKE HOME your berries and we will have a sanitized table near check out for that.

***WE HAVE AN EPA APPROVED bucket sanitizing solution from ARBICO Organics for our picking buckets you use to pick in***

Can I bring my dog?
For Health and Safety reasons, dogs are not permitted on farm.

What if I want to bring a LARGE group or SCHOOL group?
SEASON 2021-while we are happy COVID threats have lessened, please notify us via email if you plan to bring a group larger then 10 people so we can think of a larger area for you to pick in, away from smaller groups or families.

We love welcoming groups & being prepared for you!! Please  1) EMAIL us in advance to coordinate best time for picking & parking vans/buses & to check adults/children ratio (3birdsberryfarm@gmail.com)  2) each person pick/pay for 1 pint minimum & pay together when possible; and 3) pick where we suggest, as often we have the perfect spot for a large group to pick together or off to themselves. **Talks about berries, beneficial plants & insects, farming small fruit, nutrition & gardening, as well as farm tours, are happily done when organized ahead via email & when enough staff available.

What crops do you have?
*Blueberries, pick mid June-AUG 30, 4+ acres, 4 different fields,
*Blackberries, 1 acre, pick mostly July,         
*Raspberries,  1 acre, pick Late July- AUG 30

Come early in the picking shift  for best picking! ALL CROPS ARE PESTICIDE FREE & we use ORGANIC FERTILIZERS from 7 Springs Farm in Floyd, VA

What do I do with my berries once picked?
We have created ‘Berry Care Guides’ along with VT Dietetics students for each berry we grow!! Tips for storing & freezing, easy recipes, and nutrition data are in each guide. Check them out. *We also put a ‘recipe-a-week’ on FB.

How can we find more seasonal U-Pick farms?
Pickyourown.org has been & still is the best clearinghouse for ALL U-Picks, nationwide, and with recipes & jam making instructions alongside it’s U-Pick Directory, you can get everything you need!

What is your farm’s mission?
We believe in locally grown food, teaching the joys of picking, and building community while caring for berries. It’s quiet out here; just the birds singing and the plants. Join us, all summer long! PICK WITH US AND HELP KEEP THIS BERRY FARM THRIVING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS! See you in the fields!