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Pricing, Baskets, and Hours of Operation
Guest Policies and Accessibility
Pricing, Baskets and Hours of Operation
Do you charge admission?
Our farm does not charge admission for PYO berries – you simply pay for the weight of what you pick, as well as any baskets you purchase from us.
Can I bring baskets from home?
Yes! You can bring anything – baskets, bowls, food storage containers – we’ve seen it all! We will weigh your items at check-in and use a small piece of masking tape with the weight on it to mark the weight on the item. Our staff can then subtract this weight at check-out so that you only pay for your delicious berries!
Do I have to pay for the weight of my container too?
No – we know the weights of standard containers so that we can subtract them from your subtotal. If you bring containers from home, just ask a staff member to weigh your container before picking so that we can subtract it at checkout!
What is the price difference between PYO and pre-picked?
Typically, picking your own berries works out to just over half of the cost of pre-picked berries. This is because pre-picked berries need to factor in many additional costs, including staffing and storage.
What are the approximate prices of berries once the baskets are filled?
Each litre works out to approximately 1.15 lbs of strawberries. The typical price for a 4L basket at $3.95/lb is $17-22; a 7L pail typically costs $31-35; an 11L pail typically rings in at around $45-55. This varies based on how full your basket is and is merely a rough approximation.
When is the last entrance to the fields?
Last entrance to the fields is typically half an hour before closing. This is to allow you enough time to pick what you need and get checked out prior to our closing time. Please visit the hours page for the most up-to-date operating hours.
Guest Policies and Accessibility
Can I bring my dog?
We love pets, but we cannot have pets in the stores and fields for food safety and insurance reasons. We ask that they stay at home while you’re doing your PYO. Certified service animals are the only exception.
What ages can pick your own?
We allow guests of all ages to enter our fields and have had guests ranging anywhere from mere months old to 98 years young! You know yourself, your family, and your friends best – we will not deny entrance based on age or ability, but encourage you to pay attention to the weather (it can get VERY hot out in our fields as none of the rows are concealed by shade), drink plenty of fluids and ensure you do not push yourself beyond your limits.
At our McLean Berry Farm location (2191 16 Line), you must walk to the field – this can sometimes be a 5+ minute walk on uneven terrain. At our Buckhorn Berry Farm location (3055 Berrie Road), we offer the tractor ride, which requires the ability to bend your leg up to a 90-degree angle and step up a couple of stairs onto the wagon. We also offer the park-and-pick field at this location, which allows you to park your car next to a field and walk to your row. We recommend this option for anyone with mobility concerns, or anyone who might find it difficult to walk a longer distance to the field or step up onto the wagon.
Is your farm wheelchair accessible?
As an active farm, we do have some uneven terrain (as roadways are not paved), so it unfortunately depends on the weather and how wet the ground gets. We’ve been working on getting an accessible wagon for the future.
Our staff are trained every year on our accessibility policy and we do everything we reasonably can to ensure all guests have a fun and safe harvesting experience. If you have any concerns prior to visiting our farm, please send us a text at 705-657-2134 or visit our contact page.
Is there a tractor ride?
Our Buckhorn Berry Farm location (3055 Berrie Road) offers a tractor ride from the main store to the field. Please visit our PYO Updates page to view the hours of operation for the tractor ride.
Can I drive my car right to the field?
We offer the option to park and pick in the field at Buckhorn Berry Farm (3055 Berrie Road) only. If you want to park and pick in the field, drive past the main entrance and follow the signs to the field. It is approximately a 1 km drive past the main entrance.
Can I bring a group of people?
You absolutely can! If you are looking to bring a larger group, however, we appreciate any notice you can give us! This will ensure we are adequately prepared to accommodate your group. Please text or leave a voicemail at 705-657-2134 and let us know when you are hoping to come, what you are hoping to pick, and a rough approximation of the size of your group. Any additional information, including transportation (i.e., are you all driving separately, or busing together?) and method of payment (i.e., will you be paying separately or all together?) is also helpful to ensure we can get things organized on our end and provide everyone with the smoothest pick-your-own experience.
Can I bring a stroller?
Yes, you can bring a stroller! We recommend that you go to our McLean Berry Farm location at 2191 16th Line, as you can walk to the field, or to the park and pick field at our Buckhorn Berry Farm location (3055 Berrie Road). Our main store at the Buckhorn Berry Farm location has the wagon ride to the patch and sometimes the field can be a fairly long distance from the parking lot. However, if you are looking to experience the wagon ride, a staff member can help you lift your stroller up onto the wagon.
Once you are in the patch, a field guide will do their best to assign you a row near the end of the field so that you can keep your stroller close by.
About our Produce
What all is there to pick?
Produce availability is subject to change based on many factors beyond our control but in a typical season we offer pick-your-own strawberries, raspberries, black currants, pod peas, sugar snap peas, and green and yellow beans. Please visit the produce page to see the most up-to-date version of what is in season. Also, check the green banner at the top of the home page for any last-minute daily updates to PYO conditions.
What’s the difference between the different kinds of strawberries?
We grow ten varieties of June strawberries, all of which vary in size, colour, sweetness, taste, and the time of season that they ripen. Some will ripen early in the season, while others are late-season varieties which ensures that we are able to continue to provide you with berries for a full season!
The variety that our customers know best is Cavendish. These berries are dark reddish-purple in colour and are naturally the sweetest berries we grow. They are larger and juicier than the average strawberry and have a very soft flesh. This makes them great for jam and baking, but we recommend you use them up within a few days due to the softer, juicier condition of the berry.
None of the varieties are inherently better or worse than one another and all of our staff have different favourites! We use all of the varieties to make our jam, and we think it is pretty tasty.
Will the orange strawberries I pick ripen later?
Strawberries do not ripen once they are picked, so make sure that you only pick berries once they are fully red.