2024 Edmonton area of Alberta, Canada Strawberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Strawberry U-Pick Orchards in Edmonton area of Alberta, Canada in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for strawberries that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a province or region have strawberries farms that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!

Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!

PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.

Edmonton area of Alberta

• Big Rock Berry Farm - raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, cherries, and haskaps
  3-51310 Range Road 261, Spruce Grove, AB T7Y 1B5. Phone: 780-886-3387. Email: bigrockberryfarm@gmail.com. Open: Upick No Appt Necessary; Call ahead for u - picking dates and hours, starting mid-July. Directions: Lot #3 in Saramaga Avenue off of Fleming Road. Payment:: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Cash, Cheque. Watch for our pumpkin patch picking date October. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: : VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Cash, Cheque.
  Big Rock Berry Farm Facebook page. U-Pick Strawberries, Rhubarb, Saskatoons and Raspberries. Our hours during the week (Monday to Friday) are by appointment and on weekends first come first serve! Contact us via phone or text or email with questions or to book an appointment to pick! Berries in season in July. Come enjoy our beautiful farm and pick a pail! NOTE: We are on Range Road 261 (NOT Range Road 274). If you click on the Facebook map, it will try to take you to RR 274. Our season is expected to be approximately mid-July to mid-August depending on the weather and how the fruit is growing. We will post here and on our website when we have ripe fruit and are open for picking. (UPDATED: July 12, 2022, JBS) (ADDED: September 7, 2017, JBS)
• Boissonneault Family Farms - raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), strawberries, other vegetables, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, farm animals, school tours
  55314 Range Road 255, Sturgeon County, AB T8R 2M6. Phone: 780-504-7522. Email: richard@simplyboss.com. Open: Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 7 pm; Saturday and Sunday, from 9 am to 6 pm, July 1 to October 31; Best to call or text before heading out to they farm. Directions: Payment: Cash, only. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Alternate phone: 788-235-6984 Picking updates: Click here for picking updates(UPDATED: July 10, 2019, JBS) (ADDED: February 14, 2017)
• Brix 'n Berries Farm - saskatoons, strawberries, raspberries, vegetables
  25157 Twp 490, Leduc, AB T9E 6L6. Phone: 780.980.5386. Email: brixnberries@gmail.com. Open: Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm; Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm; Closed Sundays and Mondays. Click here for a map and directions.
  Brix 'n Berries Farm Facebook page. . Cell: 780.554.5272U-Pick 4 litre buckets available for purchase $2.00 each. SASKATOON BERRIES are U-PICK $3.00/lb in 2017. During harvest berries will be available fresh off the harvester Frozen Saskatoons available year-round in 5 lb bags and 25 lb boxes. Strawberries and raspberries are First come, first-served; U-Pick (includes berry basket). pre-picked baskets available upon request. Vegetable varieties will vary depending on the year.Vegetables that are ready will be picked and available in the store for your convenience. Our Fall Harvest Sale gives you the opportunity to harvest your own veggies. Our on-farm store has a variety of value added products: jams, jellies, pickles, pickled peppers, syrups, and vinegars. Selection will vary during the season(ADDED: September 7, 2017, JBS)
• Darwell Country Gardens - U-pick Strawberries, saskatoons, and raspberries.
  54424 HWY 765, Darwell, AB T0E 0L0. Phone: 780-892-3084. Email: dcgadventurefarm@gmail.com. Open: Upick By Appointment. Directions: Darwell 3 km N of Darwell on SH765. Rural address is 54424 H765. We are a u-pick farm just north of Darwell, AB. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Darwell Country Gardens Facebook page. Opening soon is a petting zoo. We do fieldtrips for schools. We also do Pre-picked Custom Orders(ADDED: September 7, 2017, JBS)
• Don's Berries and Vegetables - Flowers, Strawberries, Pumpkin, Rhubarb, Vegetables:
  Range Road 252 north, Sturgeon County, AB . Phone: 780-939-0144. Open: Upick By Appt. Click here for a map and directions. From St. Albert #2 North 7 km to Highway 37 overpass. Take Ft. Saskatchewan exit east for 2 km then turn left at first road north, Range Road 252 north, second place on right side. (ADDED: September 7, 2017, JBS)
• Dunvegan Gardens (Fort McMurray) - strawberries
  128 Garden Lane, Fort McMurray, AB T9H 5N4. Phone: 780-791-0212. Open: call for hours and availability. Click here for a map and directions. Drive south east on Buylea Ave. Road changes to Draper Road. Continue 4 km to our sign. Turn left on Garden Lane and follow to the end. We grow Fruit: Junebearing , Raspberries, Saskatoon Berries, Pumpkin, Vegetables: Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers, Peas, Peppers, Rutabagas, Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Turnips, Winter Squash Zucchini. Specialties: Bedding Plants, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees. Produce may be available as u-pick only, pre-pick only, or some are both u-pick and pre-picked. Farm Store, Refreshments. U-Pick, no appointment necessary. Pre-picked custom orders, Farm Gate Sales.
  Comments from a visitor on September 28, 2010: "We love visiting this farm. It's beautiful and usually the are so plentiful to doesn't take long to fill a bucket. The staff is very laid back and makes you feel at home. We make it an annual visit and spend the day or weekend doing all kinds of things out there, and our freezer is always full of yummy produce by the end. They have tons of different vegetables to buy in their shop, as well as a few different options for U pick. The farm is set on a river with a campground and playground, it's great for day use or camping overnight. They also have some historical buildings and other activities to keep one busy."
• Prairie Gardens And Greenhouses - peas, pumpkins, strawberries, Other fruit or veg, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, corn maze, haunted corn maze, straw or hay bale maze, child-sized haybale maze, corn cannon, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, picnic area, tractor-pulled hay rides, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo,
  56311 Lily Lake Road, Bon Accord, AB T0A 0K0. Phone: 780-921-2272. Email: info@prairiegardens.org. Open: April through October. Directions: From Edmonton, Alberta: 25 km North of Edmonton on Hwy 28 \(97St.\) to Bon Accord. 1 km past Bon Accord on Hwy 28, then turn left onto Lily Lake Road. 2km North on Lily Lake Road. We are . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. . From Edmonton, Alberta: 25 km North of Edmonton on Hwy 28 (97St.) to Bon Accord. 1 km past Bon Accord on Hwy 28, then turn left onto Lily Lake Road. 2km North on Lily Lake Road. We are open 7 days a Week, 10-6. Strawberry picking days are Wednesday and Saturday, weather permitting. Festival Hours 11-5. Garden Centre Hours May - June 9-9. U-Pick Strawberries are ready July 15 - August 10. We are a host farm of the Country Soul Stroll, the third weekend of July. Come to our Fairy Berry Festival on the August Long Weekend. Haunted Pumpkin Festival - October 1 - October 30. Open for scheduled tours weekdays, and 11-5 on weekends in OctWe are an award winning farm - Alberta Farm Direct Marketer of the Year, Alberta Greenhouse Grower of the Year, and Growing Alberta Leadership Award for Community Spirit, The Fairy Berry Festival celebrates the sweetest 'fairy' strawberries of the season in Alberta with fairytales, fairies, and pirates! We also have new potatoes during strawberry season.
• Steven's Strawberries - Strawberries
  Highway 13 and Highway 2, south of Edmonton, AB T9A 0V7. Phone: 780-352-2924. Open: Monday through Saturday from 09:00 to 19:00 during the season, from early July through late September; Call first. Directions: located on Highway 13, 1 km west of Highway 2 in central Alberta. We\'re 30 minutes south of Edmonton, and 50 minutes north of Red Deer; . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: accept Visa, Mastercard, and debit cards.
  Steven's Strawberries Facebook page. located on Highway 13, 1 km west of Highway 2 in central Alberta. We're 30 minutes south of Edmonton, and 50 minutes north of Red Deer; click here for a map. They grow both Day Neutral and June Bearing varieties (that means a long harvesting season). All our plants and berries are spray-free and we don't use any pesticides.
  Comments from a visitor on July 04, 2009: "It's fine - but the are stellar! I'm sure there must be restrooms. ."
• Strawberry Fields - strawberries
  140 Grandisle Rd NW, Edmonton, AB T6M 2P1. Phone: 780-695-3146. Email: strawberryfields@gmail.com. Open: Please call ahead. Directions: from the City of Edmonton the best driving directions are: 1. Get on to the Anthony Henday. 2. Take the Cameron Heights W exit \(Maskekosihk Trail\). 3. Turn Left onto 184 St NW \(Maskekosihk Trail\). 4. Turn Right onto 23 Ave NW \(Maskekosihk Trail\). 5. At the first stop sign \(detour\) urn Left \(South\) onto the construction site. 6. Turn Left \(East\) onto 199 St. 7. Turn Left onto Grandisle Rd Destination will be on the left. Feel free to park on the side of the road by the gat - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Strawberry Fields Facebook page. (text)Occasionally we close unexpectedly due to low berry supply; Upick By Appt; host pickers on an appointment based system. If you wish to come out one morning or afternoon please text us at. Due to volume we cannot respond to phone calls.You can also reach us by emailfrom the City of Edmonton the best driving directions are: 1. Get on to the Anthony Henday. 2. Take the Cameron Heights W exit (Maskekosihk Trail). 3. Turn Left onto 184 St NW (Maskekosihk Trail). 4. Turn Right onto 23 Ave NW (Maskekosihk Trail). 5. At the first stop sign (detour) urn Left (South) onto the construction site. 6. Turn Left (East) onto 199 St. 7. Turn Left onto Grandisle Rd Destination will be on the left. Feel free to park on the side of the road by the gate. We are located Southwest Edmonton. Only a 30 min drive from down town Edmonton and 15 min from West Edmonton Mall. See our map for specific instructions(ADDED: September 7, 2017, JBS)

 

Strawberry

Strawberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

In the U.S. strawberries typically peak during April in Florida and Texas, May in the deep South, and in early June in middle sections and later June in the far North and Canada. Keep in mind that crops are ready at various times of the month depending on which part of the state you are located. In order to produce good local strawberries, producers depend on ideal spring weather conditions. 

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - strawberries are affected by weather (both rain and cooler temperature) more than most crops. And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!
2. Leave early.  On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
    
3. Most growers furnish picking containers designed for strawberries, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring containers.
   
   
   If you use your own containers, remember that heaping strawberries more than 5 inches deep will bruise the lower berries. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers. I like the Glad storage containers like the one at right.
4. Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.

Tips on How to Pick Strawberries

1. Grasp the stem just above the berry between the forefinger and the thumbnail and pull with a slight twisting motion.

2. With the stem broken about one-half inch from the berry, allow it to roll into the palm of your hand.

3. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. 

4. Carefully place - don't throw - the fruit into your containers. Repeat the picking process with both hands.

5. Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.

General Picking Tips

Whether you pick strawberries from your garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Be careful that your feet and knees do not damage plants or fruit in or along the edge of the row.
   
2. Pick only the berries that are fully red. Part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden berries ready for harvest.
   
3. To help the farmers, also remove from the plants berries showing rot, sunburn, insect injury or other defects and place them between the rows behind you. If they are left in the plants, the rot will quickly spread to other berries.
   
4. Berries to be used immediately may be picked any time, but if you plan to hold the fruit for a few days, try to pick in the early morning or on cool, cloudy days. Berries picked during the heat of the day become soft, are easily bruised and will not keep well.
   
5. Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunshine any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Strawberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for two or three, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.
   
6. For interesting and fun strawberry facts and trivia from the California Strawberry Commission, click here!

When you get home

1. DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them.  Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
2. Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries
3. Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the caps (green tops) off the others and freeze them up! (Unless you're going to make jam right away) See this page about how to freeze strawberries.
4. If you like the strawberries you picked, ask the farm what variety they planted, and not the weather conditions the week or two before. The flavor of a strawberry is affected by the variety, the weather and the degree of ripeness when picked.
5. Now, get ready to make strawberry jam. It is VERY easy - especially with our free strawberry jam instructions - they're illustrated and easy.

Strawberry Recipes, Canning and Freezing Strawberries

• How to freeze strawberries!
• Strawberry jam (with pectin) (uses less sugar or honey and less cooking)
• Strawberry jam (without pectin) (requires much more sugar and cooking)
• Strawberry (and other berry) jams without sugar
• Strawberry jelly
• Strawberry-rhubarb jam!
• Homemade strawberry ice cream (regular, low fat, nonfat, low sugar, vanilla and even gelato)
• Canning strawberries
• Make gourmet chocolate-covered strawberries
• How to make fruit juice -  strawberry and other berries
• Strawberry pie filling
• Strawberry pie
• Easy Rhubarb-Strawberry pie
• Fig-strawberry jam
• Fig-strawberry jam, made with Jello gelatin

Strawberry Facts, Measurements and Tips

• Picking the best strawberries: Select firm, fully red berries. Strawberries DO NOT continue ripen after they are picked! In the photo, only the berry on the far right is completely ripe.
• Strawberry festivals: Most areas that grow strawberries have a strawberry festival, at which you can taste all kinds of fresh strawberry foods, pies, jams, cakes - and most commonly, fresh strawberry shortcake.  To find out where and when there is one near you, see this page for a list of strawberry festivals, sorted by state!
• Strawberries measurements: government agriculture websites tell us that
  1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups and is about the same as 1 liter and
  1 quart of fresh strawberries weighs 1 lbs to 1.25 lbs (or 450 to 600 g). Of course, the weight varies on variety and weather conditions. 
  1 quart is normally enough for 4 servings, although I'll admit my son can eat 1 pint by himself!
• How much to pick? In general, 1 quart of fresh, whole, just-picked strawberries = approximately 3.5 cups hulled, whole berries. In other words, removing the caps/hulls and the occasional mushy berry means you lose 1/4 cup to 1/2 (it depends how much fruit you remove with the hull) or about 7 to 12% of every quart you pick.
• One cup of strawberries contains only about 50 calories
• U-pick strawberries are much healthier than store-bought.  Consumer reports says store bought strawberries have so many pesticide and fungicide residues on they, that they don't recommend you eat them at all!
• U-pick strawberry farms typically sell berries by the pound. 1 lbs of fresh strawberries is about 2/3 of a quart.
• It takes about  10 to 15 minutes to pick a quart, if the berries are reasonably plentiful
• The strawberry plant adapts to wide variety of soil conditions, but does not tolerate drought well, and the berries quickly rot if the weather is rainy. For this reason, the plants are usually grown on raised beds through plastic mulch!
• Cultivation of strawberries began in Europe in the 1300's, but the berry only became very popular in the early 1900's in California.
• Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase as strawberries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a couple of days in the refrigerator.
• You can easily freeze berries that you cannot use right away - just wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible.  Those vacuum food sealers REALLY do a good job of this! The berries will keep for many months frozen without air.
• Want to grow your own strawberries?  Here's an article about how to: Strawberries are an Excellent Fruit for the Home Garden, HYG-1424-98!
• See this page for many more fun and interesting strawberry facts, nutritional information and trivia

Other weird strawberry facts

• Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside.
• Strawberries were originally called strewberries because the fruit was 'strewn' amongst the leaves of the plant.
• California is king of strawberry productions because: California produces 75 percent of the nation's strawberry crops; one billion pounds of strawberries each year.  If all the strawberries produced in California in one year were laid berry to berry, they would go around the world 15 times. Each acre of land in California in strawberry production produces an average of 21 tons of strawberries annually, with a total of 23,000 acres of strawberries planted in California each year.

More conversions

1 pint (2 cups)  of fresh whole strawberries

• = about 8 oz (1/2 lb) of strawberries
• = 2.25 cups of sliced strawberries
• = 1 cup pureed strawberries
• = 12-14 large strawberries

2 quarts of fresh strawberries are needed for a 9" pie

A 10 oz package of frozen berries is about the same as 1 cup of sliced fresh strawberries

References:

• University of Illinois Extension
• Driscolls
• Ohio State University Extension
• Strawberries-Average retail price per pound and per cup equivalent

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Local Honey Finder
• Local Meat, Milk and Eggs
• Venues: Farms, Wineries, Orchards for your event, wedding or party
• Easter egg hunts
• Children"s consignment sales
• Fruit and vegetable festivals
• Winery tours and wine tastings
• Horse rides, stables, lessons, trails
• Maple Syrup farms and sugarworks
• Bed & Breakfasts on Farms, Wineries, Ranches and Orchards
• Pumpkin patches
• Corn mazes
• Zombie Paintball venues
• Christmas Tree Farms & lots
• Environmental resources
• Consumer fraud information
• Wholesale food sources
• Resources for Farmers