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

Strawberry U-Pick Orchards in Red Deer 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 any state, nor even every state, have strawberries orchards 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.

Red Deer area of Alberta

• Billyco Junction Gardens - Uses natural growing practices, apples, beans, broad beans, carrots, cucumbers, honeyberries, haskaps, onions, peas, pumpkins, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, Saskatoons, potatoes
  40110 - Range Road 260 RR#4, Lacombe, AB T4L 2N4. Phone: 403 782-4263. Email: info@billycojunction.com. Open: Daily from 10 am to 7:30 pm; from May to October. Directions: We are 8 kilometers east of Lacombe, Alberta on Highway 12, and 4.4 kilometers South on Prentiss Road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Cheque, MasterCard, Visa, Interact. . Fax: 403 782-4202. . Closed Tuesdays. We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification.
• Bowden SunMaze - Follows organic practices, strawberries, vegetables, flowers, corn maze, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, Fall festival, straw or hay bale maze, tractor-pulled hay rides, gift shop, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, farm animals
  34530 Range Road 14, Bowden, AB T0M 0K0. Phone: 877 224 3939. Email: maze@sunmaze.ca. Open: Sunflower and Corn Maze open End of July to End of October; Sunflower Maze in Full Bloom throughout August; Pumpkin Festival runs weekends in October from 11am to 5pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Cheque, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. . Fax: 403 224 3993. . We follow organic practices, but are not seeking certification. Our Upick Strawberry, Vegetable & Flower Gardens are open during the summer for families to enjoy along side our legendary collection of Mazes. The most Unique maze is Alberta's only Sunflower Maze Grown from 100,000 Sunflowers. Visitors can also challenge our Corn Maze and growing collection of Tree & Patio Mazes. U-pick season kicks off in July with U-pick Strawberries & Flowers with Upick veggies & the Mazes opening in August. All our vegetables, berries, flowers & mazes are grown without the use of any synthetic fertilizers or herbicides & our farm is in transition to organic production. The is located next to Eagle Creek Farms, a U-pick Flower & Vegetable Farm open for picking from Mid July to the first week in September.
• Buckler's Farm - U-Pick Strawberries, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss chard and gourmet lettuce mix, Dill
  North on Hwy 22 to township rd 283 right, Cochrane, AB . Phone: 403-804-7315. Email: hello@bucklerfarm.ca. Open: 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week. Click here for a map and directions. . Phone: 403-932-5435. . From Cochrane AB go north on hwy 22 about 20 KM to rrd 283. Turn right about 2 km. turn left. Big Sign "Bucklers Farm"; Immediately before the turn. 2007 prices: Strawberries are $2.50 / lb or $12 a full ice cream pail. Strawberries in start in late July.
• Pinky's Organics - Uses natural growing practices, not yet certified, apples, haskaps, pears, red raspberries red, Yellow raspberries, Black raspberries, strawberries, asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, pie or tart cherries, sweet corn, pickling cucumbers, slicing cucumbers, garlic, kale, lettuce or salad greens, onions, snap peas (edible pod), snow peas (flat edible pod), hot peppers, sweet peppers, Swiss chard, summer squash, winter squash, Heirloom tomatoes, paste or Roma tomatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, daffodils, lavender, Lillies, sunflowers, tulips, zinnias, flowers, Basil, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Fresh eggs
  26040 highway 595, Red Deer County, AB t4e0t8. Phone: (403) 347-7148. Email: pinkysflowerfarm@xplore.net. Open: daily 9 am to 5 pm starting in July through to October. Directions: 8KM east of Red Deer on highway 595. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . We use natural practices, but are not yet certified Organic. (ADDED: April 17, 2024)
• Red Barn Berries Central Alberta u-Pick - No pesticides are used apples, cherries, currants (red), currants (black), other berries, raspberries (red), rhubarb, Saskatoons, strawberries, Other fruit or veg, Fresh eggs, restrooms, farm animals
  28413 Township Road 392, Red Deer County, AB T4E 1C8. Phone: 403-550-8909. Email: redbarnberries@hotmail.com. Open: Typical season is from mid June through August; in season, Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 7 pm; Saturday and Sunday, from 9 am to 5 pm. Directions: Head west on Highway 11A from Red Deer Turn north on Range Road 10 \(At the Sylvan Star Cheese\) Continue past the railroad tracks a mile to Township Road 392 Turn East on Township 392 and look for the red barn the second entrance on the south side. Strawberries season typically Midlate June - Late August Saskatoons season Typically Midlate July to Late August Raspberries season typically Midlate June - Late August. We do not use pesticides on the . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: We accept all forms of payment - e-transfer, debit, credit and cash. . Phone: 403) 304-0440. . Head west on Highway 11A from Red Deer Turn north on Range Road 10 (At the Sylvan Star Cheese) Continue past the railroad tracks a mile to Township Road 392 Turn East on Township 392 and look for the red barn the second entrance on the south side. Strawberries season typically Mid/late June - Late August Saskatoons season Typically Mid/late July to Late August Raspberries season typically Mid/late June - Late August. We do not use pesticides on the crops. (UPDATED: May 18, 2023, JBS) (UPDATED: June 08, 2020) (ADDED: September 27, 2019)
• Red Lodge Upick - No pesticides are used, apples, cherries, raspberries (red), Saskatoons, strawberries, U-pick and already picked, restrooms, picnic area
  R.r#1 Site 7 Box 9, Bowden, AB T0M 0K0. Phone: 403-224-2425. Open: Early July until first killing frost - Phone for picking report. Directions: Go 3 km west of Red Lodge Provincial Park \(or 18 km west of Bowden, AB on highway 587\) to range road 31, turn south and go 3 km to the end of the road, turn east and go just 13 of a km to the farm. \(Just follow the signs - its easy!\). . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Go 3 km west of Red Lodge Provincial Park (or 18 km west of Bowden, AB on highway 587) to range road 31, turn south and go 3 km to the end of the road, turn east and go just 1/3 of a km to the farm. (Just follow the signs - its easy!). We do not use pesticides on the crops. Various game birds on site. We also raise & release Hungarian Partridges.
• Serviceberry Farms - Saskatoon berries, Strawberries
  Box 15 Site 23, RR 2, Strathmore, AB T1P 1K5. Phone: 403-934-2412. Open: early July to mid August - call to confirm dates and times. Click here for a map and directions. . Fax: 403-934-9950 Web: www.serviceberryfarms.com Established 1987, 4 acres of strawberries, and 1 acre of Saskatoons. Neatest and cleanest fields in Alberta. We accept cash or cheque payments only. Open Located east of Calgary; from intersection of Hwys #1 and 24, 1.6 km east and 5.6 km north.
• The Jungle Farm - cucumbers, flowers, herbs or spices, onions, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (Autumn, red), rhubarb, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, other vegetables, prepicked produce, farm market, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, events at your location (call for info)
  Rural Route # 3, Innisfail, AB T4G 1T8. Phone: 403-227-4231. Email: info@thejunglefarm.com. Open: Daily from 8 am - 6 pm. Directions: From Innisfail - 6km North on highway #2A; turn right on Township road 362 \(watch for the blue highway directional sign\), come 1km. The Jungle Farm is the second farm on the left side. From Red Deer - 14 km South on highway #2; turn right on Old Pole Road \(watch for the blue highway directional sign\), come 3 km. The Jungle Farm is on the right side. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Cheque, Debit cards. . Fax: 403-227-6020. . From Innisfail - 6km North on highway #2A; turn right on Township road 362 (watch for the blue highway directional sign), come 1km. is the second farm on the left side. From Red Deer - 14 km South on highway #2; turn right on Old Pole Road (watch for the blue highway directional sign), come 3 km. is on the right side. Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Crops are usually available in May, June, July, August, September, October, November. Flower Spring Season May 8 till June 15 Strawberry Summer Season July till August Pumpkin Fall Season August through mid October. Greenhouse Grand Opening May 10am to 5pm Strawberry Festival July ; Country Drive August; Fall Family Pumpkin Season Kickoff August ;Fall Pumpkin Festival October . (UPDATED: September 12, 2018, 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