Harvest some of nature’s candy this summer. Every year going berry picking is something I look forward to. It is impossible to beat the delicious sweet taste of freshly picked berries. One of my favourite places to pick strawberries in Ottawa is at Proux Farm.
Located in the east end of the city at 1865 Chemin O’Toole, Proux Farm has seasonal activities to enjoy throughout the year. They do a delicious sugar bush, pumpkin patch, and you pick your own berries.
Strawberry Picking In Ottawa
The exact dates depend on Mother Nature, but typically strawberries are mid-June to mid-July, raspberries are mid-July to early August, and blueberries are late July to early August.
Depending on the time you go, it might be possible to harvest two types of fruit at once.
When visiting, you pay for the basket size. So if you want the most budget-friendly option, you can go for the small basket. I opted for the medium one, which was under $10.
But if you plan on using the berries to make jam, pies or any other baked goods, you’ll definitely want to opt for one of the larger baskets. The medium was perfect for enough fruit for me to eat every day for a week.
Once you have your basket, you can head to the field. Then it is up to you to load it up with all the juiciest of fruit.
If you’ve never gone berry picking before, here are a few things to keep in mind. You’ll be standing in the dirt, and it can get muddy. It can also get rather hot, so aim to go early and bring a water bottle.
Blueberries are by far the easiest fruit to pick, as they come from giant bushes. As such, you don’t need to bend down to pick them. Meanwhile, raspberries also come from a bush, but they have small thorns on the branches, so you need to be careful. Strawberries, on the other hand, grow on low plants, so you’ll need to squat or bend down often.
Before you head to the farm, it is good to check their social media on the status of the u-pick gardens. The last thing you want to happen is to drive all the way there and find out there are no berries left.
Visit Proux Farm’s website for more information.