Strawberry Picking at Jones Family Farm in Shelton, CT

posted by yazmin

606 Walnut Tree Road, Shelton, CT  203-929-8425

Picking strawberries is one of my favorite things to do in the summer. It’s a quick, but sweet season. There are plenty of pick-your-own (PYO) strawberry farms in Connecticut. This year I decided to take the kids to Jones Family Farm in Shelton, CT for their PYO strawberries. It is their 51st year harvesting strawberries and the longest consecutively run strawberry farm in Connecticut.

PYO Strawberries Jones Farm CT

I’ve been to Jones Farm several times; as a kid and also with my own kids. However, this was my first time going strawberry picking at Jones Farm. I usually think of strawberry picking as being a quick activity without much fuss, but it’s a fun event at Jones Farm.

We went on a Friday morning and it was much busier than I expected. I’m not sure if people were hurrying to get in the last few days of picking, parents were trying to keep their kids busy since school just let out, or because the weekend forecast called for rain — whatever the reason the farm was pretty busy. Even though it was busy everything ran very smoothly.

The farm was offering a special promotion that day to fill a whole box for $29.95. Fill 8 or more pounds in one box was $2.59 per pound. Fill less than 8 pounds in one box for $3.79 per pound. You can also save $1 if you bring in your box from a previous year. They accept cash or check only. You can tell that this is a yearly tradition for many people since there were so many coming in and reusing their old boxes.

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As soon as I exited my car I could smell the sweet smell of the strawberries. There were plenty of people around to direct me to the field. I grabbed one large box and a few smaller quarts for the kids to fill.

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There are two ways to get to the field: a short walk or ride on the Berry Ferry. I decided that we couldn’t pass up the chance to ride on the Berry Ferry. The Berry Ferry was a flatbed pickup truck that you sat on while it drove around the farm. It gave a quick tour of the crops and gave some information about the farm including how they use natural ways to keep away bugs and weeds. Our driver also told us the best way to pick the strawberries. The driver loaded my stroller securely in the middle and I held on tight to my three kids. It was a fun little ride.

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Once we got to the field we were directed where to go. There was a flag that marked the rows for picking. The field was stroller-friendly but I wasn’t able to bring it into the rows. I would suggest using a baby carrier if you have a little one who can’t walk in the rows.

Jones Farm Shelton, CTStrawberry Picking Jones Family FarmStroller Friendly Jones Farm

Picking strawberries is really easy and my kids got right into it. Of course we had to sample a few along the way. When we felt like we were done with a row there was someone there to move us into a new row. The whole process was very friendly and organized. There’s even a scale out in the field to weigh your box of berries.

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Mommy Tip: Dress your little ones in red or dark colored clothing to help prevent staining. Also make sure to bring along sunblock and a hat because the fields have very little shade.

When you’re done picking, you can return on the berry ferry or walk back. We decided to walk back and see the rest of the farm on foot.

In the front of the farm is a farm stand with local veggies. There are also little houses and cutouts for the kids to play. This also makes a great photo so  make sure to bring along your camera.

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There are porta-potties, a sink and a picnic table across the parking lot.

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I really enjoyed picking strawberries at Jones Family Farm. I can see why so many people make it their family tradition to return each year. If you’re thinking of going before the strawberries run out and make sure to call ahead for field locations, times and crop conditions (203-929-8425).

Berry Picking CT

Posted in Family, Family Day Trips, Food, Kid Friendly Food, Things to do in CT, Travel. Tagged , , , , , , , , , , .

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