Every year about
this time I try to write an article about the
growing number of pick your own and on the farm fruit and vegetable
growers. As Montgomery County becomes more urbanized and populations
grow, we see greater interest in the simpler life. It seems that
every weekend, families through out the area are making a mad dash
somewhere, for a little fun and entertainment. It’s difficult to
find activities
that everyone in the family enjoys, that isn’t either too expensive,
too far away or just doesn’t include everyone. One thing I’ve
noticed over the years is that fast paced people are quite often
looking
for something a little simpler that can take them back to a time
they
may remember as a child.One activity
you might think about this weekend or sometime in
the near future is visiting one of the many “pick your own” or “on
the farm” fruit or vegetable farms scattered throughout the
countryside. It’s a fun little day trip that has the potential of
yielding a valuable return. Of course the obvious returns are the
delicious, ripe fruits and vegetables that can be found on one of
these
outings. But the greater return is sometimes a little harder to
measure.
That’s the return you get watching the face of a child or grandchild
when they pick and eat their first ripe strawberry, or the joy you
get
sharing time making a pan of fresh blackberry cobbler and then
eating it
right out of the pan while it’s still warm. It’s hard to find
moments like these in a time of fast-food, computers and video
games,
but I promise the memories will be lasting ones.
Although Montgomery County is not known for
its great expanses
of agricultural land there are a few bright spots scattered here and
there amongst the hustle and bustle, that you and your family may
enjoy
visiting to pick a few strawberries, a tomato, or even a peach right
off
the tree.
Located in South Montgomery County just on
the edge of the
Woodlands is Rudy’s Peach Farm, off Sawdust Road. Rudy and his wife
have a produce stand stocked with nothing but homegrown fruits and
vegetables such as peaches, strawberries, blackberries, tomatoes and
peppers as well as homemade salsa, jams and jellies. You can stop by
to
shop or go out to the fields to pick. Call 281 298-5464 for
information
on location and what’s in season.
Moorehead Blueberry Farm, that’s right
blueberries, is one of
the oldest rabbiteye blueberry farms in the state of Texas. They
have
blueberry bushes (trees) that were planted well over 30 years ago.
The
Moorehead Blueberry Farm is located between Conroe and Porter just
off
FM 1314. For more information call 888-702-0622 or 281-572-1265 or
check out there website at:
www.sayblueberry.com.
The King’s Orchard located just south of
Plantersville just
off FM 1774 has a wide assortment of fruits including strawberries,
blackberries, figs and much more. They have a country store where
you
can purchase a variety of fresh produce and interesting gifts items.
For more information on availability and store hours call
936-894-2766
or checkout their web page at
http://www.kingsorchard.com/.
The Matt Family Orchard has 22 acres planted
with a
pick-your-own fruit, berries and citrus.. Orchard produce includes;
fig, blackberry, jujube, Asian persimmon, Asian pear, grapefruit,
satsumas, lemon, kumquat and more. Beside the orchard, they provide
year- round group orchard tours and celebrate Harvest Festival in
October. The orchard is approximately 30 miles northwest of Houston
off
highway 290 or 6 miles west of Tomball off FM 2920. For picking
dates
and more information about events and actives check out their Web
Site -
www.mattfamilyorchard.com
or call 281 351-7676 .
The Thorn Berry Patch is one of the newest
fruit growers in the
area. They specialize in blackberries and currently have 3 acres
producing. The berries are available for purchase at the farm or
you’re welcome to come by and pick your own. Their farm is located
east of New Waverly off FM 1375. If you would like more information
on
picking dates and specific directions to the farm call: 936
344-8181.
Something kind of fun and new to the area is Bernhardt Winery
in Plantersville Texas, between Montgomery and Navasota. They have
tours and a tasting room that are available on Saturday and Sunday
from noon to 6 P.M. and Monday through Friday by appointment only.
The phone number is 936-894-9829 or their web site at
www.bernhardtwinery.com.
We are also fortunate to have several
farmers markets in the
area that are available to the fruit and vegetable lover. They
include:
Bayou City Farmer Market: 3000 Richmond. From Richmond, turn north
on Eastside to back parking lot. 8 a.m. till noon Saturdays, 4-7
p.m.
Wednesdays, Midtown Farmers Market: T’afia Restaurant, 3701 Travis
(between Winbern and Alabama), 8a.m. - noon Saturdays, Houston
Farmers Market: Behind Onion Creek Coffee House, 3106 White Oak
Drive (White Oak is north of I-10 between Heights and Studemont/
Studewood) , 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturdays, or Christ the King Lutheran
Church parking lot, 2353 Rice Blvd at Greenbriar, 4-8 p.m. Tuesdays.
Try to get there early
because some of the produce comes from very small farms and they
sell
out quickly.
There is nothing better than fresh picked
fruits and vegetables
directly from the farm or picking your own is about the only way to
get
them short of growing them yourself. Take sometime this spring out
of
your busy live to step back to years gone by and enjoy the simpler
things in live, even if only for a little while.
Don’t forget to send your garden questions
to Plant Answers at
9020 FM 1484, Conroe TX 77303 or e-mail me at t-leroy@tamu.edu .
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