Plump and juicy: 14 of the best pick-your-own strawberry farms in NJ

🍓 Strawberry season typically starts in mid-May in New Jersey

🍓 These are 14 of the best pick-your-own berry farms in the state

🍓 Always call ahead to check on the status of berry picking

Grab those baskets and get ready to pick bushels of juicy, red berries.

Strawberry picking season is from late May to early June in New Jersey. There are tons of pick-your-own farms across the state where you can take the whole family to pick berries right off the vines, eat them plain, douse them in whipped cream, or make a strawberry shortcake.

Here is a list of the 14 best farms to pick strawberries in the Garden State.

Alstede Farms

1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester

Strawberries are the first fruit that comes out of the patch at Alstede Farms, and are available from late May to early July. Each person must purchase a PYO (pick-your-own) entry ticket that includes a specific container. The ticket includes access to pick-your-own areas, a quart container or a six quart-flat container to fill with strawberries, the cost of the strawberries to fill the quart, scenic hay wagon rides around the farm, access to the hay pyramid, and evergreen maze. Additional quarts and flats may also be purchased.

Terhune Orchards

330 Coal Soil Road, Princeton

Strawberry picking is from late May until early June at the farm. The strawberry picking patches span two acres, and the beds are raised, which makes picking easier. Two varieties of strawberries are available. After picking, check out the farm store and winery. Kids can enjoy the farm animals, trails, and hayrides.

Battleview Orchards

91 Wemrock Road, Freehold

Strawberry picking is from mid-May until supplies last.

There is a $5 per person fee to enter the strawberry patch. This fee will include a $5 credit per person towards the strawberries picked in the patch with no refunds given.

Battleview’s strawberries are also available in their country store if picking is not your thing.

Johnson’s Corner Farm

133 Church Road, Medford

Strawberry season kicks off the first major harvest of the year. Quantities of berries in the field can change daily so be sure to call the farm before showing up to pick.

Take a strawberry-picking hayride at the farm. Cost is between $6 and $7, depending on the day. Enjoy a wagon ride to the picking fields. Strawberries cost $4.50 per pound. A one-quart container per ticket will be supplied. Additional containers are available in the field once the first quart is filled. Flats are $2 each.

Also enjoy a strawberry pancake breakfast. Available May 25 and May 26, the event will be indoors at the new Harvest Barn. Tickets cost $45 per person and include a family-style breakfast, story time for the kids, a hayride to the strawberry fields for berry picking, and admission to the Discovery Barnyard Playground and Animal Farm.

Giamarese Farm and Orchards

155 Fresh Ponds Road, East Brunswick

The farm officially opens for the picking season on May 14. Strawberry picking will happen soon after that opening and should last until June. Varieties include Cabot, Chandler, Daroyal, Darselect, Mayflower, Rutgers Scarlet, Sunset, and Wendy.

Snyder’s Farm

586 South Middlebush Road, Somerset

May and June are strawberry-picking months at Snyder’s. A friendly staff member will help you make the most of your strawberry-picking adventure. The field fee is $5 per person plus the cost of the berries, which is $6 per pound. The farm does not take credit cards.
A wagon ride is required to get back to the strawberry field, so be sure to check in at the little farm shed to the right of the parking area for wagon instructions. Be sure to pick only plump, firm, fully red berries.

Wemrock Orchards

100 Wemrock Road, Freehold

The farm’s secluded strawberry patch is nestled at the end of a dirt road that runs through a forest. There is no entrance fee. Just simply pay per pound for whatever berries you pick. U-pick is expected to happen after Mother’s Day, around May 18 through June 8. Be sure to stop into the Wemrock Orchard’s store. There will be strawberry-infused baked goods like donuts and pies available for purchase, as well as ice cream.

Specca Farms

880 Jacksonville-Mount Holly Road, Bordentown

There are bountiful fields of fresh strawberries waiting to be picked at Specca Farms.
Picking passes are $5 per person, which will then serve as a credit toward your berry-picking purchase. If you don’t feel like picking in the fields, strawberries will be available inside the scale house for purchase.

Hallock’s U-Pick Farm

38 Fischer Road, New Egypt

Strawberry picking gets underway mid-May. The greenhouse is also open with a huge assortment of perennials, annuals, hanging baskets, herbs, and vegetable starter plants, as well as shrubs and planting soil.

Lee Turkey Farm

201 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor

Strawberry picking begins in June at Lee Turkey Farm. You’ll receive a picking card, which you bring back anytime you come throughout the season to show that you’ve already filled out your liability form for the year. Admission is $3 per person for anyone age 3 and up from Monday through Saturday. Sunday admission is $5 per person. After that, you just pay for what you pick.

Whatever you do, do not tease or feed the turkeys on the farm.

Sussex County Strawberry Farm

565 Route 206 North, Newton

“The best strawberries are the ones you pick yourself,” said Farmer John, at Sussex County Strawberry Farm.

PYO strawberry season begins in June on the farm.

Donaldson Farms

358 Allen Road, Hackettstown

Strawberry picking is available in-season while supplies last, usually end of May through June. There are zero entry and parking fees. PYO strawberries are priced per pound. PYO quart containers cost 50 cents per container and flat containers are $2 per flat with a 6-quart capacity. There are also plenty of pre-packed strawberries for sale.

Von Thun’s Country Farm Market

519 Ridge Road, Monmouth Junction

Von Thun’s grows a few varieties of strawberries and are available for picking from late May to early June. Be sure to try the Rutgers Scarlet berry, one of the varieties it grows.
Picking fields are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. However, the fields are not open on Mondays to allow additional berries to ripen after busy weekends.

An admission ticket costs $3 per person. Pickers must also purchase a picking container. A pint costs $5, a quart is $8, and a bucket costs $25.

Be sure to join Von Thun’s for its Strawberry Festival on June 1, 2, 8 and 9
Enjoy strawberry picking, a hayride, more than 20 activities and games, farm animals, face painting, food vendors, and more.

Johnson’s Locust Hall Farm

2691 Monmouth Road, Jobstown

Mid-May to June is strawberry picking season at Johnson’s. The strawberry patch will be the first to grace everyone with its vibrant red colors and sweet, juicy taste.

The 325-acre family-owned farm dates back to the 17^th century and has been a place of outdoor enjoyment for the community since 2013. Johnson’s encourages visitors to enjoy its home-grown fruits and veggies with seasonal pick-your-own activities.

When you book a strawberry picking reservation, take home as many berries as you can pick in a single quart ($6.50), 4-quart ($24), or 6-quart ($30) sizing options. Park and pick admission includes access to the strawberry fields and a scenic hayride tour.

There are so many other wonderful U-pick strawberry farms in New Jersey. Wherever you decide to pick plump berries, be sure to always call ahead as strawberry picking schedules are weather dependent, and fields frequently close to allow berries to ripen.

Another tip is to bring cash as many of the state’s U-Pick farms don’t accept credit cards.
Be sure to have some great strawberry recipes on hand for all those juicy, plump, red berries you’ll be picking.

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