Looking for a great family activity during Spring Break? Why not take the crew to Ivy Place Farm in Lancaster, S.C.? They’ve got an early crop of strawberries this year thanks to a mild winter, and they could use your help harvesting the booming crop!
Here’s the latest from Ivy Place:
We are really excited to share our family farm with you this year. We planted four varieties of strawberries last October. The warm weather in February pushed our 37,000 strawberry plants to produce really early this year. We have been amazed by the look and taste of these early season berries, and visitors say the quantity looks like mid-season in our fields. We expect the strawberry season to continue through late May.
The pick-your-own fields are loaded with berries. No appointment necessary! Once you start picking, you can’t stop, so we recommend you make a plan to eat, make your favorite dessert, jam, freeze for later, and best of all…..share with friends and family!
Strawberry picking will always be one of my favorite parenting memories. We took our three young sons strawberry picking as we began to emerge from COVID shutdown in 2020. It was special that day and feels the same every time we go back!
The Ivy Place is a family-owned farm about 15-20 minutes south of Ballantyne. (They grow four varieties: Sweet Charlie, Rocco, Ruby June and Camarosa.) The Ivy Place has picnic tables, a port-a-potty, an outdoor sink to wash your hands and to wash fruit. They accept both cash and credit cards and all you pay for is the berries you pick. If you’d rather not pick, pre-picked berries are available too.
They have gallon-sized buckets available for picking, but it’s a good idea to bring an extra container or two for taking strawberries home in the car.
The Ivy Place
8525 Van Wyck Rd.
Lancaster, SC 29720
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Here’s the lowdown on eight other U-pick farms near Charlotte. For the most updated information, visit social media sites.
Black’s Peaches
1800 Black Hwy
York, S.C. 29745
Schedule and Info: U-pick is open today (Tuesday, April 4) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with strawberries costing $14/gallon. The season goes from mid-April through mid-June. Call 803-684-2333 for details or check social media.
Bush-N-Vine Farm
1650 Filbert Hwy
York, SC 29745
Schedule and Info: U-pick opens Saturday, April 8 available on Saturdays only, from 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. usually through mid-May depending on conditions. Call 803-684-2732 for more information or visit their social media.
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Carrigan Farms
1145 Oak Ridge Farm Hwy
Mooresville, NC 28115
Schedule and Info: U-pick might open as early as this coming weekend. Check their website and social media for the latest.
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Cotton Hills Farm
The Market in Lowrys
2575 Lowrys Hwy
Chester, SC 29706
Schedule and Info: U-pick strawberries available Monday – Saturday from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Strawberries cost $3.25 per pound. Bring your own container or buy one for $1. Call ahead for picking conditions and check in when you arrive at The Market (803-581-4545.)
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Hall Family Farm
445 West Rebound Rd.
Lancaster, SC 29720
Schedule and Info: Strawberries are abundant and picking is needed! No reservations needed but call ahead 704-562-4021 or check website or social media to make sure they’re open. Regular hours are Sunday-Thursday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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Hunter Farm
13624 Providence Rd.
Weddington, N.C. 28104
Schedule and Info: Reservations are required. New schedule will be released each Monday at 9 a.m. for the week ahead. Additional slots may open during the week based on conditions. Strawberry picking is open until May 28. Hours are Wednesday – Thursday 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. Friday – Sunday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
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Lineberger’s Maple Springs Farm
906 Dallas Stanley Hwy
Dallas, NC 28034
Schedule and Info: Ripe strawberries are available at their Dallas market, but they haven’t announced when they’ll open for u-pick. Check their social media for the latest.
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Wise Acres Organic Farm
4701 Hartis Road
Indian Trail, NC 28079
Schedule and Info: U-pick is by reservation only. The April schedule is open with limited availability in early April before the first full weekend of pizza and picking begins on April 15. The May reservations will open at 5 p.m. on April 28. Check back for last-minute reservations as needed.
