Strawberry Season in Ottawa 2021

Every year my mother-in-law takes my daughter strawberry picking. It's a yearly tradition for them. My mother-in-law loves to pick multiple baskets of fresh, local strawberries and make jam, muffins and strawberry shortcakes with them. She even freezes them by the pound and uses them throughout the winter months for smoothies. Ottawa is lucky to have many nearby strawberry farms to both purchase and pick delicious local strawberries from.

Here is a list of some tried and true Ottawa strawberry farms with details as to whether or not they allow "pick your own" (of course this could change as the crop diminishes, so again, always best to check with the farm). 

Ottawa Strawberry Farms: 

Acorn Creek Garden Farm
928 Acorn Creek Road
Carp, Ontario
613-836-2613
http://www.acorncreek.com
Pick your own? No.

Avanmore Berry Farm
16365 4 Road,
Avomore
613-346-2336
http://www.avonmoreberryfarm.com
Pick your own? Yes!

Beckwith Berries
9961 Cavanagh Road
Carleton Place, Ontario
(613)  253-4171
http://www.beckwithberries.com/
Pick your own? Yes!

Duquette Strawberries
2236 Champlain
Clarence Creek
613-488-3284
http://www.duquettestrawberries.com
Pick your own? Yes!

Orleans Fruit Farm
1399 St. Joseph Blvd.
Orleans, Ontario
http://www.fermedorleans.com/wpferme/
Pick your own? Closed for 2021.

Miller’s Berry Farm
6158 Rideau Valley Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
613-692-2380
http://www.millersfarmandmarket.ca/
Can you pick your own? Yes, but contact them for details.

Proulx Berry Farm
1865 O'Toole Rd. 
Cumberland (Ottawa), ON K4C 1N2
613-833-2417
https://proulxfarm.com/berries-veggies/strawberries/
Can you pick your own: Yes

Purple Cow Strawberry Farm
1439 Sale Barn Road
Greely, Ontario
613-821-1345
Can you pick your own? Best to call to make sure.

Richmond Nursery Strawberry Farm
5740 Old Richmond Road
Richmond, ON
613-838-2282
http://www.richmondnursery.com/
Can you pick your own? Pre-picked only for 2021

Rideau Pines Farm
5714 Fourth Line Rd
North Gower ON
(613) 489-3601
http://www.rideaupinesfarm.com/
Can you pick your own? Best to call ahead.

Shouldice Berry Farm
Three locations in Bells Corners, Barrhaven and Nepean
http://www.shouldicefarm.com/pick-your-own-strawberries.html
Can you pick your own? Yes!

What you need to know about strawberry picking

·      COVID-19 restrictions are in place. Remember to social distance and bring masks!

·      It’s always best to call ahead to make sure they are still open for picking or if they are pick-up only.

·      Dress for the weather! There isn’t a lot of shade at most strawberry patches so don’t forget your hat, sunscreen and a bottle of water.

·       Local strawberries need to be cooled as soon as possible (so try not to leave them in a hot car all day or they may turn to mush) and plan on washing and consuming them within three to four days – maybe less if the weather is hot!

My favourite strawberry recipe

When I think of local strawberries I also think of rhubarb! Every June and July I bake this tried and true Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler Cake recipe from Dinner with Julie. It makes a large pan so it’s great for summer BBQs! I guarantee it will become a family favourite! Click here to get the recipe!

Did we miss a great Ottawa strawberry farm? Let us know in the comments below and we'll add it to the list!

It's Strawberry Season! Let's go picking!

Every year my mother-in-law takes my daughter strawberry picking. It's a yearly tradition for them. My mother-in-law loves to pick multiple baskets of fresh, local strawberries and make jam, muffins and strawberry shortcakes with them. She even freezes them by the pound and uses them throughout the winter months for smoothies. Ottawa is lucky to have many nearby strawberry farms to both purchase and pick delicious local strawberries from.

Apparently this year the crop was delayed due to the brief cold snap and lack of rain, but according to my mother-in-law this coming week should be the peak time to grab local strawberries at their best! If you’re unsure how good the crop is, feel free to contact the farm in question – they know best!

Here is a list of some tried and true Ottawa strawberry farms with details as to whether or not they allow "pick your own" (of course this could change as the crop diminishes, so again, always best to check with the farm: 

Ottawa Strawberry Farms: 

Acorn Creek Garden Farm
928 Acorn Creek Road
Carp, Ontario
613-836-2613
http://www.acorncreek.com

Avanmore Berry Farm
16365 4 Road,
Avomore
613-346-2336
http://www.avonmoreberryfarm.com

Duquette Strawberries
2236 Champlain
Clarence Creek
613-488-3284
http://www.duquettestrawberries.com

Kinburn Berries
2795 Kinburn Side Rd.,
Kinburn, Ontario
https://murrayhawley.webs.com/
Pick your own? Yes

Orleans Fruit Farm
1399 St. Joseph Blvd.
Orleans, Ontario
http://www.fermedorleans.com/wpferme/
Pick your own? Yes

Miller’s Berry Farm
6158 Rideau Valley Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
613-692-2380
http://www.millersfarmandmarket.ca/
Can you pick your own? Yes

Proulx Berry Farm
1865 O'Toole Rd. 
Cumberland (Ottawa), ON K4C 1N2
613-833-2417
http://proulxberryfarm.com/
Can you pick your own: Yes

Purple Cow Strawberry Farm
1439 Sale Barn Road
Greely, Ontario
613-821-1345
Can you pick your own? Yes

Richmond Nursery Strawberry Farm
5740 Old Richmond Road
Richmond, ON
613-838-2282
http://www.richmondnursery.com/
Can you pick your own? Yes!

Rideau Pines Farm
5714 Fourth Line Rd
North Gower ON
(613) 489-3601
http://www.rideaupinesfarm.com/about.html
Can you pick your own? Yes

Shouldice Berry Farm
Three locations in Bells Corners, Barrhaven and Nepean
http://www.shouldicefarm.com/pick-your-own-strawberries.html
Can you pick your own? Yes!

What you need to know about strawberry picking

·      If you have a basket from previous years bring it with you, otherwise a new one will cost you a few cents (it can even be from another strawberry farm).

·      Most farms discourage eating too many berries while picking (especially when that year’s harvest isn’t at its best), so when going with small children make sure they have eaten well and understand the rules before heading to the strawberry patch.

·      Dress for the weather! There isn’t a lot of shade at most strawberry patches so don’t forget your hat, sunscreen and a bottle of water.

·       Local strawberries need to be cooled as soon as possible (so try not to leave them in a hot car all day or they may turn to mush) and plan on washing and consuming them within three to four days – maybe less if the weather is hot!

My favourite strawberry recipe

When I think of local strawberries I also think of rhubarb! Every June and July I bake this tried and true Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler Cake recipe from Dinner with Julie. It makes a large pan so it’s great for summer BBQs! I guarantee it will become a family favourite! Click here to get the recipe!

Did we miss a great Ottawa strawberry farm? Let us know in the comments below and we'll add it to the list!

Strawberry picking at Proulx Farm

by Vicky

We seem to have started a little family tradition of strawberry picking each year at Proulx Farm in Cumberland. This year's strawberries were sweet and delicious, and I have two baskets in the fridge waiting to be eaten.

I would recommend going early in the morning before it gets too hot out. Lather on the sunscreen, and bring a hat and a water bottle, as it gets quite hot in the fields. I wouldn't recommend bringing a stroller because getting it on and off the tractor isn't that easy, but I did see a few families with strollers in the field. I opted to bring a carrier for my daughter and my husband and I shared wearing her on our backs while we picked (talk about a leg workout!)

For a $2 admission, you get a basket and a ride on a tractor that takes you out to the fields. Riding the tractor is one of the highlights of the day! When you finish picking berries, the kids can play on the play structures, with the tractors in the tricycle park, or even visit the small petting farm.

In all our visit to Proulx Farm lasted about an hour and a half, but it was an enjoyable experience for everyone!

The cost for strawberries is $1.35/lb ($2.97/kg). Proulx Farm is open from Monday to Friday 7am-8pm, weekends from 7am-5pm and on Canada Day from 7am-5pm.

Strawberry picking season continues until mid-July. Raspberry picking season runs from the end of June to early August immediately following the strawberry season.

(Photos taken by Lara)

Vicky is the mom to 3.5 year old son named Joel and 9 month old daughter named Mieka. You can read her blog at blog Some Kind of Wondermom.