10 farms for strawberry picking near Toronto

Strawberry picking in Toronto is a summertime tradition and a source of nostalgia for anyone who grew up in southern Ontario. In most cases, you'll have to leave Toronto proper to go pick your own berries, but it's a totally delicious and fruitful experience.

Here are some farms to go strawberry picking in and around Toronto.

19th Ave. Farmers Market
North of Highway 7, just off the 404, this family farm in Markham will bus you to its strawberry fields where you can fill up baskets with fruit..

Andrews' Scenic Acres
Nestled southeast of the Niagara Escarpment, this Milton farm boasts 35 acres of strawberry fields. While you're there, pick up a bottle from the Scotch Block Winery to sample berries in wine form.

Applewood Farm Winery
This Stouffville-area farm charges a $7 admission fee, but this includes a two-litre basket of pick-your-own strawberries plus access to the farm animals, wagon rides, nature trails and more. You should also check out the Applewood Farm Winery's strawberry cider.

Brantwood Farms
While you'll find strawberries in this farm's market from spring to fall, the strawberry fields are open to the public from about mid-June into July. Bring your own containers or buy or borrow when you're there.

Downey's Farm Market
Head to the fields for strawberry picking at this Caledon farm from mid-to-late June. It'll cost you $3 to enter the patch, but that fee is deducted from the price of your strawberries when you cash out.

Forsythe Family Farms
Pick-your-own strawberries are the big draw at this family farm in Uxbridge. But strawberries are just the beginning; as summer progresses, peas, beans, tomatoes and pumpkins are all available for DIY harvesting.

Organics Family Farm
This Markham farm opens to the public annually at the beginning of strawberry season. It went organic back in 2001 and now grows crops free of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers.

Reesor's Farm Market
At this farm, market and bakery on Ninth Line in Markham, you can pick your own berries when they're in season or just select the perfect pint at the market. You should also check out the strawberry pies and crumbles featuring the season's best.

Watson Farms
Call the "crop report" to check picking conditions and hours of operation before heading out this U-Pick farm in Bowmanville. It's open for strawberry picking starting in mid-to-late June each year. The owners like to joke "...we should weigh the kids when they leave, not the baskets."

Whittamore's Berry Farm
You don't have to travel too far to visit this farm located alongside the Rouge River Valley. The pick-your-own season starts with strawberries in mid-June and wraps up with pumpkins in the fall.

Photo by Arieh Singer in the blogTO Flickr pool.

by Liora Ipsum via blogTO