Pick Your Own Fruit At This One Of A Kind Farm In West Virginia
By Geoff Foster
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Published June 25, 2018
There are plenty of marketplaces where you can find fresh fruit from a local grower, but how many places let you pick your own fruit? Well, there is at least one.
At Orr's Farm Market, owned by the Orr family since 1954, there is a variety of fruit crops that you can pick from.
When you first arrive, you are handed a bucket and sent out into the fields to find your own fruit. The picking fee varies. You are charged by the pound based on what fruits you pick, but all are pretty reasonably priced. They range between $1.60 a pound (grapes) and $4.29 a pound (black raspberries).
Strawberries are a popular pick, and at $2.49 a pound, they are among the lowest priced crop on the farm, second only to grapes.
Three new patches of strawberries will be planted in 2019, due to increasing demand. This particular fruit takes a little more searching, as strawberries tend to hide beneath the leaves. Also, be sure to only pick ripe strawberries since they are the only fruit that do not continue to ripen after picked.
Right around the time strawberry picking ends (mid June), blackberry season begins. The farm has five different varieties to choose from, which means the crops will be viable for about a month. And don't worry about picking to many for fear of them going to waste - blackberries can be frozen until ready to eat.
Another plentiful crop is blackberries. Though many blackberries are visible upon approach, be sure to pick the ones hiding under the leaves, as these are the sweetest. If you go to the farm mid to late season, they will be even sweeter.
Raspberries are also a popular option, and Orr's grows both the black and red varieties. Be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves since raspberry bushes have thorns. Also, raspberries grow in direct sun, so understand that it will hot while you are picking them and dress accordingly.
Other crops available for picking are grapes, cherries and flowers.
Aside from the crops, Orr's also has a small market shop that serves many items, including jams, ciders, dressing, meats (such as bison), milk, cheese, vegetables, ice cream, honey and spices. Don't forget to stop by the market before leaving.
Orr's Farm Market is located at 682 Orr Drive in Martinsburg. Their hours vary, depending on the season, but during the regular season (May 1-October 31), they are open Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Be sure to check the website link below for their off-season hours.
For more information about Orr’s, check out their website here , and the Facebook page here .
Have you ever been to Orr’a Farm Market? Feel free to comment below and tell us about your visit.
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