MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Friday marks the official start to the strawberry season in the Deep South, and the peak time for strawberry picking is from May 4 until 12.
Farms in the Carolinas are ready to welcome families back for strawberry picking after the COVID-19 pandemic.
WCNC Charlotte spoke with Carrigan Farms as they prepped their 5-acres-worth of strawberries.
“This year, we have a lot of fruit loaded up on these plants,” Kelly Carrigan told WCNC Charlotte.
She and her family have been doing this for a long time in Mooresville.
Carrigan Farms has been around since 1902 and has been in the same farm family for more than a century.
“My husband’s father is 93 years old, and he still loves to use his riding lawnmower," Kelly Carrigan said. "Our son is a student at NC State majoring in horticulture, so he plans to come back, so it’s truly a family operation.”
The strawberry fields are located right off Highway 150, across from the school. Many families make visiting the strawberry fields an annual tradition.
“We get people that come out season after season,” Kelly Carrigan said. “They dress their kids in really cute outfits with strawberries all over them. I mean, just imagine your 9- or 10-month-old is just starting to stand up, and they’re pushing on this black plastic, covered in strawberry juice. It’s cute.”
No reservations are needed. The farm will give you a four-quart basket to fill for $15, or you can pay $17 for pre-picked.
The busiest days are always on the weekend. Carrigan Farms is hoping to stay open seven days a week, but they may need a day to close during the week to prepare for another busy weekend, so check their hours online before you head that way.
Contact Rachel Lundberg at rlundberg@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.