One of Jen’s Happy Places: The Local Strawberry Patch
5 Comments Posted by Jennifer Norman April 6th, 2008 .
Boone Hall Farms U-Pick Strawberries is open! The Norman family is thrilled. The ride on the “bumpy” cart is a must, and I love to point out the labeled fruit and vegetable patches we pass. Then, arriving at the strawberry fields, we venture armed with pails (bring water bottle as well, it can be impossible to explain to a two-year-old the dangers of pesticides.) This seasonal event is an opportunity to eat and consume more naturally (and locally).
I absolutely love watching my boys pick strawberries. Children need to know that nature provides us with nourishment. The strawberry patch is one of my happy places, and it’s right down the street.
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Doesn’t Boone Hall Farms spray their strawberries with chemicals? Ambrose Family Farms on Wadmalaw Island offers the same u-pick idea, only with no chemicals. Plus, they just started a CSA (community supported agriculture)! AWESOME!!
So which is less green: Driving 1 hour to Wadmalaw island with no chemicals, or driving 1 mile to Boone Hall with chemicals? Tough call.
We’re looking forward to the CSA – I think it’s closed for this quarter, and I’m not sure if they will have an East Cooper pickup…have you heard?
We will definitely plan a trip to Ambrose Family Farms, thanks! An hour drive beats the 12 hour trek for produce from Florida, let alone CA. The boys enjoy a car ride over some bridges every now and then. I was hoping to see their name on vendors list for the local farmer’s market, but do not see them.
I drive a sedan, and it costs $50.00 every time I fill it up, I have to consider this as well.
We love our produce, especially fruit, especially grown locally.
Chad-
They don’t have any more openings for the spring harvest
They are accepting registrations for the summer harvest, however 
They DO offer 2 east cooper pickup locations, also. One is at WholeFoods. I’m not sure where the other is. I think it’s at an accupuncturist office or something? You can check out their site:
http://www.stonofarmmarket.com/AmbroseFamilyFarm.html
Participation in a local, organic CSA may be one of the most powerful ways to reduce your personal environmental impact. And it’s healthy! And it’s inexpensive! And it supports our local economy!
About the drive: that is indeed a tough call. I would argue that supporting a local farmer that offers a csa AND organic farming methods is WELL worth the gas/time spent in the car. It is hard to find time, though. Especially when there’s so much dang traffic! Perhaps we should support sensible traffic reduction, as well. We can start by attending the I-526 Extension Meeting on May 14th. This may be the last chance to stop an absurdly expensive and inadequate solution to meet the areas growth needs. More info is available at:
http://coastalconservationleague.org/
Joshua – Thanks for the great information about Ambrose Farms. I just read an article about a farm in Athens, GA that was part of a CSA. I had no idea we had a farm in this area that was also participating. Good stuff.