P. Y. O. Strawberries closed for this year
Thank you to all who came to pick strawberries this year.
The fields are now closed for the season.
We hope to see you next year, from approximately June 20- July 10.
If you are planning next year’s PYO strawberry outing, the following information may be helpful:
Bring your containers and drive to 1264 Erb’s Road, St. Agatha. The parking lot is in the field.
Hours: Monday – Friday 8-7, Saturday 8-5, Sunday 9-5, or until picked out! No admittance to the fields half an hour before closing. The fields close when we are picked out.
PYO strawberries are sold by weight. The 2023 season price was $3/lb or $6.60/kg. Cash, debit or credit are accepted. Bring your containers, weigh them and receive directions to the area of the field where we are picking. A field guide will lead you to a specific row and explain our flag system to you. We use a flag system so that everyone can have good picking (you are not picking where someone else has already picked!) Upon completion, return to the strawberry shack, to “weigh out” your berries and pay for them. Wireless debit/credit terminals are available in the fields.
Some reminders:
- please drive to our PYO field, and park in the designated parking spaces
- all PYO customers must be able to walk at least 1 km, as some rows are a distance away
- children are welcome in the patch and must be supervised
- if you forget to bring containers, you can purchase some in the field
- there is no eating in the field – you may sample a few berries
- please pick only in your assigned row, and not from the adjacent rows
- please move your flag forward at the end of your picking to where you stopped picking
- pets are not permitted on the farm. Service dogs are welcome
- the field closes when we are picked out or in thunderstorms and heavy rains
- Lastly, please be courteous to all field staff, as they are there to direct, eliminate confusion, explain procedures and assist you in purchasing your berries.
Tips for picking: “Go slow, and stay low” – pick thoroughly. Lift the green foliage of the plant to find the clusters of berries below. Pick red and shiny fruit of all sizes. Leave the white, or orange berries, as they are unripe. They will ripen on the plant for future pickings. Be patient and enjoy the harvest!
We thank you for your cooperation.
PYO location:1264 Erb’s Road, St. Agatha. Look for the large roadside sign.
Fresh Thanksgiving Turkey
Order your fresh, local, drug free, hormone free turkey for Thanksgiving.
Choose your desired size from 13-30 lbs. $4.99/lb. Call 519 886 7576 to order for pick up on any day of Thanksgiving weekend, from Thursday afternoon through to Monday.
Fresh Sweet Corn!
Our three sweet corn bins are brimming with fresh Sweet corn! Montauk is a Sugary Enhanced variety that is “sweet and tender” with 20-30% sugar and best eaten fresh. Vision – a yellow variety that is “very sweet and tender”, and Gourmet Sweet – a “very sweet and tender” bicolour variety. Both Vision and Gourmet sweet contain 30-50% sugar content, and can be refrigerated for up to a week with no deterioration in taste.
We recommend cooking all corn in boiling water for 5-7 minutes.
You may select your own sweet corn from the bins in our Farm Market. It is $0.80/cob.
We have a husking station located outside on the east side of our Market where you can husk or remove the shanks from your corn.
Enjoy the sweet taste of summer!
Employment Applications
For those considering a future employment opportunity with us, before you tell us more about yourself, we would like to acquaint you with our business. We are a seasonal family business, open daily June to October 31, with weekends and holidays being our busiest times. We hire both full and part time employees who are available for our season. We will begin receiving applications for our 2023 season in February, and the deadline for submission is April 1.
We are looking for responsible, friendly, and motivated employees who could capably work in a team environment for the entirety of our season. All employees must have strength to do heavy lifting (15kg).
The Field – Field tasks include hoeing, weeding, picking strawberries, sweet corn, pumpkins, and other produce, as well as grounds maintenance. It is outdoor, strenuous, physical work. Applicants must have the strength to lift up to 25 kg; and freedom from severe pollen allergies.
The Market – Our market has 3 main departments: Cash, Bakery and Produce. Bakery and Produce employees are also fully trained cashiers, ready to assist on cash whenever needed, but primarily responsible for tasks in the Bakery or Produce departments. As noted, strength for heaving lifting is required in all our work
- Cashiers –Cashiers are responsible for serving customers in a friendly and efficient manner, communicating well, operating the cash register accurately, stocking shelves, and maintaining Market cleanliness and appearance.
- Bakery – Bakery staff team members are responsible for preparing, packaging and serving baked goods and other food items, maintaining cleanliness and inventory organization in the Bakery.
- Produce – Produce staff team members are responsible for the preparation and presentation of produce, maintaining cleanliness and inventory organization in the produce areas.
If you wish to work with us, please complete our employment application form and submit it to us online at herrlesapplication@gmail.com, or by making an appointment to submit in person. Thank you for your interest!
Tips for First time Strawberry pickers
If you are planning to pick strawberries when our fields open in later June, these tips may help you:
- Bring your own containers – bowls, baskets, small pails….. anything you want to place your fruit in. (If you forget, we have some available in the field.)
- Dress for the weather.
- Be courteous to field staff. They are there to direct you, eliminate confusion, explain picking procedures, assign picking spots and weigh containers and picked berries.
- Be courteous to other PYO customers. All are in the fields to enjoy time together and to pick berries.
- To pick berries, you need to get down, and push back the green leaves and foliage to see the berries underneath. Only pick the ripe, red and shiny berries, of all sizes. Leave unripe berries to ripen.
- Pick only in your assigned row, and move the flag when you have finished picking. The flag system enables us to give every customer an opportunity to pick in a spot that has not yet been picked in.
- Berries are sold by weight, so pick only as much as you want. Return as often as you’d like. We are open daily (unless picked out) until approximately July 10.
Open Sundays 9-5
Our hours have now shortened to 9-5 on Sundays. We will still be open 8-7 Monday to Friday, and 8-6 on Saturdays.
Pet Policy
Service animals are welcome in our Market. Please be sure to have them leashed and properly identified. We do not permit animals in our shopping carts. Thank you for your cooperation.
Bring your OWN Bags/Bins!
When you visit us, please bring your own reusable shopping bags or bins. If you forget, you can purchase bags at $0.10 per plastic shopping bag, and $0.45 per paper shopping bag.
Together, we can reduce our use of plastic.
