How Pick It Yourself Farms Can Lower Your Food Costs This Summer and Beyond

From the asparagus and berries of May to apples,and pumpkins in November, local pick it yourself farms (aka pick your own or U-pick) can not only give you and your family fresh , local fruit and vegetables packed with double the vitamins and nutrients of supermarket produce, but can do it at one third to one half the cost. Forget the gym, Get out in the field, take the kids and pick your own produce for better food at a much better price than at any store in town.

Local farms often set aside certain fields for pick it yourself and pass their savings on to you, the picker.You do the harvesting and you not only get fresh from the field food, you also get a down to earth price and the security of knowing exactly where your food has come from and how it was grown. Since you pick it at the peak of ripeness, you are also getting food that is flavorful and nutritious and usually you are also getting organic produce that is pesticide, dye, preservative and wax free.

On top of all that, by buying your own local, pick it yourself produce, you are also helping the planet by eliminating all those co2-rich food miles. Supermarket produce travels an average of 1500 miles from farm to table. It is often picked green, refrigerated or waxed or dyed and trucked or flown across the country or across the world.

Picking your own can not only be a great strategy for saving money during the local growing season, but much of what you pick can be frozen or preserved and used all winter long. Now we are talking even more money saved on the grocery bill. Imagine eating pickles in December that were made from cucumbers you picked yourself in August. Think about spreading home made strawberry or blueberry jam on toast in the middle of winter. Nice, eh?

Do It With Friends and Family

If you really want to maximize your pick it yourself adventure, make it a social occasion. Take people with you and definitely include the kids. Bring your own containers and pick as much as you can reasonably store, use, preserve or give away. It takes a little organization, but a big family or a team of friends and neighbors can make quick work of picking, paying for and carting home a treasure trove of food.

Preserving all that food by canning, preserving, freezing or drying can also be a group activity and great fun for family, friends, and neighbors who split up the work, the expense and the goodies. The work goes quickly when you are a group of six or so adults and with kids to help it goes even faster. .

You buy the produce, share the work, divide up the food and you all save money. . Once you start preserving and canning your own food, you will find that the possibilities are endless and the taste is well worth the extra time and energy. The important part is to be organized and plan ahead. Know what you want to buy, how you are going to preserve it, what equipment you need and who will do what. Get that all worked out before you go to the farm, and the rest should be a breeze. Here are a few tips to get you started.

• It's a good idea to do some online research to find all the pick your own farms in your area. You can also find out what crops are in, the hours for pick it yourself, and the prices. Prices for the same item can vary quite a bit between local farms, so particularly if you are buying in bulk to can or preserve, it is worth checking, even if it means a phone call. It is also wise to double check that the pick it yourself option is available-- you don't want to drive all the way to the farm with your bags and buckets only to find that the blueberry bushes were picked clean yesterday.
• Assemble appropriate containers-- bags or baskets and know approximately how much you want to buy. Use canvas bags or plastic buckets NOT paper.
• While many local pick it yourself farms will take credit and debit cards, some do not and are cash and carry only. Be sure you know what to expect and plan accordingly.
• Know what you will pick before you go. Be realistic about how much you need and how much you really will preserve. Don't pick and buy more of anything than you have time to freeze or preserve,or space to store. Wasting food and money by not planning ahead defeats the purpose of the whole exercise.
• You won't save money if you buy all sorts canning and preserving equipment or a new freezer. Canning, preserving and freezing can save you a bundle and if you really get good at it, can provide the basis for a cottage industry, but only if you factor in all the costs and amortize them over time. You might be able to borrow a canner or pressure cooker or buy a second hand freezer. If you go in with friends or extended familly, others may be able to provide some of the equipment. Figure out what you need to buy and factor it into the cost .( keeping in mind that an initial investment in equipment will be amortized over several seasons.)
• Things money can't buy The rewards of picking your own fruits and veggies and putting food by for the winter go far beyond dollars and cents. There is a social aspect to working with others, particularly other members of your family, that creates a special and wonderful bond. The importance of closeness to the land is greatly under rated in our post industrial society. In addition, kids learn a valuable lesson when they pick and prepare their own food. The process is personalized in a way that could never happen in the neon light anonymity of a supermarket.

There are numerous websites that will tell you about the pick it yourself possibilities in your area. There are also numerous online sources for learning the specifics of everything from pickling beets and freezing blueberries to making peach brandy Let your personal tastes and family's need dictate what you buy and how you preserve it. My aim here is not to give specific instructions, but to get you excited about the process .

I will only point you in the direction of one website which is a must visit. Go on over to PickYourOwn.Org where you will find a wealth of information on pick it yourself farms all over the world as well as tips and links and much much more.

Summer is the time to get out and pick your own fruits and veggies. You'll not only save money, but make great memories and have great taste and nutrition all year long.