Nothing beats the first warm, sunny days of spring to thaw out our bones and hearts, and with them comes the first cultivated fruit crop of the season: strawberries. Brown
If you have a passion for the fresh strawberry – or maybe just need a good excuse to get in the sun – Brown Farms in New Market, Alabama is a 15-20 minute drive north of downtown Huntsville. They have 18 acres of strawberry fields ready for a family-friendly outing to Pick Your Own baskets of berries.
Pick Your Own Strawberries at Brown Farms
There's nothing like fresh-picked fruit, and few fruits more delicious than the fruits of your own labor. Brown Farms strawberries are all great, but there's something special about strawberries you pick yourself.
And second only to the picks are the pics: With the bright reds and greens of the strawberry plans, the orange of the dirt and a beautiful blue sky, you couldn't ask for a better backdrop to take some pictures!
Checking in and out at the shed, Brown Farms also offers hanging baskets of live strawberry plants, baked goods, local honey, and more. There are also baskets of pre-picked berries just in case your family wears themselves out picking before you’ve got enough strawberries to bring home.
Rounding out the experience, Brown Farms has recently added a massive bounce pad as another activity for children to enjoy, giving the adults in the group time to relax in the shade (and maybe enjoy a snack from the shop) after picking!
The modern strawberry is a hybrid of two species from the Americas, whose genes gave us the size and hardiness that make open field cultivation of this fruit possible today. Modern global agriculture means we can have strawberries year-round (for a price), but there is something special about a warm, firm strawberry that has never seen the inside of a plastic box or refrigerator.
Brown Farms
When to go: Strawberry season at Brown Farms starts around April 20 to late May, depending on weather conditions. (Check the website for updates)
Hours: Monday - Saturday 8 am - 6 pm, Sunday Noon - 6pm. (Arrive by 5:30 to pick your own)
Where to go: 384 Walnut Grove Road New Market, AL 35761 | (256) 828-0710
Head north on Memorial Parkway/Highway 431 to Hazel Green. Turn right on Joe Quick Road and left on Walnut Grove (at the sign). Brown Farms is on the right.
What to Bring: Shoes that can get muddy, bug spray and sunscreen.
