Nothing makes me feel more connected to nature and my body than picking my own produce. Apples, strawberries, peaches, you name it! I found myself craving a day of exploring and thought fruit picking would be a great way to ease my mind and find some prime ingredients for baking. After a little bit of research, I stumbled upon The Berry Patch. Although information was scarce, something (probably the thought of sweet, juicy blueberries) about this humble little farm caught my eye and my mind was set. Luckily, my choice was spot-on! And my afternoon of “berry” spontaneous adventures was truly magical.

The BerryPatch is located in Free Union, Virginia, which is about a 15 minute scenic ride from downtown Charlottesville. You can’t miss the farm as they have placed a handful of small wooden signs for the patch along the main route for you to follow. As you make your way down a dirt road (all great adventures start on a dirt road, right?!) you finally roll upon the patch. Endless row of berries situated next to the most quaint Virginia farmhouse almost looks like postcard for the Shenandoah Valley. There's a small shed set up with a scale and baskets for pickers. The gentleman that owns the farm hangs out with his pup and pickers until the heat reaches its peak. After that, pickers pay on an honor system! When was the last time you saw that, huh?

He set me up with a darling red basket and some containers and directed me towards the back corner of the patch where the blueberries were ripe and plentiful. As I made my way down the rows I took in every bit of the beauty around me - the sun beating down on my shoulders, the fresh mountain air, and the bees buzzing and pollinating the bushes around me. As I got to the back of the patch, the bushes were in full bloom and spilling with berries. My containers were filled up within a matter of minutes with the biggest, sweetest blueberries I’ve ever tasted. And trust me, I was “sampling” quite a bit as I picked. I wasn’t even terribly worried about washing my fruit consider The BerryPatch is completely pesticide-free.

After paying (on the honor system), I packed up my very affordable haul of berries and headed on home to get baking. The whole experience got me thinking about how fortunate I am to live somewhere with so much fresh goodness at my fingertips. It also reminded me of all the reasons I love buying local and learning about the growing community around me. First, I can always find great prices on local produce or local meats compared to the grocery store’s organic option. Second, I love knowing exactly where my food came from. It’s good to know, you’re supporting a farmer in your own region and that the animal was raised and butchered humanely. And last, food grown with love and care just downright tastes better. It isn’t exposed to wax-coating (used in grocery store to preserve it) so you can experience the full flavor of the produce you’re eating. It’s also more nutrient dense, as shorter transportation times cut down on nutrient loss. What is the point of eating an apple if it’s full of pesticides and you can’t even smell the amazingly tart fragrance?

So next time you have a free afternoon, explore your local farms. Take a picnic, take in some sunshine and enjoy the wonderful fruits (and veggies) from the land around you.

For those interested in stopping by The BerryPatch, it is officially closed for the 2018 growing season. Check out their website for updates and details on the patch’s re-opening in Spring 2019 - right here.