Has anyone taken their kids fruit picking recently?

[Anonymous]

And if so, what were the COVID-19 restrictions in place? Was it crowded? Were people keeping their distance? Any recommendations on places to go are also welcome. Live in DC, but often go to the farms 45-60 minutes away in Virginia or Maryland.

[Anonymous]

Wegmeyer farms in VA did a great job when we went strawberry picking. Reservations required, they assigned rows to spread everyone out, no weighing (one price for a bucket), staff in masks, big things of hand sanitizer at entrance.

[Anonymous]

Butler’s in MoCo is doing it well, as far as I’ve heard. Appointment windows and you’re well away from anyone else.

Slots go really quickly, though, so stay on it!

[Anonymous]

We went and the whole family wore masks and changed clothes and washed hands before getting back in the car. We also kept the windows down to air the car out on the way home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We went and the whole family wore masks and changed clothes and washed hands before getting back in the car. We also kept the windows down to air the car out on the way home.

That seems....excessive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went and the whole family wore masks and changed clothes and washed hands before getting back in the car. We also kept the windows down to air the car out on the way home.

That seems....excessive.

No, that seems....sensible.

Ignore the snarky haters, PP. I'd do what you did.

Even without covid, picking stuff is hot and sticky and an hour drive back home in sticky, dusty clothes sounds unpleasant.

And masks are awesome, not just for covid but for all the pollen this year -- SO much gunk in the air all the time. I wear one now doing yard work or walking in the neighborhood and will keep doing it because of the constant yard work people do all around us and the pollen and dust it kicks up.

[Anonymous]

We went to Shlagel Farms in Waldorf. It was great, masks required inside the farm store, but not outside. Free to roam and pick as you wish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We went and the whole family wore masks and changed clothes and washed hands before getting back in the car. We also kept the windows down to air the car out on the way home.

Do you do all that when you go to the grocery store too? Where did you change clothes before getting back in the car?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went and the whole family wore masks and changed clothes and washed hands before getting back in the car. We also kept the windows down to air the car out on the way home.

That seems....excessive.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went and the whole family wore masks and changed clothes and washed hands before getting back in the car. We also kept the windows down to air the car out on the way home.

That seems....excessive.

+1

+2 Absolutely nutty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wegmeyer farms in VA did a great job when we went strawberry picking. Reservations required, they assigned rows to spread everyone out, no weighing (one price for a bucket), staff in masks, big things of hand sanitizer at entrance.

We did Wegmeyer yesterday and did not have a good experience. They give you strict instructions to only pick fully ripe strawberries and then they assigned us a row with very few ripe strawberries. After picking that whole row we asked for another and were given another similar row. After picking that one our bucket was still less than half full. After that the "patch boss" was really rude to us saying we weren't picking well enough and when I said there simply weren't enough ripe strawberries we were told "well its a pandemic what can we do?" Huh? What does that have to do with how many reservations they pre sold? He very angrily gave us a third row and told us no matter what we would NOT be given another row.

The ripe strawberries were tiny, about the size of a grape.

We will not be returning.

[Anonymous]

Wegmeyer farms was fantastic when we went on memorial day. We got 4 full buckets in less than an hour! I think we were assigned 2 rows and didn’t even finish them. The season is definitely winding down so PP’s experience sounds about right since it’s now nearing late season. The old man referred to sounds like the owner’s father (“the patch boss”). I just looked at their website and they did not have any reservations for today because they want to give the berries a chance to ripen, which means if you went yesterday PP you just picked a bad day.

[Anonymous]

Jesus, are people still doing this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wegmeyer farms was fantastic when we went on memorial day. We got 4 full buckets in less than an hour! I think we were assigned 2 rows and didn’t even finish them. The season is definitely winding down so PP’s experience sounds about right since it’s now nearing late season. The old man referred to sounds like the owner’s father (“the patch boss”). I just looked at their website and they did not have any reservations for today because they want to give the berries a chance to ripen, which means if you went yesterday PP you just picked a bad day.

PP here. They actually told me they are halfway through the season (week 3 of 6) our patch boss was probably 19 and sorely lacking in customer service skills. We were at the Hamilton ("home farm") location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jesus, are people still doing this?

Following COvid rules or fruit picking? Seriously asking.