November 2020 - Orchards Near Me

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The Benefits of U-Pick Farms and Why they are Part of our Future?

As keen foragers we are always looking for new ways to learn from the natural world around us. U-pick farms and open orchards are the ideal way to get hands on with the landscape and learn about some fruit growing techniques. U Pick farms offer the surrounding community the chance to get to know their farmers. With a U-pick farm you can get up close and personal with the local produce, the production process and the scale of the operations for various types of fruits and vegetables.

When I was in Canada it amazed me how close the local people were to the orchards around them. It was a joy to simply head out to a local orchard at the weekend and pick away until you had enough fruit to fill you for a month. The idea of the U-pick farm is simple, you go to the farm of your choice nearby your location and pay for whatever you pick on the day. Instead of stealing the apples from an orchard, you are invited onto the grounds to choose your very own produce.

Benefits of U-Pick Farms for Orchard Owners

Showcase your best, local produce
Build brand awareness
Develop Community Relationships
Show off and sell fresh fruit
Demonstrate the Value of Produce
Make the most of harvest season

When I first returned to Ireland I approached some fruit farmers about the U Pick idea and although interested they dismissed it as their current production process was working and they were worried that people would steal the fruit as they picked. I suppose scale is important here and if you are counting every last piece of fruit to achieve your revenue at the end of the year then you wouldn’t be open to anyone taking a bite out of your tree.

However, we should be open to discussing this trend and orchards across Europe have already embraced this model as a way to interact with their customers and build their brand reputation. I have already mentioned some of the benefits of U-Pick farms but here is a solid list of reasons why U-pick farms are a part of our future and why going to a U-pick farm can be a fun activity for all of the family.