Family Day Strawberry Picking!

Last week I took my 15 month old son, Gray, to the strawberry picking fields at Dempsey Farms on St. Helena Island, close to Beaufort, SC. About an hour’s drive from Hilton Head Island, across the marshes of the Lowcountry, St. Helena is rich in history and culture (home of the Penn Center), along with being an active farm community. I love St. Helena, the smell of the salt-air and the “getting away from it all” allow for a sense of calm.

Dempsey Farms is located on St. Helena on the right side of the road toward Hunting and Fripp Island. The land is a true “working” farm and has been in the Dempsey family for generations. The day Gray and I went, Maryann Dempsey was running the stand and gave us the low-down on the land. Two generations ago, they opened the fields to the public to “pick” and now they grow everything from cucumbers to eggplant to tomatoes (see list below) and depending on the harvest, they allow for “pickers” like myself!

When I heard about the farm, I knew I had to take Gray – what a wonderful treat, right in our backyard! Salty Island air, expansive fields and fresh off-the-vine strawberries. Look how big it is, great to let the little ones run!

 

rows of strawberries
trees framing the road

They were starting their harvest on the back field and I just had to get a picture of these amazing trees framing the road.

man on a tractor

It is a true working farm, Gray was obsessed with Mr. Dempsey on his tractor!

farm equipment

Farm equiptment for the kids and spanish moss for the parents!  Everyone is happy!

child eating strawberry

Come on mom, let’s go picking!

stawberry patch

Look at these beauties!  The secret to picking is….you want to pick them close to red but not too ripe, unless you are eating them that day!

And the best part about Dempsey Farms……pick all you want at the market rate, but eat all you want in the field for FREE! Check out the video….you can see Gray took full advantage! Look at the 10 second mark where he removes the leaves on the cap of the strawberry!

If you can’t make it to the Dempsey Farm, be sure to grab locally grown strawberries and more at the Hilton Head Island Farmers Market at Honey Horn (Fridays from 8:30 till1:00)and the Bluffton Farmers Market on Calhoun Street (Thursdays from 2 till 7).

Directions and Information to Dempsey Farms U-Pick

1576 Sea Island Parkway Highway 21 South

St. Helena Island, SC 29920

843.838.3656

dempseyfarmsupick.com

Harvesting Dates:

Strawberries….April 5 – May 29 (may close earlier this season due to warm weather)

Green Beans (Snap)….May 15 – June 25

Squash and Zucchini….May 1 – June 30

Cucumbers….May 26 – June 30

Pickle Cucumbers….May 15 – June 30

Sweet Corn….June 1 – July 20

Okra….May 30 – July 15

Eggplant….June 10 – July 15

Cantaloupe….June 10 – July 20

Watermelons….June 15 – July 30

Tomatoes….June 10 – July 30

Bell Pepper….June 10 – July 30

*Dates may change depending on weather and growing season.

Happy Picking Ya’all!

stawberry patch

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