In the month of May, residents and visitors in the Hampton Roads area get excited for the start of the strawberry season. In fact, we love strawberries so much, we have an annual festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Pungo strawberry festival is a weekend event that includes strawberry picking, foods, events, and so much more. With the Covid-19 pandemic, the May 2020 festival has been cancelled. This would have been their 37^th annual event. While the festival will be greatly missed, I have put together a list of 10 places to either pick your own or pick up a container of the freshest strawberries around.

Please note that there are a few guidelines in effect that the farms have to strictly follow because of Covid-19. Most farms are not requiring you to wear masks/gloves, but strongly recommend it. You also have to practice social distancing while picking your berries. Farms will not be weighing berries this year, instead you will pay a flat fee on a bucket to fill. There is also absolutely no sampling of berries while picking. Please be sure to follow these protocols so that we can ensure our farmers can stay in business. Visit the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the full list of rules for picking during the pandemic.

Cullipher Farms

1444 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23457

Cullipher Farms is not doing pick your own strawberries this year. You can however order a 5-pound bucket online, and pick up at their produce stand in Pungo. I purchased a bucket last week and they were amazing! They also offer other fruits, vegetables, ciders, eggs, and bakery items.

Flanagan Farms

Located on the corner of Princess Anne Rd and North Muddy Creek Road. Virginia Beach, VA 23456

Flanagan Farms is open for strawberry picking. They also offer pre-picked strawberries for those that aren’t interested in self picking. The normal picking hours are normally 7am – 7pm, but have been adjusted daily due to the abundance of pickers. They also offer other fruits and vegetables. Check out there Facebook page to see what items are offered daily.

Salem Berry Farm

1763 Salem Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456

Salem Berry Farm is open daily for strawberry picking. Like every other farm, be sure to check out their Facebook page for up to date business hours. If the farm becomes picked out, they often have to close for a day or two for the next batch of berries to ripen for picking. This farm also offers pre-picked berries in containers with lids.

Henley Farms

3484 Charity Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456

Henley Farms offers strawberry picking for $2.59/pound or $5.50/quart. You can even pick your own kale for $1.00 pound. While you are there you can also shop for bedding plants, hanging baskets, and herbs. The farm asks that you wear gloves and a mask while checking in and checking out only.

Vaughan Farms Produce

1258 Princess Anne Road., Virginia Beach, VA 23457

Vaughan Farms in Virginia Beach is open this year for you-pick strawberries as well as pre-picked berries. They will be offering two sizes of containers to fill this year: 4-quart buskets ($15 to fill) and 2-quart baskets ($8 to fill). You can save $1 if you bring buskets/baskets from home that you have previously purchased from them. You can also purchase additional vegetables while you are at the farm. Please check out their Facebook page for daily hours.

VB Farmers Market

3640 Dam Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23453

You won’t find a strawberry picking field at the market, but you will find fresh farm to table vegetables. This includes (you guessed it) strawberries!!! You will also find, watermelon, peaches, cantaloupes, green beans, and so much more! For a complete list of their markets, please visit this link www.vbgov.com/farmersmarket

Brookdale Farms

2060 Vaughan Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456 & 2133 Mount Pleasant Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322

Brookdale farm offers two different locations and are open for you-pick strawberries as well as already picked berries. Because of the pandemic (to limit contact between clerks and customers), they will not be weighing baskets of picked berries this year. Instead, Customers will pre-pay for a busket that holds approximately 5 pounds of berries. The cost is $14.00. They also require that everyone wear a mask to pick their berries. Children over the age of two are also required to wear a mask.

Hickory Ridge Farm

2928 Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake, VA 23322

Hickory Ridge Farm is open daily from 10-5 and 12-5 on Sundays. You can pick your own berries at the farm or have them pre-picked for you. If you bring your own basket that is similar to theirs, you only pay $14. If you buy a new basket to fill the cost is $15. They also have smaller baskets for $7.50. I can’t add everything that Hickory Ridge offers, but let me just say it’s a lot. Here is a sampling: cucumbers, zucchini, squash, apples, corn, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, baked goods, jams, honey, salsa, Amish butter, and hanging baskets.

Lilley Farm

2800 Tyre Neck Road, Chesapeake, VA 23321

Lilley Farms is open daily at 8am until berries are picked out. They offer both you pick berries as well as pre-picked berries. The cost of a fill basket is $12.50 each. This farm also offers honey, jams, jellies, CBD products and more.

Mount Pleasant Farms

2201 Mount Pleasant Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322

Mount Pleasant Farms offers you-pick strawberries as well as pre-picked berries. Their 4-quart basket is $14.50 and $7.25 for a 2-quart. This farm has all of your produce needs from watermelons, squash, peppers, potatoes, flowers, and more. You can also order grab bags with an assortment of items.

This concludes my list of 10 must-see strawberry fields in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, VA. Let me know in the comment section below if you have visited any of these farms or if you know of any others to add to the list.