If you're a regular at the Lenox Farmers's Market or Hudson Farmers' Market, you've already had a taste of summer. For the last couple of weeks, Bonnie and Ron Samascott of Samascott Orchards in Kinderhook have been selling their incredibly juicy and sweet berries from their 1,000 acre farm in Columbia County. They promise to have berries every week from now until the end of June, which means you should take every opportunity you can to make strawberry shortcake, strawberry jam, and strawberry ice cream. If you want to pick your own berries (and peas) at Samascott, you have to wait until June 11. If you want to pick strawberries today, you can head over to Mead Orchards in Tivoli, NY which opened for the season on June 3 and where you can pick daily from 3 - 7 PM. Our other favorite pick-your-own farms were not open as of June 3, but they will be any day, so call or check their websites. (The farms' websites are not always up to date so it's usually better to call.) Pick-Your-Own FarmsGreen River Farms, Williamstown, MA; 413.458.2470 Ellsworth Farm, Sharon, CT; 860.364.0025 Mead Orchards, Tivoli, NY; 845.756.5641 Samascott Orchard, Kinderhook, NY; 518.758.7224 Thompson-Finch, Ancram, NY; 518.329.7578 If your favorite pick-your-own farm is not listed here, please leave a comment and tell us about it.
