“Look, a perfect berry!”
Our family had a fantastic experience at Gallmeyer Farm’s “The Berry Patch” in Eastern Henrico this weekend. Although the main event this time of year is “pick your own strawberries”, there are other exciting things to see and do, such as go on hayrides, sampling honey, and there is even a small playground area nestled under the family’s old stately oak trees. Steve Gallmeyer, owner of the family owned business says, ‘Pick-your-own-strawberries’ is a family event built for fun, excitement and the overall farm experience”.
Oh yes, the farm experience. My 6-year-old complained that the berries were dirty. We discussed how these berries come straight from the ground, rather than being picked elsewhere, then trucked once or more to get to the grocery store, that these berries are the freshest berries around. And if there are any dirty ones, we just wash the dirt off. Although he seemed dubious at first, after a taste of the ultra-sweet berries he was hooked.
Meanwhile, my 8-year-old was on a quest to find “the best row ever!” He
“The best row ever!”
exclaimed this mantra (and that he had found the best row) triumphantly at what seemed like every third row. It has been a challenging weather year for the farm, and the picking season is unusually short this year. Mr. Gallmeyer notes, “The best picking we’re going to get will taper off soon.” If you haven’t made it out to the farm, you had better hurry. The Berry Patch is open daily from 8 am to 8 pm; call for updated picking conditions.
I was also excited to learn about a relatively new event, the Sweet Corn Festival, scheduled for Saturday, July 19. This family festival will feature live music, fire pits for grilling corn and hayrides. We love sweet corn and it is on our family calendar – will we see you there? “The Veggie Stand” at Gallmeyer Farms is open daily from 9 am- 7 pm from June through October, so you and your family can get their fill of fresh local produce.
The Berry Patch 3622 Darbytown Court Richmond, VA 23231 804-795-9979 info@gallmeyerfarms.com www.gallmeyerfarms.com https://www.facebook.com/GallmeyerFarms The Pumpkin Patch and The Veggie Stand 4506 Millers Lane, Richmond, VA 23231 804-222-2285
