Head Out to a Farm!
We always encourage visitors and residents to get outside the city and explore our agricultural roots! Check our U-Pick Seasons page often to learn what's ripe for the picking or what events on area farms are fun outings for the family. Know where your food comes from and meet the farmers growing it!
There are now over 90 Johnston County farms, agribusinesses, and events listed on the Visit NC Farms App (click to download), a new initiative from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. The app is a digital marketing tool aimed at the 10 million residents and over 50 million visitors to the state annually. Johnston County listings include farms, u-pick operations, farmers markets, restaurants sourcing from local farms, and even farms that double as wedding venues!
Sweet Strawberries - Ripe for fun in May!
If you grew up on the family farm, or visited your grandparents in Johnston County, springtime meant ripe strawberries could be found in the garden. Picking them and eating them right out of the garden was okay! Just dust off the dirt! Make these same memories with your kids with a visit to an area farm, or farmer's market for fresh strawberries. Many JoCo strawberry farms offer u-pick, and some offer pre-pick selections. Once you have a bucket or two, visit our Southern Recipes section for some suggestions for baked goods, making jams, and more!
Check our area farms for opening events -- usually around late April and the season runs through May.
Blueberries are Ready in the Summer!
Area blueberry bushes will be ready for picking at local farms such as Creekside Farm and Ronnie's Berry Farm, right behind strawberry season! You will also find blueberries at area farm stands and farmer's markets for sale. This very versatile fruit is popular throughout the summer for smoothies, pies, cobblers, and ice cream! Check out the variety of recipes we have created for you! Often found right next to the blueberry is a blackberry -- a different type of texture and flavor, give them a try too!
Doesn't every kid love to fill up a bucket with berries?
Pumpkin Picking is a Fall Time Favorite
As the weather starts to cool and the days are shorter - we start thinking about the holidays and decorating with pumpkins. What fun the whole family can have at farms in Johnston County, picking pumpkins, enjoying hayrides, and playing at are agritourism farms like Boyette Family Farm, Sonlight Farms, and Smith's Farm.
Pumpkins for carving are an Halloween necessity, but pumpkins for pies and Thanksgiving is very important too!
