Neal's Berry Farm
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OPen Wed.7-1-20 for U-Pick and market shopping

6/30/2020

 
What a crowd we had out today! Thanks everyone who came out and picked berries, figs, veggies and flowers, and shopped in the market too. We appreciate all of you too who are supporting this small local farm by sharing our posts and spreading the word. It's working! We will be open tomorrow (Wed. 7/1/20 from 7:30am-1:00pm). Y'all picked most of the ripe berries today, but more should be ready tomorrow. There are still quite a few figs ripe, and there will be a lot again tomorrow. Most of the kinds of vegs will be available to pick, but all the eggplants got picked down pretty small, so we have to stop eggplant picking for a few days to let some get big enough to pick again. Purple Hull peas are ready to pick in the new patch behind the pond, outside of the electric fence. (If you get lost, follow the site map on the "site map" tab here, lol.)  The field behind the arch is now closed, about to be plowed up, and the last of the butternut squash and spaghetti squash that were there are now available in the market. As always, pickers please check in before 12:30pm to pick, weigh and pay before our 1:00pm sharp closing time. And remember to bring your shears for cutting flowers and okra. We do plan to be open July 4th (7:30am-1:00pm) but not sure yet about Thurs. or Friday this week--it will depend on what is left to pick after Wednesday.

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Yellow sign on the post shows what is available for picking on 7-1-2020.
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This divine duo was picked today by a customer. Both blackberries and figs are $5.00/lb so you can put them in the same box.

June 29th, 2020

6/29/2020

 
Will be open Tues 6/30/20 7:30am-1:00pm. LOTS OF CELESTE FIGS TO PICK! The main season for Celeste only lasts 2-3 weeks, and even less if the birds find them before you do! Other 3 varieties of figs will be producing soon, but no date yet. New patch of sunflowers ready for U-Pick lines the grassy pathway to fig orchard. Watermelon radishes only available for another week or so. Last variety of blackberries is still producing (see photo for box picked on Sat.).Tomatoes, peppers, okra, cucumbers, squash, and zinnias are really putting on after the rains last week. See yellow sign for what you can (and cannot) pick on Tuesday. Lots of pre-picked goodies will be for sale in the market, all grown here on this farm: Peaches ($3.00/lb, or $15.00 half-peck tote, or $45.00 for 25 lb. box. Also watermelons (red & yellow meat), cantaloupes (Pecos and Dove), tomatoes (red, yellow, all sizes), cukes, eggplant, onions, cushaw (green striped pumpkin), squash (yellow, scallop, spaghetti, butternut). Pickers must check in before 12:30pm in order to pick, weigh and pay before out 1:00pm sharp closing time.  Remember to bring your shears to cut sunflowers, zinnias, eggplant and okra. Also, please keep in mind the ONLY FRUITS for U-PICK are blackberries and figs. DO NOT PICK PEACHES, APPLES, GRAPES, CHERRIES OR ANY OTHER FRUIT. Peaches are sold in the market now, and the other fruit will be ready to pick in about two years, but we need to leave the few that are on the trees to monitor season for future reference.

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Great idea to read this before you come to the farm, so you will know what is available. Sign is also posted under the porch area of the market.
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The Celeste trees are loaded like this and ready for picking on 6/30/20. Pick them in color ranging from a bit of color to darker brown like these.
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Celeste figs are one of the most popular varieties here in Texas, so it is also called the Texas Sugar Fig.
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Sunflower photo taken 6-29-20, so these and more will be here to greet you tomorrow, along with fig trees in the background. The watermelon radishes shown here will only be available for U-pick for a few more days.
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Box of blackberries picked by a customer 6-27-20. Come pick yours before they are gone for the year!
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Okra, zinnias, tomatoes, peppers and more are ready for picking in the field beside the market.
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Peaches galore in the market!

closed 6/28& 6/29/20. Open Tues 6/30/20.

6/27/2020

 
Will be closed Sun, 6/28 & Mon 6/29. Open Tues 6/30/20 7:30am-1:00pm. Will post Monday about what will be available on Tues. to pick and buy pre-picked in the market.

Lots to pick on Sat. 6/27/20. Berries, figs, vegs, flowers and more!

6/26/2020

 
Open tomorrow (Sat. 6/27/20) 7:30am-1:00pm. Please see yellow sign pictured here for what you can pick (and cannot pick) tomorrow. For the first time this season, FIGS ARE ON THE PICK LIST! Celeste is the only variety ripe yet, but the others won't be far behind. New patch of sunflowers just opened today for U-Pick. And the recent rains and cool temps have given the blackberries a boost and lots more are producing than we have had in the last couple of weeks. The huge blackberries you picked at the first of the season are ripening again, as you can see from this partial box of beauties picked by a customer today. Many of the squash are really loaded, as are the tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, radishes and peppers. Peach season is in full swing, so get these great tasting Freestone peaches while you can. Come on out tomorrow and enjoy the day outside. Note: we are in Harris County. Blackberry rows are 12' apart, so you can pass without getting too close to anyone. Most veg rows are 6' or more apart, and it is easy to keep plenty of distance between parties. Pickers please check in before 12:30pm in order to pick, weigh and pay before our 1:00pm closing time. And bring shears for cutting okra, eggplant, zinnias and sunflowers.
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Yellow sign is posted here and on Facebook a day in advance so you can read it before you come. And it is actually posted (on a post) in the market, so you can read it when you arrive.
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Right now the farmers are picking Freestone Mid-Pride Peaches, and you can buy them pre-picked in the market.
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Celeste figs are just starting to ripen. They will be available for U-Pick tomorrow 6/27/20 til picked out. But more should be ripening every day for a little while, then the other 3 varieties will not be far behind
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New patch of sunflowers is open for U-Pick tomorrow. Price $1.00 per bloom. Please only cut the sunflowers that are open, and leave the rest for picking another day.
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This was about 5 lbs. of blackberries that a customer picked today. Yellow meat watermelons are in the background.
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Watermelon-radishes won't last much longer, so get them while you still can. The root and leaves can be served cooked or raw, hot or cold, are high in Vitamin C and other nutrients, and are a great source of fiber. Peeling is not necessary, just wash them well and enjoy!

Weather update 6-26-20

6/26/2020

 
Weather radar predicts most of the scattered showers missing us, so we plan to be open our regular hours 7:30am-1:00pm, for U-Pick berries, flowers, and veggies, and market shopping. Any rain looks to be early before 8:30am and after 12:00pm, so mid-morning looks great with cooler temps in the 80's. Will post here if our hours change.

Plan to be open friday 6-26-20; lots to pick & buy pre-picked in the market

6/25/2020

 
We plan to be open tomorrow (Friday, 6/26/20) 7:30am-1:00pm for U-Pick thornless blackberries, veggies and zinnias, and the market will be open for pre-picked produce. Lots of stuff to pick in the fields, and shop for in the market. Most of the heavy rain we got this morning has run off, but still wear rain boots or shoes you don't mind getting wet if you come tomorrow. Weather radar for tomorrow shows partly sunny with occasional chance of thunderstorm, but we have the covered rest area near the berry fields for shelter in case of rain while you are picking. See yesterday's post and the yellow sign pictured here for what will be available to pick and buy pre-picked. Pickers please check in before 12:30pm to pick, weigh and pay before our 1:00 pm sharp closing time.
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Too much rain-must close 6/25/20

6/25/2020

 
Closed today, Thursday 6/25/20 due to being rained out. We plan to be open Friday 7:30am-1:00pm.

Huge blackberries producing now!

6/24/2020

 
We will be open Thursday (6/25/20) 7:30am-1:00pm. The last variety of blackberries is producing now and these are the huge ones like you picked at the beginning of the season. (See photo below for blackberries picked today in the rain by a customer) We expect these to ripen into the month of July, but how long into July will depend on the weather. So come pick them while you can. Mid-pride (Freestone) peaches are in peak season, and they are having a great year. Peaches are not available for U-Pick, but are for sale in the market $3.00/lb or $15.00/half-peck tote or $45.00/25 lb box. We also have all the veggies on the yellow sign (see photo) for picking tomorrow. There are lots of most of the vegetables ready for you to pick. Please bring your shears to clip zinnias, okra and eggplant.For tomorrow,we advise you to wear rain boots or shoes you don't mind getting wet. Berry field is grassy with few or no puddles, but the veggie/zinnia fields might be muddy in places. Pickers please arrive before 12:30pm so you can pick, weigh and pay before our 1:00pm sharp closing time.

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Yellow sign shown here is also nailed to a post in the market, so you can see before you come what you can (and cannot) pick on any given day.
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Mid-Pride peaches are having a great year-- awesome flavor and heavy production.
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Thornless blackberries that were picked by a customer today in the rain!
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Scallop squash can be boiled, sauteed, fried, stuffed, or just eaten raw with dip.
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Cucumbers are growing super fast after today's rain.

Weather update:rain missed us, so open today

6/24/2020

 
WEATHER UPDATE: Most of the rain missed us--we got about 1/4" overnight, so will be open today (6/24/20) at 7:30am for U-Pick and market shopping. There is not much standing water, but we advise you to wear shoes you don't mind getting wet. We plan to be open til 1:00pm unless weather forces us to close. Radar shows future rain missing us this morning, but in case of lightening we would have to close, so check back here for any additional updates we may make. There are still some blackberries and lots of vegetables to pick.

monitoring weather but plan to be open 6-24-20

6/23/2020

 
Open Wednesday, June 24, 2020 (7:30am-1:00pm) for U-pick and market shopping. See yellow sign in picture here for what you can (and cannot) pick. Second picture here shows red zinnias, okra and (in the background) U-Pick tomatoes. We have had very little rain here in the last few weeks, so currently conditions are great for picking. We will be closely watching the weather tonight and in the morning for any change we need to make in tomorrow's hours, and if it rains A LOT we might have to close early. But we will certainly be open if at all possible, I just made a tour of the fig orchard, and the Celeste variety is loaded, but there is about one single fig ripe on each tree, as you can see in the picture. So U-pick figs will be available soon, but not yet.

 Watch here for further updates or visit https://www.facebook.com/Neals-Berry-Farm-Farmers-Market-221180603853/ for the latest information.

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Red zinnias, okra and (in the background ) U-Pick tomatoes on the fence.
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As of 6-23-20, there is about one single ripe fig on each Celeste tree, so it won't be long before we open up the orchard for fig picking. Will post here or on Facebook when we open up the fig picking, but it will be a few more days.
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