Surprise! OPEN Saturday 9-24-22 7:30am-1:00pm for U-Pick Muscadine grapes, figs and eggplant. Also jars of our homemade Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles and Pickled Okra for sale. Bring shears for picking eggplant. There are TONS of grapes to pick, but figs tend to get picked out early. Many of the fig leaves have fallen, so the figs are easy to see and pick. For childrens' safety, please do not allow them to hang or pull on the wire that supports the grapes. We will NOT have picking boxes for sale, so please bring your own container to pick in. We furnish plastic bags for you to pick in and place inside your container, and we will remove the bag of produce for weighing at check-out. If produce is not in a bag, your container weight will be included in the charged weight. 2022 Season is now closed. Many thanks to all those who came out and picked, shared our Facebook posts, and spread the word about our farm. We couldn’t have done it without you! See you next spring.
Open Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, 7:30am-1:00pm. UPick Grapes: Fry Scuppernong Bronze Muscadine grapes AND Supreme Black Muscadine grapes (23-26% sugar, with edible skin.) Black grapes are especially loaded with ripe grapes and NOW is the time to pick them while so many are ripe in clusters. They make a beautiful magenta – color wine or jelly. Some bronze muscadines ripe, and they also make a fabulous honey-colored wine or jelly. Also fig season is still going on, so get here early to pick figs before they are gone. Also for U-Pick: okra, eggplant, peppers, purple-hull peas, green onions, zinnias (flowers). We have been busy filling jars with our homegrown Spicy Pickled Okra and Fig preserves, so stock up on those in the market. Recent rains have revitalized the eggplant row, and we have lots of nice-sized eggplants for U-Pick. Please bring your shears for cutting eggplant and zinnias. Please note we have no Picnic Area and no pets are allowed except for registered service animals. We will NOT have picking boxes for sale, so please bring your own container to pick in. We furnish plastic bags for you to pick in and place inside your container, and we will remove the bag of produce for weighing at check-out. If produce is not in a bag, your container weight will be included in the charged weight. Come on out and pick grapes, figs, veggies and flowers while you can!
Will be open Sat. Sept. 3, 2022 7:30am-1:00pm. UPick: figs, muscadine grapes (tame varieties, not wild), okra, eggplant, peppers, purple-hull peas, green onions, zinnias (flowers). In market, we offer Fig Preserves and Spicy Pickled Okra, both made from our homegrown produce. This is the first time in the history of our Waller farm that we have been open in September. Come out and pick while you can!
Open Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, 7:30am-1:00pm. U-Pick available: Figs, lots of Muscadine grapes, okra, eggplant, purple-hull peas, green onions, zinnias, a few carrots and jalapeno peppers. Figs are losing some leaves, making the ripe ones are easier to see now. Both grape varieties (Fry Scuppernong Bronze Muscadine and Black Muscadine) are ripe now, with 23-26% sugar content, edible skin (thinner than wild muscadines), and are great for jelly, wine, or eating fresh. For kids' safety, please do not allow them to hang or pull on the single wire that hold up the grapevines. Recent rains have refreshed the zinnias and eggplant, so bring clippers for cutting them. Green onions have re-grown in the cooler temps, so dig up a clump to eat the greens now and plant the white bulbs for future production in a flower pot. We will NOT have picking boxes for sale, so please bring your own container to pick in. We furnish plastic bags for you to pick in and place inside your container, and we will remove the bag of produce for weighing at check-out. If produce is not in a bag, your container weight will be included in the charged weight. Open Saturday 8/27/22 7:30am-1:00pm or U-Pick figs, Black and Scuppernong Bronze Muscadine grapes, okra, eggplant, carrots, peppers, zinnias. Lots of rain expected this week so check back here before you drive out to be sure we have not gotten rained out. Rain-out not likely as our fields drain quickly, but check back before you come anyway.
Open Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022 7:30am-1:00pm UNLESS we get a catastrophic rain tonight and have to reassess opening. IF we get a rain that causes closure or delay of opening, we will post details here by 6:40am tomorrow (Sat. 8/20/22). If there is no post by 6:40am, then plan on a regular day of being open 7:30am-1:00pm. U-Pick on Sat. 8/20/22: Figs, lots of Muscadine grapes (black and bronze varieties), carrots, okra, eggplant, zinnias and few peppers. Figs usually get picked out quickly so get here early for them. Wear rubber boots or shoes that can get wet. May have scattered patches of standing water due to big rain today, or it may soak in by tomorrow. Bring clippers for eggplant and zinnias. For kids' safety, please do not allow them to hang or pull on the single wire that hold up the grapevines. Pick now--Season ends soon!
We plan to be open Saturday, 8/20/22 7:30am-1:00pm. U-pick figs, grapes, okra, eggplant, zinnias, peppers, carrots.
Open Sat. 8/13/22 7:30am-1:00pm for U-Pick: Muscadine grapes, figs, okra, eggplant, carrots jalapeno peppers and zinnias. Get here when we open if you want to pick figs—they go fast! Rained 2" last night so carrots should be easy to pull. Bring clippers for eggplant, zinnias, and some okra. Grapes are loaded, so get 'em before the birds have a feast! Our grapes are not like the wild muscadines; these are super sweet, 23-26% sugar, with edible skin. Grapes should be picked individually, when they are bronze or black. If you pick the whole bunch at once, you will get a lot that are not ripe and you will be sad. CAUTION: grapevines hang from a single wire. For kids’ safety, please do not allow them to hang from or pull on wire. Pickers must check in at market before 12:30pm and weigh & pay by our 1:00pm sharp closing time. . The 2022 season is almost over, so don’t wait. Next open day (if there is one) after 8/13/22 is unknown at this time.
Open Saturday, August 6, 2022 (7:30am-1:00pm). For U-pick: Figs and muscadine grapes are the main crops, but some vegs and flowers will also be available.
Open Tues. 8/2/22 7:30am-1:00pm. Upick: Figs, Muscadine Grapes, Eggplant, Okra, Purple hull peas, Zinnias. Season ends soon. Please see previous posts for pictures.
Open Saturday, July 30, 2022 (7:30am-1:00pm). Available for U-PICK ‘til picked out: Fry Scuppernong Muscadine grapes and Supreme Black Muscadine grapes (23-26% sugar, with edible skin), WHITE Freestone Peaches (ONLY PICK PEACHES FROM TREES WITH ORANGE RIBBONS!), Magnolia Figs, LSU Gold Figs and LSU Purple Figs, a few Celeste figs. Also for U-Pick: Purple Hull peas, carrots, okra, eggplant, kale, sunflowers, and zinnias. For sale in market: Fresh okra, Fig preserves, Pickled Okra and Peach BBQ wood. This is likely the last day of U-Pick white peaches. CAUTION: grapevines hang from a single wire. For kids’ safety, please do not allow them to hang from or pull on wire. Please bring clippers for eggplant, sunflowers, zinnias and some larger okra. Pickers must check in at market before 12:30pm and weigh & pay by our 1:00pm sharp closing time. The 2022 season is not far away from being over, so if you want to come this year, don’t wait much longer or you will miss out. Next open day after 7/30 is unknown at this time—we will post as soon as we know when more figs and grapes are ripe enough to pick.
Open Tuesday, July 26, 2022 (7:30am-1:00pm). Available for U-PICK ‘til picked out: Fry Scuppernong Muscadine grapes and Supreme Black Muscadine grapes (23-26% sugar, with edible skin), WHITE Freestone Peaches (ONLY PICK PEACHES FROM TREES WITH ORANGE RIBBONS!), Magnolia Figs, LSU Gold Figs and LSU Purple Figs, a few Celeste figs. Also for U-Pick: Purple Hull peas, carrots, okra, eggplant, kale, sunflowers, and zinnias. For sale in market: Fig preserves, Pickled Okra and Peach BBQ wood. White peaches are the last peach variety to ripen, so peach season will be over when all the white peaches are picked. CAUTION: GRAPEVINES HANG FROM A SINGLE WIRE. FOR THEIR SAFETY, PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO HANG FROM OR PULL ON WIRE. Please bring clippers for eggplant, sunflowers, zinnias and some larger okra. Pickers must check in at market before 12:30pm and weigh & pay by our 1:00pm sharp closing time. Open Saturday, July 23, 2022 (7:30am-1:00pm). Available for U-PICK ‘til picked out: Nectarines and Freestone Peaches (ONLY PICK FROM TREES WITH ORANGE RIBBONS!), Magnolia & LSU Gold figs ripening now, Celeste figs are waning and LSU Purple figs are just starting; okra, eggplant, kale, dinosaur kale, tomatoes (few), sunflowers, and zinnias. For sale in market: A few Freestone Peaches ($5.50/lb), FIRST HONEY FROM OUR OWN HIVES, Fig preserves, Pickled Okra, Peach BBQ wood. Peach varieties to pick include both regular orange color flesh and also WHITE PEACHES. We told y’all when you see white peaches on the “picking menu” that would be the last peach variety to get ripe, so that means peach season will end soon. Please bring clippers for eggplant, sunflowers, zinnias and some okra. Pickers must check in at market before 12:30pm and weigh & pay by our 1:00pm sharp closing time. Fry Scuppernong and Supreme Black Muscadine grapes are still ripening, but won’t be ready to begin picking ‘til maybe next week. These are not your Grandma’s wild Muscadines; these are 23-26% sugar, with edible skin. Open Thursday, July 21, 2022 (7:30am-1:00pm). Available for U-PICK ‘til picked out: Nectarines and Freestone Peaches (ONLY PICK FROM TREES WITH ORANGE RIBBONS!), figs (few Celeste; Magnolia and LSU Gold just starting to ripen--lots of green, some ripe), okra, eggplant, kale, dinosaur kale, tomatoes (few), sunflowers, and zinnias. For sale in market: Freestone Peaches ($5.50/lb.),Watermelons (last of the season), FIRST HONEY FROM OUR OWN HIVES, Fig preserves, Pickled Okra, Peach BBQ wood. Please bring clippers for eggplant, sunflowers, zinnias and some okra. Pickers must check in at market before 12:30pm and weigh & pay by our 1:00pm sharp closing time. We got a nice rain last week, but another heat wave is upon us, so future product availability is weather-dependent. Will post here when the next open day is determined. Scuppernong Muscadine grapes are still ripening, so not ready to pick yet, but a handful are already ripe so it won’t be but a few more days. Open Tuesday, July 19, 2022 (7:30am-1:00pm). Available for U-PICK ‘til picked out: Freestone Peaches (ONLY PICK FROM TREES WITH ORANGE RIBBONS!), figs (few Celeste, Magnolia and LSU Gold just starting to ripen: lots of green, some ripe), okra, eggplant, kale, dinosaur kale, tomatoes (few), sunflowers, and zinnias. For sale in market: Freestone Peaches ($5.50/lb), Watermelons, Zucchini, FIRST HONEY FROM OUR OWN HIVES, Fig preserves, Pickled Okra, Peach BBQ wood. Please bring clippers for eggplant, sunflowers, zinnias and some okra. Pickers must check in at market before 12:30pm and weigh & pay by our 1:00pm sharp closing time. We got a nice rain a few days ago, but another heat wave is upon us, so future product availability is weather-dependent. Will post here when the next open day is determined. Scuppernong Muscadine grapes are still ripening, so not ready to pick yet. Come on out and visit the farm before the season ends! Due to EXTREME HEAT WAVE, we will be closed AT LEAST the rest of this week (Tues. 7/12/22 THROUGH Sun. 7/17/22). Will post here when the heat wave ends and we can open up again. The Celeste fig season is over—the trees threw most of the Celeste figs off before they ripened, probably as a self-preservation tactic. The other varieties (LSU Gold, LSU Purple, Magnolia) are not so temperamental, and hopefully we will have those for U-Pick when they are ripen soon. The next varieties of peaches are still ripening, and heat doesn’t seem to bother them, so keep your fingers crossed for more peaches to come! Blackberry season is over. Scuppernong Muscadine grapes are still ripening, so stay tuned for grape season coming in late July. We are irrigating the vegetable and flower fields to have those for U-Pick when we open back up. This mid-season closure is unprecedented for us, but so is this extreme heat. The safety of our staff and customers is our primary concern, and we hope you understand. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
Due to the HUGE turnout we had today (7/9/22) for picking, we will be closed Sunday (7/10/22) THROUGH Wednesday (7/13/22) to allow time for more produce to ripen. Check back here on Wednesday (7/13/22) after 2:00pm and we will post if we will be able to open Thursday, or if we need to wait another day or two. We thank click2houston.com for featuring us earlier in the week, and also KHOU-TV for the news coverage this morning. We also appreciate all of the wonderful pickers and shoppers who supported the farm today, and are especially grateful to the peach pickers who recovered the fruit that had fallen on the ground so it was not wasted. Thank you all again for making this a great day on the farm, and we look forward to the next day we can open for more picking!
PRE-WEEKEND UPDATE (Sat. 7/9 – Sun. 7/10, 2022 ). OPEN Sat. 7:30am-1:00pm. Status for Sunday still unknown, so check here after 4:00pm Saturday to see whether picked out for Sunday or not. Available for U-Pick on Saturday: Lots of freestone peaches, nectarines, figs (get here early), lots of eggplant, okra, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, kale, dinosaur kale, Swiss chard, few cucumbers, lots of sunflowers and zinnias. IMPORTANT: ONLY PICK PEACHES/NECTARINES FROM TREES WITH ORANGE RIBBONS ATTACHED (see photo)! Available Saturday pre-picked in market: Freestone peaches ($5.50/lb. you select from tray), $30.00 /pre-weighed tote at least 7 lbs., $100.00 /25 lb. box, a few boxes small/medium and over-ripe/misshapen peaches (price varies). Also pre-picked: watermelons & cantaloupes (red/yellow meat with seeds--get ‘em now; their season ends soon), roma tomatoes, butternut squash, & more. Celeste figs have had a very short season, and there are not many left, but other fig varieties ripening soon. U-Pick Muscadine grapes looking good, ready in a few weeks. Note: if you saw the article about us on click2houston.com, please note that you do NOT need to bring clippers for picking PEACHES; you only need your clippers for eggplant, sunflowers, zinnias and some okra. Pickers must check in at market before 12:30pm and weigh & pay by our 1:00pm sharp closing time. Open this week: Thurs. (7/7/22) and Sat. (7/9/22). Closed Wed. (7/6/22) and Friday (7/8/22). Sunday 7/10/22 status will be posted here when known. LOTS OF awesome homegrown freestone PEACHES: U-Pick only trees with orange streamers ($5.50/lb.). Peaches also sold pre-picked in market: $5.50/lb. Peach totes pre-weighed with at least 7 lbs. ($30.00). 25-lb box peaches also available. Attn. Jam/Jelly/Wine-Makers: 25-lb box over-ripe and/or misshapen peaches, when available—sold at reduced price (varies). Peach season doesn’t last forever, so get ‘em while you can. Thurs. and Sat. we expect to have for U-Pick: Peaches, Celeste Figs, Vegetables, zinnias and sunflowers. LOTS OF U-PICK EGGPLANT! For sale pre-picked in market, all grown here: Peaches, red/yellow meat SEEDED watermelons, cantaloupe, roma tomatoes, and more. Please bring clippers for cutting sunflowers, zinnias and eggplant. Pickers must check in at market before 12:30pm and weigh & pay by our 1:00pm sharp closing time. GET HERE EARLY FOR FIGS--THEY GO FAST! U-Pick Freestone peaches (U-Pick ONLY trees with orange streamers), Celeste Figs, veggies & flowers (and a few blackberries) available Tuesday July 5, 2022 (7:30am-1:00pm). Open more days this week, same hours, but watch here for schedule. BLACKBERRY season is winding down, first one of our 4 FIG varieties is ripening, and our 2nd PEACH variety is ripe. Available for U-Pick 7/5/22: Peaches (Repeat: ONLY trees with orange streamers), Celeste Figs (get here early!), thornless blackberries (few), tomatoes (all sizes, won’t win a beauty contest but sure taste good!), peppers (jalapeno, banana), heirloom Green Velvet okra, eggplant (LOTS of nice ones—bring clippers!), kale, green onions, Swiss chard, dill (mostly dry now), zinnias (going crazzzy!), sunflowers (new patch in back near “Stick Mountain.”) For sale pre-picked in market, all grown here: LOTS of watermelons (red/yellow meat), freestone peaches (awesome flavor), cantaloupes (fabulous season ends soon-get them now!), butternut squash, tomatoes. Please remember this farm is our livelihood and EVERY OUNCE COUNTS, so please PAY FOR YOUR PICKINS BEFORE YOU EAT. If you don’t know what a fig looks like, check with staff or see our pictures here before you pick. There are many other fruits in the orchard that are far from ripe, so be sure of what it is BEFORE you pick. Peaches should be picked when firm but orange-ish, and they will ripen in a few days at home. If you pick it, put it in your bag/box and pay for it. Our staff has a VERY difficult job overseeing the U-Pick orchard fruits, and we ask for your respect and cooperation with them so that we may continue allowing the U-Pick peaches. They try to help you have a great farm experience while protecting the trees/plants so everyone has a chance at the future harvest. Please bring clippers for cutting flowers, okra, and eggplant. Open Sunday 7/3/22 (7:30am-1:00pm). Lots of U-Pick figs, veggies, and flowers. Bring shears to cut zinnias, sunflowers and eggplant. Watermelons, cantaloupes, peaches, tomatoes sold pre-picked in market. CLOSED JULY 4. Back open Tuesday, July 5, 2022 (7:30am-1:00pm). Happy Independence Day from all of us at Neal's Berry Farm!
Rain totally missed us, so we are open Sat. 7/2/22 7:30am-1:00pm. Lots of U-Pick figs, vegs, flowers. Few blackberries. Homegrown watermelons, cantaloupes & peaches for sale in market.
WEATHER UPDATE AS PROMISED for 7/1/22: No rain last night, so we will be open today (Friday, 7/1/22) 7:30am-1:00pm. But if a significant amount of rain falls during those hours we may have to close. Will post here if that occurs, but rain does not look likely. Time of this post: 5:56am 7/1/22
Pre-Weekend Update: Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday (July 1, 2, and 3, 2022), 7:30am-1:00pm, WEATHER PERMITTING! For the latest info for this weekend, visit this page each morning after 6:45am for a weather update. The weather has been unpredictable all week, but we will be open if at all possible. U-Pick available ‘til picked out: More and more Celeste Figs every day, some thornless blackberries, tomatoes, okra, eggplant, kale, dinosaur kale, green onions, Swiss chard, purple-hull peas, cucumbers (few), dill, carrots, peppers (few), sunflowers and zinnias. Pre-picked, for sale in market (all grown here!): Freestone peaches, LOTS of watermelons (red/yellow meat), LOTS of cantaloupes, butternut squash, tomatoes and more. Several boxes of canning Roma tomatoes available. ORCHARD IS CLOSED FOR ALL U-PICK EXCEPT CELESTE FIGS. ORANGE TRAFFIC CONES ARE PLACED NEAR THE ROWS WITH RIPE CELESTE FIGS (see photo). PLEASE DO NOT PICK FROM ANY OTHER FRUIT TREES IN THE ORCHARD, SO THAT MEANS NO U-PICK PEACHES, OR ANY OTHER FRUIT. WE ASK THAT NO ONE TOUCH THE PEACHES/PEACH TREES, AND PLEASE PLEASE WATCH YOUR CHILDREN CLOSELY SO THAT THEY DON’T DAMAGE TREES OR FRUIT. PEACHES ARE GETTING CLOSE TO RIPENING ENOUGH FOR U-PICK, BUT NOT READY YET. Touching the peaches before they are ripe removes the fuzz and allows them to sunburn, and bacteria from your touch causes disease on the fruit. Please bring shears to cut sunflowers, zinnias, eggplant, dill and okra. Pickers must check in at market before 12:30pm and weigh & pay by our 1:00pm sharp closing time. We MAY open July 4th if we get rained out some weekend days and fields need picking, but can’t make that call yet. |
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September 2023
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