Anyway, for years after moving down to Broward, I thought my berry-picking days were behind me. But no! Turns out you can find great strawberries in South Florida in the winter, and if you're the berry-picking type, you can even go pick them yourself. Check out these U-pick farms and make a day of it. Just remember to take it easy.
Broward:
Natural Wonders (5461 Johnson Road, Coconut Creek)
Pick your own strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, spinach and more. Open Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call at 800-805-0108 or check them out on the Web at Natural Wonders Landscaping.
Dade:
Burr's Berry Farm (Southwest 216th Street, Miami)
Burr's Berry Farm is an institution throughout the berry-loving universe. Okay, maybe that's overstating it a little bit, but the stand has been in continuous operation for 45 years and the strawberry shakes are to-die-for. The season runs until Mother's Day. Call at (305) 235-0513.
Knauss Berry Farm (15980 SW 248th Street, Homestead)
More than a U-pick farm, Knauss also includes a fresh bakery. The season runs from January through April, and when tomatoes are in season, you can also load up on fresh tomatoes. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and closed Sunday. Call at (305) 247-0668, or check them out on the Web at Knauss Berry Farm.
Palm Beach:
The Girls Strawberry U-pick (14466 S. Military Trail, Delray Beach)
The Girls run a high-tech hydroponic strawberry farm with stacked containers loaded with berries. There's no bending over, so it's easy on the knees. They are open Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call at (561) 496-0188, or check them out on the web at The Girls Strawberry U-pick.
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