Not long ago, I visited a pick-your-own farm and came away with more than fruit. The lady who runs it told me that her mother had started the farm forty years ago, but she may not be able to continue. It is simply no longer economically viable.

Her words stayed with me. In the ten years we have lived in Cumbria, I have watched pick-your-own farms slowly disappear — especially those offering soft fruit. Strawberries, raspberries, plums… all the flavours of summer, once there for the picking, now harder and harder to find.

Pick-your-own has a long history in Britain. Many farms began opening their fields to the public in the 1960s and 70s, a time when families were looking for affordable days out and farmers saw an opportunity to sell produce directly. By the 1980s, there were hundreds of pick-your-own sites across the country, and a summer outing to gather strawberries or gooseberries was as much a part of the season as trips to the seaside. The rows of cars, the squeals of children racing down the fields with baskets, and the joy of fruit still warm from the sun were memories shared by many.

Today, while the number of soft fruit farms offering pick-your-own has dwindled, some forms remain popular. Halloween has become a strong draw, with pumpkin patches springing up across the country. But these are not quite the same. Pumpkins are relatively easy to manage, and in many cases they are even bought in and placed in the fields. While they create fun seasonal experiences, they lack the sense of continuity and cultivation that comes from watching berries ripen or trees laden with plums.

Anyone who has ever spent a morning in a pick-your-own field knows the simple pleasures it can bring. The warmth of the sun on your shoulders, the sound of bees busy in the rows, the excitement of spotting that perfect berry hidden beneath the leaves. Children run from plant to plant, their fingers and lips stained red with juice, proud of every handful they drop into the basket. Parents stoop beside them, rediscovering the joy of harvesting something fresh and real.

Then there is the delight of carrying your treasure home — baskets and boxes filled to the brim with fruit or vegetables that you picked yourself. That moment is just the beginning. At home, the kitchen becomes a place of creativity and laughter. Some fruit is eaten straight away, sun-warm and irresistible. Some becomes jam bubbling gently on the stove, its perfume filling the house. Some is tucked into pies, tarts or crumbles that bring everyone to the table. The rest is frozen or preserved, a promise of summer’s sweetness when the winter days grow dark.

Pick-your-own is not only a British phenomenon. In Germany and Scandinavia, strawberry fields fill with families each summer. In Japan, strawberry and grape picking is a popular seasonal outing, complete with tea and snacks served on the farm. In the United States, apple orchards open their gates in the autumn, drawing crowds eager to taste cider and pick their own fruit from the trees. Wherever it takes place, the spirit is the same: connection to the land, the season, and the people who nurture it.

If we let these experiences vanish here in the UK, we risk losing more than a source of fresh fruit. We lose the chance for children to see how food grows, to feel soil under their shoes, to know that real flavour comes with effort and patience. We lose opportunities for families to gather outdoors, for traditions to be passed on, for kitchens to fill with the smell of jam and pie.

We cannot turn the tide alone, but perhaps by supporting the few pick-your-own farms that remain, by making the effort to go and harvest our own when we can, we show that there is still value in this way of life. Because in the end, what disappears from the fields also disappears from our culture — the taste of a berry picked with your own hands, the joy of cooking what you gathered, and the memories that linger long after the season has passed.

How to Find Pick-Your-Own Near You

• Check Pick Your Own Farms UK — a handy directory of farms by county.
• Look at local Facebook community groups — many farms post there before they update websites.
• Ask at farm shops and markets — they often know which nearby farms still welcome visitors.

Even if you have to drive a little further, it’s worth making the effort — not just for the fruit, but for the experience and the memories it creates.

Bring the Harvest Home

One of the greatest joys of a day at a pick-your-own is turning your basket of fruit into something delicious. If you’re inspired to cook with what you gather, try my recipe for Chickpeas with Spinach (or swap in a fruit-based one, e.g. plum or strawberry). It’s a simple, nourishing dish that celebrates the link between fresh ingredients, cooking, and connection.