2006 Pick-Your-Own Farm Brochure Available

HARTFORD — Juicy strawberries, crisp peas, and flavorful cherries are among the first pick-your-own (PYO) crops available when Connecticut’s PYO season kicks off in June. To help residents (and visitors) locate a farm offering their favorite crops, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture has made available a free PYO brochure, listing 60 farms throughout the state selling PYO flowers, fruits, vegetables, and pumpkins.

To receive a copy of the brochure, send a self-addressed, business-sized envelope with 39 cents postage to The Connecticut Department of Agriculture PYO Brochure, 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford CT 06106. A PYO listing also is available on the Department of Agriculture’s website, www.ct.gov/doag.

In addition to the name and address of each farm, the brochure lists specific PYO crops offered, a brief description of the farm and its other products, website address (if available), and phone number. The Department of Agriculture suggests calling ahead for PYO availability and hours before heading to any of the farms.

PYO is a great family activity and an excellent way to enjoy the outdoors and experience Connecticut’s vital agriculture. It provides an opportunity to select the freshest, highest-quality products available — usually at lower prices, since the grower saves on labor and transportation — and helps stimulate Connecticut’s local economy and support farms in your own community.

The general timetable below can help plan for a Connecticut PYO outing:

All summer — cut flowers;

June — strawberries, peas, and cherries;

July — blueberries, peaches, raspberries, blackberries, nectarines, and plums;

July until frost — tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables;

September and October — apples, pumpkins, and pears; and

December — Christmas trees.