Owings Strawberry Picking Season Is Here: Inside Our Day At Swann Farms

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OWINGS, Md. — All over Maryland, strawberry enthusiasts are heading out to local farms to pick their own strawberries. This annual tradition is a fun and healthy way to support local farmers each year and, of course, get fresh fruit.

There are several farms in Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties, as well as farm and produce stands where locals can buy fresh-picked berries instead of picking them themselves. Our u-pick strawberry farms list includes the local farms in Southern Maryland, as well as information about their hours and offers.

The BayNet decided to revisit a regular favorite, Swann Farms, in Owings. Swann Farms is committed to growing high-quality produce. In addition to strawberries, Swann Farms has u-pick blueberries and blackberries later in the summer.

This was our choice on this particularly hot day, but we hope to try the other farms over the next month. And if not, we’ll definitely be back next year.

The Farm

Swann Farms sits on 360 acres in Owings, right by the Patuxent River. This family-friendly farm grows strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, sunflowers, zinnias and pumpkins seasonally. The farm alternates its strawberry fields every two years to help keep disease out of the field and minimize pests, which keeps pesticide use low.

There are outdoor bathrooms and washing stations, but no concessions at the farm, so make sure to bring plenty of water. The strawberry fields are also an open field, which is hot in the sun and especially later in the day, so plan accordingly.

Berry Picking

Swann Farms offers quarts or 1-gallon buckets for berry picking. You can choose your container and pay at the farm stand before heading out into the field.

Remember that it’s a working farm, so you’ll see bees, spiders and other insects around. You can take as long as you want berry picking – or at least until you fill the container. The fields are large, so you can choose the best spot, and lots of berry pickers find that the center of the rows and fields have some of the best berries.

The Produce Stand

At the produce stand, you can buy quarts of pre-picked strawberries if you’re not planning to pick them yourself. Or, if you think you’ll need more than you can pick and want to guarantee you have enough. The produce stand also sells local honey, asparagus and beautiful hanging flower baskets.

Be aware that the strawberries may sell out early in the day. Once they’re gone, they’re gone for the day and you’ll be out of luck until the farmers pick more.