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Community Corner

Frugal Family: Pick your Savings

This week the frugalista offers suggestions on how to combine some family time with saving money on produce.

One of the best parts of summer is fresh produce, and you can’t get much fresher than picking it yourself.

Our area has quite a few pick-your-own farms, each offering a selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables at prices lower than what you would find in stores. Even better – it gets the kids out of the house, so it’s not only saving money on food but it's also something fun for the family to do together. Grab a bucket or basket and head out.

Most people in the area have heard of Strawberry Acres, which keeps its website updated with information on what’s available. It has a market where you can get fresh baked goodies as well as a deli. Unfortunately, cherry season didn’t go well and all the cherries were picked within a few days, but both yellow and black sweet cherries are available in the market.

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Strawberries, blueberries, red and black raspberries, sweet corn, cabbage, tomatoes and more are available in the market.

If you want to pick your own fruit, head there in August when the peaches will be ready for picking. Otherwise, you can have a hoagie and pick up some farm fresh produce while the kids enjoy the big slide there and feed the animals.

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George Schmidt Berry Farm in New Tripoli has an abundance of red raspberries this year, according to its website. You’ll pay just $2.65 per pound. Sugar peas and snap peas also are available for picking at the moment.

While the picking schedule depends on the weather, the farm anticipates blueberries, red raspberries, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, apricots, sweet corn, cabbage, onions, red beets, kholrabi to be available in July. August wil bring blueberries, peaches, blackberries, plums, nectarines, cantalopes, watermelon, tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumbers, red beets, and green peppers. At the end of the season (September and October) expect to find apples, pears, pumpkins, green peppers, and tomatoes.

 in South Whitehall currently has blueberries, black raspberries and both red and black currants available for picking. Starting around mid-July, it anticipates its peaches being ready, but employees pick those and make them available for purchase.

The farm also sells Christmas trees, and you can tag the ones you want the first weekend in December.

Always contact farms before visiting to find out where they're at with their schedule. 

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