Winter season and spring are my beloved Florida seasons, specifically for the reason that of the abundance of contemporary, neighborhood produce which is out there. And it doesn’t get a lot more clean than choosing your own at a person of Central Florida’s nearby farms. My private go-to is Southern Hill Farms the place you can decide on fresh strawberries and sunflowers in the cooler months adopted by blueberries, peaches (sure, they have peaches!!), sunflowers and zinnias in the spring.
The farm is located together a clay road on scenic farmland in the rolling hills of Clermont. Other perks consist of onsite meals sellers, live music on the weekends, a enjoy region for the kiddos and handcrafted foods goods.
Get the total scoop on spring u-decide on options at Southern Hill Farms down below and start arranging your individual date day. I promise it can be well worth the generate!
Current April 2022 by Dani Meyering
How it Works
On arrival, you’ll need to have to opt for what to decide on to start with and plan appropriately.
If you are preparing to decide sunflowers or zinnias, head there initially as it is really the furthest absent. Sunflowers are $2/stem and you are going to want to prevent and order a $5 wristband for entry to the sunflower fields. This is a new necessity for the sunflower fields–it’s been set in position in reaction to some theft and destruction to the fields that occurred very last calendar year. As soon as you might be completed picking your blooms, you will head to the specified checkout location to pay out for your bouquets before continuing to other u-select spots.
Southern Hill Farms u-decide sunflowers
For peaches, you will need to verify in at the peach u-choose tent to get a box ahead of heading into the subject. A group member will give you a speedy operate down on how to effectively find and select peaches and then you might be free to explore! Peaches are $4/lb and you may have to have to pay back for what you select just before heading to one more u-pick place. Halt by the farm Tuesdays by means of Sundays starting mid to late April to attempt these sweet peaches for yourself.
Blueberries arrive in the most kinds and are the least difficult to choose. Verify in at the blueberry tent to get your bucket and a brief overview of what fields are open up. Blueberries are $5/lb. Yet again, when you might be finished buying blueberries, you may want to fork out for them in advance of selecting anything at all else. The blueberry fields near at 3:00 pm on weekdays, and 4:00 pm on weekends.
Blueberry u-decide on
Important take note – As of March 2022, Qualified pictures is permitted at the farm with a paid out Qualified Pictures Products and services Go, readily available in the course of our normal organization hrs. This is necessary for any variety of photoshoot for social media, enterprise, or other related needs. Please check out with Southern Hill Farms for aspects.
Spring U-Select at Southern Hill Farms: What is actually available and when
Peaches
Peach season at Southern Hill Farms ordinarily kicks off all around April 15. The selection offered is Florida Prince, a little, sweet and juicy peach. You happen to be authorized to sample one peach when you might be out picking so make it a excellent 1!
Mainly because I went early in the year, it took much more time to find ripe peaches. I experienced fantastic luck strolling all the way to the finish of the discipline and seeking for trees with a ton of fruit on the ground.
Obtainable: April-May
Price: $4/lb
U-choose peaches are readily available April-May well
Blueberries
There are six distinctive blueberry kinds readily available in the course of u-choose ranging from semi-sweet to sweet. The fields that are open up for u-pick rotate each individual day, but on the day of my pay a visit to I was in a position to select Primadonna, Scintilla, Springhigh and Acadia.
When out in the fields, pay focus to the colour-coded flags which point out the wide variety. You can scan the subject map QR code (locate it on industry amount markers and at check in) to pull up the farm’s industry map, which also has data on each individual wide variety. I normally pick a couple of distinctive varieties to keep issues intriguing.
Obtainable: April-Could
Cost: $5/lb
Blueberry fields
Sunflowers & Zinnias
Spring is the fantastic time to decide on your have bouquet. The sunflower discipline is the furthest away but worth the wander. It really is also a fantastic location to snap some images collectively. FYI: Since of difficulties with injury and theft, you’ll now require to obtain a subject go to enter the sunflower fields. The go is $5 for older people and comes with bottled water.
Obtainable: Spring & tumble
Value: Sunflowers are $2 just about every and zinnias are $1 each and every
Points just hold developing at Southern Hill Farms, as u-decide zucchini and yellow squash are now accessible in April, in confined provides. So now you can have some fresh new-picked Florida vegetables to go with your sweet fruit.
Extra factors to do at the farm
Whatever you do, you ought to not go away devoid of tasting Southern Hill Farm’s signature blueberry donuts. They are only $1, so no want to share! You can locate the donuts for sale separately and by the half and full dozen at the bakery Airstream trailer. Other sweet treats are obtainable in this article, together with beverages like handcrafted blueberry lemonade. On a warm Florida day, the frozen version is extra refreshing.
Further foods suppliers and food items vehicles are also onsite for a far more hearty meal. On the weekends, uncover more food stuff vans moreover dwell audio and a entertaining carnival place for little ones.
If you require a new picture with your like, there are a great deal of cute image ops in the course of the grounds.
Blueberry donut and frozen blueberry lemonade
Ideas + Know Before You Go
Southern Hill Farms is situated alongside a clay highway. So be organized for a bit of an adventure to get there. If it is your initially time viewing, know that you are only on the clay street for just above a mile just before arriving. Once you might be employed to it, it is really a whole breeze.
Weekends can be crowded, so check out on a weekday if you can. On a Friday early morning proper at 9am, I practically had the blueberry fields to myself. Existing farm several hours are Wednesday-Friday from 9am-3pm and Saturday-Sunday from 9am-4pm, but are subject matter to transform.
Parking is absolutely free and no reservations are needed. Verify the farm’s Fb website page for updates prior to your check out.
All photos by Stephanie Patterson
