Pick Your Own Fruits and Vegetables at Parkside Farm

Have you ever been to a local farm to pick your own fruits and vegetables? If not, let me tell you that it is a wonderful way of connecting...

Have you ever been to a local farm to pick your own fruits and vegetables? If not, let me tell you that it is a wonderful way of connecting with nature and the food that you consume. When my parents visited us last month, I took them to our local 'pick your own' (pyo) at Parkside Farm based in Enfield. It is very near Chase Farm Hospital and every time I have visited the hospital, I used to think that I need to visit the farm. And finally I did last month.

The concept of a 'Pick-Your-Own' is very simple. These are working farms that allow visitors to come and pick their own fruits and veggies. Some farms are dedicated to a single crop type while many offer multiple pickings. Parkside Farm grow around twenty different fruits and vegetables all of them exclusively for 'Pick-Your-Own'. When we visited the farm, which is located in the beautiful rolling countryside, there were around fourteen different crops available for picking.

At the farm entrance, we picked a few baskets, bags and a small wheelbarrow and headed into the farm. There were clear markings everywhere directing us to the different crop areas. We started off with the table-top strawberries. This is such a wonderful idea. There was no need to bend while picking the fruits and my mom liked it a lot. She had a bit of a back problem that day and this table-top picking worked well for her. Next we headed to the beetroot and spinach section. The day was sunny, weather was wonderful and picking veggies while breathing in the fresh air was such a lovely experience. I have gone fruit picking earlier, but have never pulled veggies from the ground. So, pulling the beets from the ground with my own hands was nothing short of magical for me. I felt so connected with nature. After we had picked sufficient beets and onions, we headed to pick some raspberries. Then it was the turn of sweet corn. Mom and I had such a wonderful time walking through the corn blocks and choosing the best ones. We picked quite a few (as you might have guessed, it was fresh sweet corn soup at home for the next few days). After that we went to the beans and squash section. I picked a basketful of tender and young French beans and one large squash. With that our picking was done for the day and we headed back to the farm entrance which also houses the area where the fruits and veggies are weighed and you make your payment. Overall, it was a very wonderful experience and I will be going back regularly (in season) to pick fresh produce. If you have never been to a 'Pick-Your-Own' farm, then I recommend that you visit one.

Tips to remember when visiting any 'Pick-Your-Own' farm:

- Wear old and comfortable clothing. Carry gardening gloves.
- Wear proper shoes (or wellies) as the farms can be very muddy at times; especially if it has rained.
- Pick only what you need and will surely use. It can become very tempting to pick everything that you see; but this only results in wastage. So, think twice and then pick.
- Do not pick unripe fruits and vegetables.
- Do not damage plants and please do not litter.

If you would like to visit Parkside Farms, here are their details:
Parkside Farm
Hadley Road
Enfield
Middlesex EN2 8LA
Phone: 020 8367 2035 (It's a message line only)
A minimum spend of £3 applies per adult/child on fruits and veggies.  The farm is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5.30pm. On Sundays' the opening time is variable, so do call before you visit.

Have you visited any 'Pick-Your-Own' farm? Can you recommend any near London?