*Updated 2022*
As you know strawberry picking is one of our family’s favorite summer activities. Last year, we visited Tom’s Farm Market in Huntley and had a blast! Read all about it! (But hurry, the season ends soon!)
Related: Read about our favorite strawberry picking experiences.
Our experience at Tom’s Farm Market:
Strawberry Picking at Tom’s Farm Market
We arrived around 9 a.m. on a Wednesday morning and saw that the parking overflowed into the grass. It was easy to follow the signs to the u-pick line with everyone following the social distancing rules.
You have the option of waiting in line for the tractor wagon or walking to the field about a quarter mile away. We chose the wagon tractor ride and found that we could still sit safely from people. Waiting also gave us an opportunity to take pics by the cutouts.
You are given boxes to bring out to the field that can hold 5 lbs worth of berries. When we arrived at the fields, a staff member guided us to a row where we would be picking. After going over a few rules and tips (ie. you can eat the strawberries but you have to dispose of the stems at the garbages by the front), we were ready to pick. Even though we were restricted to one row, we found more than enough red berries.
As part of our tradition, we always try to find a unique looking one.
I think we did pretty good at the end of the day.
The Market
The verdict? The strawberry creme pie is fantastic! As far as the strawberry rhubarb pie, it’s not our fav. (We’d never had rhubarb before so didn’t know what to expect.) But the pie crusts themselves — nothing short of amazing! If you love apple cider donuts, the addition of strawberry frosting will blow your mind!
The Food at the Cafe
Who knew strawberry picking could make you so hungry? Luckily for us, they had an on-site cafe. And let me tell you, strawberry picking or not, we would come back here just for food. We placed an order for a tuna melt, BLT, Caesar salad wrap, strawberry spinach salad, corn chowder soup, and a strawberry shake. Everything was amazing and we gobbled everything down. In fact, my husband said it was one of the best Caesar salad wraps he’s had (it had croutons in it!) My strawberry spinach salad was so good that my kids wanted to finish it for me.
One of my favorite parts about eating here is the outdoor patio area. With plenty of tables spaced apart and being surrounded by all the pretty plants and flowers (like sunflowers), this was the perfect place to sit down and relax after a fun day strawberry picking.
New in 2022:
I love murals especially butterfly wings so I was so excited to find one here. It is located outside in the seating area. We also tried the strawberry donut milk shake. It was A-MAZING!
Tips to enjoy strawberry picking at Tom’s Farm Market:
- Arrive early! We arrived a little after 9 a.m. and found that it was not so busy. When we left, it was a bit busier.
- Rain much? They have straw in between the rows so you’ll have less chance to get muddy.
- Check this page for strawberry picking updates. They post by 5 p.m. the day before.
Bottom Line:
For a sweet time picking strawberries, Tom’s Farm Market is one not to miss! But hurry before the season ends!
Nitty Gritty:
Website: https://www.tomsfarmmarket.com/
When: Now until ?? As always, I would check their website, Facebook page, or give them a call.
Address: 10214 Algonquin Road, Huntley, IL 60142
Admission: No admission cost or minimum needed. Pay for only what you want! Strawberries are $3.25/pound.
Strawberries speaks summer! Very cool.
I wish we had a strawberry farm close to us! I used to love picking strawberries as a kid!