We have made the difficult decision to not offer raspberry picking this season. While change isn’t always easy, it is critical to improve, especially in farming. U-Pick raspberries have been a staple of Wright-Locke Farm for the last 50 years, and we have enjoyed keeping the tradition going. However, environmental changes have made fruit farming on our land increasingly difficult, and we are constantly evolving. Here are the main reasons we are reducing our raspberry crop:
- The increased presence and earlier onset of the Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD).
- Attempt to diversify crops to maximize our 2 acres of growing fields.
- Lack of staff and volunteers to maintain a healthy crop.
When the Hamilton Family made this land a one-crop farm, they weren’t going to farmers markets to provide the community with a variety of produce. Also, the SWD fruitfly wasn’t here yet! Originating in East Asia, this fruitfly has been an increasingly difficult challenge, and as temperatures are warming, it is laying larvae earlier in the season. The larvae feed on the inside of the raspberry, breaking it down into a squishy mess. As an organic farm, we can’t eliminate it with harsh chemicals, so having a smaller raspberry crop that we can professionally manage is best. We will still have berries at the market, but not enough for the public to come and pick. After much thought, this departure from our U-Pick history allows us to grow a wider variety of foods and offer much more to our community. It’s hard to believe when you see what we produce that we only farm on two acres! Looking for a place where you can go raspberry picking? Click here for a list of U-Pick farms in our area!
