Self-Picking: Our Agritourism Farms Are Welcoming You to Their Fields

Within the next few weeks, the self-picking season will be in full swing everywhere in the province. After finally having received the Quebec government’s authorization to go ahead, harvesting fruits and vegetables directly in the fields is at the top of Quebec citizens’ list of favourite activities, besides being part of the solution for our producers’ challenges to bring their products to market, and the lack of manpower they’re presently dealing with.

 “Carried out in the open air and spread out over wide areas, this activity lends itself very well to social distancing between pickers. Because they’re the only ones who will touch the fruits or vegetables they’re harvesting, the risks diminish, » states André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Therefore, taking all this into consideration, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be able to go on this ideal family outing, safe for the public, and very important for fruit and vegetable growers.

Buying locally is becoming more and more a priority. Acting as sustainable consumers, we support our community (by creating jobs and wealth) and we limit our environmental footprint (short distances, little packaging). Considering this, farm stands and self-picking activities together generate annual sales revenues of about $160 M. Their contribution to the economy is far from negligible, and this, notwithstanding the fact that they offer consumers a means to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables and reduce food waste.

What to pick and when…

June: Honeyberries | Strawberries

July: Honeyberries | Strawberries | Raspberries | blackcurrants | redcurrant | cherry | morello cherries | blueberries | gooseberries | blackberries

August: Strawberries | Raspberries | blueberries | gooseberries | blackberries | sea buckthorn | apples | plums | chokeberries

September: Strawberries | Raspberries | sea buckthorn | apples | pears | cucurbits (squash, etc.) | plums | chokeberries | grapes

October: Raspberries | apples | grapes | cucurbits

Discover Our Region’s Agritourism Farms  

There are plenty of places offering self-picking opportunities in Brome-Missisquoi! Here is a list of some of the many sites where you can fill your provision baskets:

BROMONT: La récolte des Cantons

COWANSVILLE: Citrouille & compagnie | Le Champ de la Voisine

DUNHAM Argousiers Dunham | Au Paradis des Fruits Dunham | Bleuetière Benoit | Domaine de Dunham inc. | Ferme au Pic | La Colline aux bleuets | Le Terroir de Dunham | M.R.C. Bouchard| Verger Claude Tougas

FARNHAM Ferme Samson et Fils | Verger Kessler

FRELIGHSBURG Au cœur de la pomme S.E.N.C. | La fermette du Ruisseau fleuri-cueillette de bleuets nature

LAC-BROME Les Argousiers du Lac-Brome | Domaine ValBrome

SAINT-ARMAND La petite ferme Pigeon Hill

SAINTE-SABINE Fraisière RouG.I. et fils inc.

STANBRIDGE EAST Bleuets du Ridge | La fruiterie champêtre

SUTTON Bleuetière Sutton | Bleuets du Massif Sutton | Le Domaine Perdu

If you know other producers offering self-picking in the region, please don’t hesitate to share them with us in the comments section.

Plan your Outing

Farm producers offering self-picking activities must implement the preventive sanitary measures as required by the Public Health Expertise and Reference Centre

(INSPQ) for COVID-19, plus respecting certain other regulations as well. Knowing this, be prepared to experience a different type of outing than in the past.

It will therefore be important for you to think ahead and adapt your plans for the day. As for me, I believe this to be a great opportunity to reinvent this family tradition and to take advantage of our field outings to discover new local activities and sites.