Frequently asked questions:
Do I need to bring my own picking container?
We provide containers for your convenience, but if you have a peach peck box from our farm re-use it and get a small rebate. We will happily do this to encourage you to re-use it. We don't accept them back.
Can I order pre-picked fruit over the phone?
No, we don't take phone orders.
How do I prune, plant, spray, and care for blueberries, peaches, or blackberries?
The Missouri Cooperative Extension Service is a good source of information. Please give your local office a call for advice. The Kemper Center at the Missouri Botanical Garden may also be helpful.
Where do you get your plants?
We buy much of our stock at Stark Bros. Nurseries in Louisiana, Mo.
Why do you have netting up over the blueberries?
Birds love berries as much as we do. They would eat at least half of them every year. The net keeps many out.
Do you spray with pesticides?
Yes, but only if necessary, with approved products according to directions.
It is impossible to grow peaches in Missouri without doing so. To minimize sprays, we use pheromone traps, crop scouting and other integrated pest control methods.
Should we wash the fruit before it is eaten?
Yes, it's a good idea to wash all fruits and vegetables.
Can I take fruit off the ground?
No, fruit on the ground isn't clean, and may be spoiled. We don't sell or give it away.
Where can I pick strawberries, raspberries and pumpkins?
We don't grow these, but this place does: Lakeview Farms, 8265 Mexico Rd., St. Peters, MO, tel.636-978-8830, or on the web at
http://www.lakeview-farms.com/
Here is a link to other attractions:Find Pick Your Own Fruit or Vegetables on an Interactive Map Are there chiggers, snakes, or any other things we should know about? Once a season or so we see snakes, but the good kind. We've never seen poisonous ones on the farm. If you are worried about chiggers, come prepared. We walk around the farm all summer in shorts, but never had a case. If you are observant, you may see deer, coyotes, foxes or turkeys in the orchard. If they see you, they will run away. What are the best ones to pick? All the varieties we grow are proven customer favorites. The best ones are ripe and ready to pick the day you arrive. Having said that, only you can judge your favorites. Come out a few times during the season to test for yourself. (See picking tips) Equivalents: Blueberry Equivalents 1 pint yields 3/4 pound 2 pints or 1 quart yields 1.5 pounds 3 pounds yield one 9-inch pie Peach Equivalents 1 pound yields 3 medium peaches 3 cups peeled and sliced 2 cups puree 1 bushel yields 48 pounds peaches 18-24 quarts sliced peaches 4 pecks 1 peck yields 10-12 pounds
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If you have a question that you'd like to ask, contact us at windridgefarm@centurytel.net or call the orchard after May 15. We'll be out in the field, but will respond as promptly as possible.