My husband and I occasionally visited Garson’s Farm early in our marriage. It was our special morning outing with his mum for a drive, fresh air, and refreshments. When we became parents, we visited once during their Pick Your Own season in summer 2019. After that, it was on our ‘to-do list’ but never actually went until now. It was lucky that we ‘waited’. Now that the children are older, we managed to pick much more. On our first visit, I think we only picked strawberries. Some of the strawberries spoiled quickly because the kids a small appetite then, and I didn’t think to freeze them. I highly recommend visiting a pick-your-own farm. Why is it so great? Let me tell you all the reasons why our trip to Garsons PYO Farm was a success.
About Garsons Farm
The Garson family has been farming since 1871. At one time, they were suppliers to London’s Borough Market. It’s still a family-run business and an award-winning destination Garden Centre, Farm Shop and Restaurant with locations in Esher, Surrey and Titchfield, Hampshire.
The Garsons PYO Farm is one of the largest in the UK which covering 155 acres.
Garsons PYO Know Before You Go
It’s advisable to check what’s currently open for picking and you must book your ticket to visit Garsons for the PYO experince, in Esher. They are open Mon-Sat 9-6 and 11-7 on Sunday, but doors open at 10 30. You can easily make a day of it if you don’t live locally. Pop in the shop or café during your time slot, you’re the PYO. There is free parking on site.
If you are visiting with children, they may like to tackle the Corn Maize, in the summer. However, note that it’s a separate entry free.
TIP: Take your gloves and secateurs. It will be helpful for picking some of the crops.
Our Visit To Garsons PYO
We booked for a mid-morning slot to visit the PYO and planned to pick strawberries, corn and broccoli. We picked more than we planned. Once you get the hang of visiting each patch and how to pick the crop, it’s addictive AND therapeutic. Looking out for the best produce takes the mind away from other distractions, especially in the cornfield! If you are a horror flick fan with an overactive imaginaton, you’ll know why.
We started in the cornfield, as luck would have it, it was next to the sunflowers. I had hoped to pick a couple of sunflowers but didn’t in the end. It was a hot day, and we were not going home directly. Altogether, we picked 10 ears of corn. Some broccoli, French beans, one cabbage and a box of strawberries (Garson’s standard size box)
We spent just under £20, which was good value. The sweet corn was almost twice the size of what you get in the supermarket. We paid at the booth just before leaving. They weighed all your produce and tallied the cost there.
FYI: Your carboot may be randomly checked, it’s normal.
Visitor Tip: If you visit in summer, do leave before taking a stroll up hill to their lavender fields.
Staff were friendly and helpful. The farm also has instagrammable spots along they way which adds to the fun. Overall, we had a wonderful experience and will be back.
If you don’t live in the Surrey area, visit the PYO Farm website to find one near you.
Reasons To Pick Your Own
Every day is a school day. I have to admit, even I was surprised to see how some produce grows, things like spinach, French beans and courgettes. I shopped in the farmers’ market regularly for years when I lived in Trinidad, but then again, some produce doesn’t grow on the island. Garsons PYO was a ‘teachable moment’ for me and my family.
The benefits of visiting a PYO Farm:
- Seeing how produce is grown
- Green therapy
- Sensory stimulation
- Inspiration for growing something of your own at home
- Picking fresh produce for home cooking
- Soil to plate cooking experience.
Get Social
You can find out more about Garsons PYO do from their website and events page.
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And finally, if you want more ideas for days out with kids click HERE.
