Spend A Perfect Summer Day At This Popular Pick Your Own Strawberry Farm In Virginia

A field full of ripe strawberries and a basket waiting to be filled make for one of the simplest perfect days a summer can offer. This pick your own farm has been delivering exactly that for families who return every June without needing a reminder.

Kids who arrive with big plans for restraint usually abandon them within the first row. That outcome happens so consistently that staff have stopped being surprised by purple stained fingers before noon.

The rows here are maintained with the kind of care that makes picking feel effortless rather than like a chore disguised as fun. Every basket fills faster than expected, and every basket still feels too light to leave behind.

Virginia summers find their sweetest moments in fields exactly like this one. A single afternoon spent picking turns into a tradition that families build their whole season around.

Strawberry Varieties Available For Picking

It sounds basic, but this farm keeps it simple and sweet when it comes to strawberries. The farm grows classic, full-flavored varieties that ripen beautifully in Virginia’s warm spring climate.

These are not grocery store berries. They are plump, bright red, and packed with real flavor.

The picking season typically runs from April through early June. May is usually the peak month, when the fields are absolutely loaded.

The berries come in fast during that window, so showing up early in the season gives you the best shot at a full basket.

Containers are provided by the farm, so you do not need to bring your own. Pricing is set per basket rather than by weight, so you keep whatever container you fill.

Either way, the value is in the freshness you simply cannot find at any store.

Outside containers, bags, strollers, food, drinks, and pets are not allowed in the picking fields. Eating while picking is also against the rules.

These guidelines help keep the fields clean and fair for everyone visiting that day.

Cullipher Farm is located at 772 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23457. It sits in the Pungo agricultural area, which is one of the most charming rural pockets in all of Virginia Beach.

Tips For Choosing The Ripest Berries

Picking the ripest strawberry takes about ten seconds to learn. Look for berries that are fully red all the way around.

If there is any white or pale green near the tip, put it back and keep moving.

Size does not always mean sweetness. Some of the smaller berries in the row can be the most flavorful ones out there.

Give a berry a gentle squeeze. It should feel firm but not rock hard.

Soft and mushy means it is already past its prime.

Check under the leaves. Berries that grow close to the ground often hide under foliage and ripen without being spotted by other pickers.

Those hidden ones are frequently the sweetest finds of the whole trip. Always check the lower parts of each plant before moving on.

The stem should detach cleanly when the berry is ready. A ripe strawberry practically releases itself with a light twist.

If you are yanking hard, the berry probably needs another day or two. Be gentle with the plants so others can enjoy them too.

Go row by row and do not rush. Skipping ahead might seem smart, but the best berries are often clustered together in bunches.

Take your time, enjoy the sunshine, and trust that a little patience in the field always leads to a much better basket at the end of your visit.

Best Times Of Day For Berry Harvesting

Morning is absolutely the best time to pick strawberries at Cullipher Farm. The fields open at 9 AM, and that first hour is genuinely the sweet spot.

Temperatures are cooler, the berries are firm, and the rows have not been picked over yet.

Weekdays tend to offer an even better selection than weekends. Fewer visitors means more untouched rows waiting for you.

If you can swing a Tuesday or Wednesday morning visit, the fields feel almost entirely yours. That is a rare and wonderful thing during peak strawberry season.

As the day heats up, berries soften faster in the sun. Picking in the afternoon during a warm Virginia summer day can mean dealing with softer fruit that bruises easily in your basket.

Getting there right when the gates open is a smart move every single time.

The farm is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 AM to 6 PM. Monday is a closed day, so plan accordingly.

Last entry for ticket holders is at 5 PM, and the kitchen window closes at 5 PM as well. Arriving early also means you get first pick before fields get picked out for the day.

Always check the farm website before heading out. Fields can close once they are fully picked, and conditions change quickly.

A quick website check the morning of your visit saves you a long drive for nothing.

Health Benefits Of Fresh Strawberries

Fresh strawberries are genuinely one of the healthiest fruits you can eat. A single cup of strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange.

That is not a small detail. Vitamin C supports your immune system and keeps your skin looking healthy all summer long.

Strawberries are also loaded with antioxidants. These compounds help protect your body from everyday damage caused by things like sun exposure and pollution.

Eating berries you picked yourself means you are getting them at peak freshness, which is when nutrient levels are at their highest.

The fiber content in strawberries supports healthy digestion. They are naturally low in calories too, which makes them a guilt-free snack for pretty much everyone.

A whole cup of fresh strawberries clocks in at under 50 calories. That is a pretty solid deal for something that tastes that good.

Strawberries contain compounds that support heart health. Regular consumption has been linked to lower blood pressure and reduced inflammation in the body.

These are not minor perks. Heart-friendly foods that actually taste amazing are worth celebrating.

Kids especially benefit from eating fresh fruit instead of processed snacks. Bringing home a gallon of freshly picked strawberries from Cullipher Farm means your family has a healthy snack ready for the whole week.

Real food, picked by your own hands, always hits differently than anything from a plastic container on a store shelf.

Activities Suitable For Children

Cullipher Farm has genuinely thought about the kids. Beyond the strawberry fields, there is a complimentary one-acre fenced playground that children absolutely love.

It features pedal carts, slides, swings, and a sand pile. That is a solid afternoon right there without spending an extra dollar.

The pedal carts are a crowd favorite. Watching little ones race around the track on those things is honestly entertaining for the adults too.

The playground is fully fenced, which gives parents a real moment to breathe while the kids burn off energy in a safe space.

Highland cows are available for viewing on the property. These are the fluffy, long-horned ones that look like they belong in a Scottish countryside painting.

Kids go absolutely wild for them. Just remember that feeding and petting the animals is not permitted, so prepare for that conversation in the car on the way over.

The farm market is another stop worth making with children. Homemade ice cream, fruit slushies, and baked goods are all available.

Letting kids pick out a treat after a morning of berry picking makes the whole trip feel like a complete adventure rather than just a quick errand.

Picnic areas are available on the property, so packing a lunch is a great idea. Spread out, let the kids run, and enjoy the open farm atmosphere.

Cullipher Farm is built for families who want a real outdoor experience without overcomplicating the day.

Sustainable Farming Practices Used On Site

This spot has been a family-owned operation for generations in the Pungo agricultural area. Farming this land long-term requires real commitment to keeping the soil healthy and the fields productive year after year.

That kind of multigenerational investment naturally pushes farms toward more thoughtful growing practices.

The farm grows a wide range of crops across the seasons. Strawberries in spring, blueberries and blackberries in early summer, peaches, grapes, apples, pumpkins, and sunflowers throughout the rest of the year.

Rotating crops across seasons is a classic and effective method for maintaining soil quality and reducing pest pressure without relying heavily on chemicals.

Pick-your-own farming is itself a sustainable model. When visitors do the harvesting, it reduces labor costs and food waste dramatically.

Berries that get picked and eaten the same day never sit in a distribution warehouse or travel hundreds of miles in a refrigerated truck. That is a genuinely shorter and cleaner food chain.

The farm enforces strict field rules around outside containers, food, and drinks. These guidelines are not just about fairness.

They also protect the crops from contamination and help maintain field conditions for the next round of visitors. Clean fields mean healthier plants and better harvests overall.

Supporting a local family farm like Cullipher directly funds sustainable agriculture in Virginia. Every basket purchased keeps that land in farming rather than development.

That matters a lot for the long-term character of the Pungo region and Virginia Beach as a whole.

Delicious Recipes Featuring Fresh Strawberries

Coming home with a gallon of fresh strawberries is a beautiful problem to have. The good news is that strawberries are one of the most versatile fruits in any kitchen.

You can go simple or get creative, and either direction works out well.

Strawberry shortcake is the classic move for a reason. Slice the berries, toss them with a little sugar, let them sit for twenty minutes, and spoon them over biscuits with whipped cream.

It takes almost no effort and tastes like a proper summer dessert. Fresh-picked berries make this dish taste completely different from the store-bought version.

Strawberry jam is another excellent use for a big haul. A basic jam recipe only requires berries, sugar, and lemon juice.

Cook it down, jar it up, and you have fresh farm jam that lasts for weeks. It also makes a great gift if you are feeling generous after your Cullipher Farm visit.

Smoothies are a fast and practical option for using berries throughout the week. Blend fresh strawberries with banana, yogurt, and a splash of orange juice.

Breakfast is done in under two minutes. Kids love it, and it uses up berries before they soften past their best point.

Strawberry salsa is a fun and unexpected option. Combine diced strawberries with red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.

Serve it over grilled chicken or with tortilla chips. It sounds odd but tastes genuinely fantastic every single time.

Seasonal Events Hosted At The Farm

Cullipher Farm is not just a pick-your-own operation. It runs seasonal events throughout the year that give people a reason to come back long after strawberry season wraps up.

The farm transforms with each season, and that keeps things genuinely interesting across the calendar.

The Strawberry Jamz Festival is one of the more popular spring events. It brings live bluegrass music, ice cream stands, and of course the strawberry fields all together in one big outdoor celebration.

It is the kind of afternoon that feels completely effortless and fun without requiring much planning on your part.

Fall is a completely different experience at Cullipher Farm. Pumpkin patch visits, apple picking, grape harvesting, and a corn maze draw big crowds from across the Virginia Beach area.

The corn maze runs about 45 minutes to an hour and costs $10 per person. Apple cider donuts are available in the fall and are genuinely worth the trip on their own.

Hayrides are another fall highlight. The owner has been known to drive the hayride personally and share stories about the farm and the Highland cows along the route.

That personal touch makes the experience feel more connected and memorable than a typical agritourism stop.

The farm is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 AM to 6 PM. Always check the website before visiting since hours and field availability can shift based on weather and crop conditions.

Planning ahead keeps the day smooth and stress-free from start to finish.