It’s Strawberry Time in Kansas City: Fun Facts and Where to Go

Strawberry picking season is officially here and there are plenty of neat places around KC to pick them right off of the vines. Before you take the little ones out to berry picking, let’s take a look at some fun, educational strawberry facts you can share with them!

Fun Facts About Strawberries

1. There are approximately 200 seeds on every strawberry.
2. They are the only fruit that has their seeds on the outside.
3. Strawberries aren’t really berries, they are an accessory fruit.
4. Strawberries are a member of the rose family. Plums and cherries are also in the rose family
5. The average American eats about 3.4 pounds of strawberries every year. (You could very well find that amount on your berry picking adventure)!
6. California produces 75 percent of the strawberries you see in the grocery store. 23,000 acres of strawberries are planted in California each year. Luckily, during this time of year, you can find them right here at home!
7. Strawberries are delicate and should be picked with a gentle hand to prevent bruising. Make sure you let the little ones know this before they start picking.
8. There is a museum in Belgium dedicated to strawberries.
9. To store fresh strawberries, wash them and cut the stem away.
10. Strawberries can be yellow, blue, white, black, and purple too.
11. The first strawberry shortcake recipe appeared in an English cookbook as early as 1588.

Where to Pick Strawberries in Kansas City

Now that you are armed with a slew of fun strawberry facts, you can make your way to one of these fantastic farms to pick your very own strawberries.

Bennie’s Berries

Normally located in South KC, Bennie’s Berries allows you and your little ones to pick your very own berries to take home. This year berry picking has moved to Wellsville Kansas (about a 40-minute drive from KC). Call 913-313-6273 for more information.

Spanish Garden Berry Farm

This berry farm is located in Platte City, MO and is open for picking season! The Spanish Garden Berry Farm grows delicious berries of all varieties throughout the season and loves to host visitors who want to pick their own berries. Make sure to call 816-582-3398 to make sure the berry farm is open the day you want to stop by.

Gieringers Family Orchard & Berry Farm

Located in Edgerton, KS, Gieringers strawberry patch spans over 5 acres. They use a unique method that allows their berries to be ready earlier in the season and grow huge! An all day access field pass is also only $2.00. That is a pretty great deal for fresh strawberries.

Want to know more about what is going on around Kansas City this season? Head over to our events calendar and see what fun activities are coming up. Don’t forget to comment a picture of your strawberry haul below!