How agreeable of Mother Nature to provide the conditions Virginia farmers needed to grow a signature summer crop. Berries were cultivated on almost 900 farms on 1,119 acres in Virginia, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture Census data from 2022. Blueberries are the most widely grown berry, followed by blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and elderberries.
A "fantastic crop" of Natchez and Ponca blackberries are growing on 2 acres of trellis at Henley Farms in Pungo.
"They are pretty much the best we've ever had," said Barbara Henley, who operates the pick-your-own produce farm with her husband, G.W. "The Ponca is a round berry and the Natchez is more elongated, and each has a slightly different taste. Poncas are sweet and Natchez are more tart. Both crops are beautiful and in top production!"
The farm is open to pickers and produce shoppers daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. "We are wide open for picking the next 3 to 4 weeks," Henley said. "Our varieties are thornless, which makes for good picking. And because they grow on trellises, you don't have to get down in the dirt."
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