U-Pick FAQ

The Plant Community

Some plants that you might* connect with on u-pick harvest days:

• June: Alfalfa, Anise Hyssop (leaf), Arnica, Catnip, Comfrey, Oregano, Red Clover, Stinging Nettle, Thyme, Yarrow
• July/August: Anise Hyssop (leaf and flower), Arnica, Aronia, Blue Vervain, Borage, Calendula, California Poppy, Catnip, Chamomile, Comfrey, Echinacea (flower & leaf), Hyssop, Lemon Balm, Marshmallow (flower & leaf), Milky Oats, Mullein, Oatstraw, Oregano, Peppermint, Skullcap, Spearmint, Spilanthes, St. Joan’s/John’s Wort, Thyme, Tulsi, Yarrow
• September/October: Ashwagandha (root), Elecampane (root), Marshmallow (root)

* we’re probably forgetting someone in this list!

* depending on availability and how the season unfolds for each plant!

As we follow nature’s lead, we can’t say exactly… however we anticipate an early-July start and late August to mid-September wrap up. Sign up for the mailing list to get updates on u-pick dates and times. We’ll also post that info here on our website.

Join us at the farm, receive some harvest instructions, take your basket/s and harvest the herbs you’d like, bring them to the gazebo where we’ll weigh and price them, pay, and pack up your fresh, locally-grown herbs to bring them home!

No, as our attention is focused on the gardens during u-pick, it is not okay to walk around the farm. We will be offering farm tours on some u-pick days and we’ll be sure to let you know through our Instagram account and email newsletter. You are welcome to bring a blanket and take in the farm from one of the designated areas, if you wrap up your harvest before the designated harvest time is over (due to restrictions, we must limit times in order to make the space available to others who wish to harvest). 

• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Water bottle (potable drinking water from our well is available for refills)
• Insect repellant (We are a pesticide-free space and ask guests to refrain from using conventional bug sprays. We provide complimentary natural insect-repellant for those who need it.)
• Foot-wear for uneven ground. Bare feet are ok in the gardens (but not outside of them). 
• Clothing that you don’t mind getting a bit dirty. The gardens are quite tidy, but they are still gardens, with soil and water! 
• Baskets for harvesting
• Cooler/pails/bags/containers to transport fresh herbs home (we provide water for your pails)
  • Flower, milky oat, and root harvests will transport best in a cooler to maintain freshness
  • Herbaceous (leafy) herb harvests and flowers harvested on stems can be transported home in pails of water — a box or rubbermaid is suggested to keep buckets upright — or in bags or other containers (some leaves don’t have long enough stems to sit in a pail of water).
• Love & respect – leave disrespectful, oppressive language and conversation at home. And, if you are someone who engages in such, perhaps you should stay home, too! For real. This is to be as safe a space as possible for all. Thanks!

We have a farm visit fee of $12, and then each herb is sold by the pound (or ounce).

Please also see our Community Care page for info on our sliding scale and reparations payment options. 

We accept cash, cheque, or e-transfer.

Yes. Pre-picked dried herbs are available in the late summer/early fall. During u-pick season, only fresh herbs are available. We will be offering single CSA-style shares of fresh herbs on a weekly or bi-weekly basis for pick-up at Northlore in the exchange district of Winnipeg. If you would like to place a bulk order of dried herbs, please reach out. We will be processing dried herb orders in the fall once everything is harvested and dried. 

• Please do not harvest in rows marked “reserved”
• Please wait to harvest until you’ve received instructions on how to harvest and where from. Similar to a strawberry u-pick, you may be given a designated area to harvest within, and a flag to place in the ground where you stop.
• Please harvest each herb in a separate basket; each herb is weighed separately as they have unique pricing.
• Not all plants in the garden will be available for u-pick. As we are a new farm, we won’t have an abundance of every single plant. Some that we have a smaller community of will be reserved for CSA shares or local makers.
• We reserve the right to limit harvests to a certain amount, to allow for future harvests by others. 
• No pets (love ’em, but leave ’em home!)
• No smoking on-site
• If you happen to bring a snack, no peanuts or peanut-products. We have a peanut-allergy in the family. Thanks for helping us to keep our family safe!

We will send you a map of the farm, with the parking area clearly marked. 

Pets are not allowed on the farm, sorry! 

Children are welcome. Please note that this is a farm, not a park, and there are areas of risk – ponds, marshes, animals, stinging nettle, poison ivy, bees, wasps, farm equipment, etc. Please ensure children are supervised and with the adult they came with at all times. During restrictions, we have a booking system so that we remain within the guidelines – children will count as one person on site so will also need to be booked in. Thank you.

The farm is quite flat, so fairly accessible for walking and perhaps wheelchairs. However, we can’t speak to whether it would be accessible for all wheelchairs or not – this is likely unique to each individual. Unfortunately, at this time, our on-site composting toilets are not wheelchair accessible.

If a drop-off right at the garden gate would help make a visit more approachable, please reach out to let us know. If you have any questions about your visit, we are happy to provide as much insight as we can, and to adapt where possible. 

We’d be delighted to have your help in the gardens. There is always weeding, tidying, harvesting, and other work to be done. Reach out to let us know which tasks would work for you, and we can see if there is a time that works for everyone. Another option is to come at the start of a u-pick day and help out before you harvest.

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: It really depends on the ever-changing landscape of restrictions. If we are able, we would love to host some intimate workshops, tours, and other events. Sign up for our newsletter and stay tuned in on Instagram.

More like a market stand! While you’re here, you’ll also be able to stock up on items like

• fresh eggs (thanks to our kids and their flock of hens)
• local honey for your teas, elixirs, oxymels, and infused honeys
• herbal posies that make lovely gifts to introduce friends and family to fresh, local, medicinal herbs
• possibly some other goods from the farm

You are welcome to bring a snack or picnic to enjoy during the u-pick hours. We will have some areas designated for this; if you don’t notice them, just ask! We will also have a pop-up tent set up with some blankets or bales for seating, as well as a little shelf with some books on herbs, herbalism, farming, and more that you are welcome to enjoy while at the farm.