Hi all - Happy Tuesday night to you. My farmer and I can't go to bed until we solve the world's problems, or at least figure out how he's going to handle "Pick your own" or "PYO," aka "u-pick." He's got strawberries, Blue berries, and Marion berries. He also has multiple-site syndrome, which means the berry fields are spread out in various locations around the farm. There is a farm store, Willamette Valley Fruit Company, which is centrally located, and 3 main PYO fields within a two minute drive from the store.
So, here's where you come in, so that we can go to bed - sleep in peace - and know that we will have answers by morning. Because my readers are so awesome and they stay up all night to check and see if I've posted something new and witty. :) But I digress.
We have a little informal survey for you to take. It will only take four or five minutes of your time and would be so beneficial to see how other people think. We're turning our brains inside out talking this thing in circles, and it's time for an outside opinion. Plus, as an added 10pm bonus, My Farmer will give a free pint of berries of your choice to anyone who responds before midnight on Saturday, June 12. Just post your answers to the survey in the comments section, with an e-mail address if I don't have it already, and I will send you an e-mail with a really snazzy certificate and instructions for your free pint.
Here it is, with no further ado:
1. Does there need to be an attendant in the field, or does a sign with a cell phone number saying, "Call for assistance" work? In this scenario there would be instructions given and posted at the store, but no person in the field.
2. Do the PYO fields need to be open on the weekdays, or are weekends enough?
3. The store would like to streamline and simplify the PYO process as much as possible. One idea is for the store to sell 2 sizes of containers whose value in u-pick berries has already been determined. This would eliminate the need for people to bring empty containers to weigh in and return with their full containers for weigh-out. If you were u-picking, would you be willing to purchase reusable pre-paid containers, or is using your own free container an inalienable right to u-pickers? (Does it make any difference if the container is provided free of charge?)
4. My Farmer intends to plant a small patch of various varieties of other berries somewhere in the vicinity of the store for future PYO convenience. The location of this patch has been a quandry for months now. The best location, for a variety of reasons - view from the store, irrigation, long-range field planning - is across the street from the store. This road is not currently "busy", but farm trucks do come in and out to deliver fruit, and those who drive by go exceptionally fast. My Farmer is concerned for the safety of people crossing the street with berry trucks rumbling by. Do you think it would be adequate to have signs on the fence that say "no foot traffic please" and instructions to drive over to the field, or do you think people would jay-walk anyway? In your opinion, would this safety concern be enough of a reason to keep everything connected with the farm store on the same side of the street?
Thanks for you time - happy survey taking - remember, for those of you who have never commented before, you can click the comment button and proceed as "anonymous." Just be sure to give me your name and e-mail address if you want that free pint of berries.
Jen :)
1. A cell phone number is fine. When we picked your blue berries last year there was no attendant, just a sign....I think.
ReplyDelete2.Weekends is not enough, its easier for me and the kids to go during the weekdays.
3.I will be honest...don't mess with my containers. But if its free, that is okay :)
4.I would think most people know how to cross a street, but I understand. It is just hard to get the kids all back in the car and buckled when its within walking distance. If I was by myself I would have no problem.
Your friend,
Christy Lowry
p.s. you have my email right?
1. Call for Assistance works for me
ReplyDelete2. Maybe one weekday - like a Friday? We would be more likely to take an afternoon off work to drive down on a weekday to avoid the traffic/crowds that are around on weekends.
3. We would likely purchase containers with pre-determined weight/cost. This would help us know how much we were spending without having to guess the weight.
4. This is a tough one. Honestly, we would probably just cross the road - rather than have to re-park. If there was a sign though Grant and I are split: I would follow the direction and Grant still would not. :)
Call for assistance is good for me; especially because we are familiar with your fields.
ReplyDeleteWe like the availability of weekdays. I don't think we have ever gone on a weekend as that's when Jeff is home. Our berry pickin' trips are more just me and the kids enjoying getting out of the house.
Predetermined buckets are awesome, especially if they are free. Depending on the price of predetermined buckets I probably would just keep mine and go back to the store and weigh. I do like the idea of prepaying and just heading home from the field though.
As far as crossing the road, yeah, I'd rather not load kids and have to re-park. However, their safety is the most important thing and while I hate squished berries I hate squished kids even more! I would like a sign reminding me to watch for trucks, look both ways and to hold my childrens' hands.
We love the Roth berries so be sure and let us know when they are ready!
Love you guys!
Jen H
1. I don't think an attendant is necessary.
ReplyDelete2. I like to pick in the evenings after work and prefer not to go on the weekends. People often just assume a place is open and don't like to worry about whether it is the right day.
3. I like to use my own bucket, but sometimes I forget it or just happen to go by a Upick... and am bummed if I am required to have my own container. What about offering both choices? You could also have ziploc bags available, and ask that they transfer the picked berries to the ziploc and leave your prepriced containers.
4. People will cross the road. I'd suggest some caution cones and some flags.
Can't wait till blueberries are ready!
Wendy (from Crosspoint)
1. I think a phone number would work well.
ReplyDelete2. I say definetly weekdays. There are only 2 days in a weekend. But 5 in a week with bored kids and Mommys lookin for something fun to do. Plus it seems weeekends times are always so busy timewise we would be more likely to come on a weekday.
3. I like the option of both ideas for containers. Having ones available in case werent planning on coming or for those who plain forget which would likely be me. But also to be able to use our own too. I like the ziploc idea too.
4. Lastly it would be great to have it all be on one side of the street. Especially if we have sticky kids. But I understand that isnt always practical. Lots of signs and safety warnings should get the point across. This is awesome and cant wait for blueberries yum my favorite.
Hi Jen! If you pick me to win berries, I'll have my sister go in my place. But I love berry picking so I'm going to answer your questions anyway.
ReplyDelete1. A sign w/ a phone number in the field is great, lots more helpful than the place I'm used to going here which leaves you quite on your own.
2. I refuse to go berry picking on weekends, weekday availability is really important to me!!
3. If you're going to weigh containers after picking and charge by weight, then you should provide the containers free. Or you could hand them out "free" but have a field charge, which everyone who goes out to pick (exception little kids) has to pay. I don't actually like that system much but that's how they do it at the place I go to. And I keep going there!
4. If some of the picking was across the road, rebellious lazy sinner me would rather ignore signs to the contrary and run across than load my kids back in the car.
Hope my answers help! See you on August 6th?! Love, Jamie
Jen
ReplyDeleteI just realized that my anonymous post didnt put my name when I thought I put it on here. The no name anonymous is mine. The not so anonymous JennY Carpenter.