Good news for U-pick farms and orchards in Michigan: an executive order this week gave them permission to open for the season, as long as appropriate safety measures have been put in place. After the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City was cancelled for July 2020, many of us have wondered what would become of the over 200 u-pick farms in Michigan this season.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Social distancing: no crowds, and plan to stand 6 feet apart when in line. You may need to wait before entering the field or market. You may be asked to pick in every other row to maintain spacing.
- Gloves: farms may hand out gloves for picking.
- Sanitizing: farms must sanitize all items that customers touch after every use.
Now more than ever, spending time outside in the sunshine picking local produce makes sense! It’s asparagus-picking season currently, and strawberries should be ready in about a month.
Visit Pick Your Own to get the scoop on u-pick farms near you, along with an approximate picking schedule.