Four tips to get the most for your money on quality produce at a pick-your-own farm
HEAD to a pick-your-own farm for good-value fruit and veg – and a family day out to boot.
You can find your nearest at pickyourownfarms.org.uk and see what crops are ready to pick.
Get the most for your money with these juicy tips.
PICK YOUR TIME: Contact your local farm to find out whether you need to book a time slot in advance.
Most have websites that show you what is growing and the best times to pick.
Strawberries are hitting their peak around now, and there will be heaps of raspberries, courgettes and beans in a month or two.
Head to the farm early in the day to get the best selection before the crowds descend.
POT LUCK: Some places will charge for containers, so take your own pots or punnets to keep costs down.
You may even get a discount if you come prepared with your own boxes.
To avoid squashing and wasting your haul, take lots of small containers rather than one big one.
Bring more than you think you will need — once you start picking, it can be hard to stop.
WEIGH IT UP: With seasonal fruit sometimes on offer in the supermarkets, it can be hard to be sure that picking your own will save you money.
Generally, it should work out cheaper and there is a lot of extra value in it.
Firstly, what you pick will be as fresh as can be, which should mean you waste less through your fruit going off.
Many farms offer discounts for buying bigger quantities and you can then preserve your produce in jams and chutneys, or freeze it for later use.
FAMILY FUN: It’s not hard for a family day out to top £50 — without much to show for it.
Some farms may charge a fee for each person picking, but most will deduct that from what you spend or ask that you pick a minimum amount, which is usually around £10.
For that, you get some fresh food and a memorable family experience.
And at the same time, your kids get a lesson in how food grows.
- All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
Deal of the day
BRIGHTEN up your home with the Halved rug from Ikea, down from £169 to £99 in the store’s summer sale.
SAVE: £70
Cheap treat
CHOOSE one pizza, two sides and a drink for £12 at the Co-op, saving up to £5.55 – and members get an extra £2 off.
SAVE: up to £7.55
What's new?
GO large to watch the Euros with a projector screen from The Range, down from £79.99 to £49.99.
Top swap
ORANGE and bergamot bath and shower gel from Molton Brown is a luxurious gift for £25.
Or make a big saving with Fragrance Society orange, bergamot and lemongrass shower gel, £7.50 at M&S.
SAVE: £17.50
Little helper
A PACK of nine Gentle Clean Andrex Mega Rolls, 50 per cent more sheets than a usual roll, is down from £6.95 to £3.47 at Asda.
Ends today.
Shop & save
BUY five bottles of selected ales at Morrisons for £5, including Marston’s Pedigree amber ale, £2.50.
SAVE: Up to £7.50
Hot right now
HOBBYCRAFT has £5 off for all customers who spend £15 or more in-store, online or via the Hobbycraft app.
Use the code HC515.
PLAY NOW TO WIN £200
JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle.
Every month we’re giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers – whether you’re saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered.
Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.
The more codes you enter, the more tickets you’ll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!