Growing interest in picking fresh farm food bears fruit

Picking your own fruit might seem a bit Enid Blyton, but these days when food miles are a huge issue and supermarket prices are on the rise, it seems that more and more people are filling their baskets - and mouths - with juicy fruits straight from a farmer's field.

The revival of interest in making preserves, jams and home baking has also helped increase the numbers who are heading for the great outdoors at the weekend to stock up with blackcurrants, redcurrants, strawberries, raspberries and even gooseberries.

In fact, so popular is pick your own (PYO) - especially among families looking for a good summer holiday activity for children - that the two biggest farms in the Lothians are expanding massively to cater for the demand.

West Craigie Farm, near South Queensferry, and Belhaven Fruit Farm in Dunbar are the two major PYO players in the region - Lowe's farm near Dalkeith was so battered by the bad weather earlier this year that it's not operating PYO at the moment - and both are planning for the future as they see no let up in interest.

John Sinclair, owner of Craigie's, says: "We've got the traditional fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and the currants but this year, because it's been so popular, we've got new stuff coming up in the next few months such as blueberries, pea pods and broad beans and then by late August it will be the Victoria plums.

"We've certainly seen a revival in PYO so we're expanding the range all the time. We're looking two to three years ahead right now and so we've put in a cherry plantation and an apple orchard, although they will take some time to establish."

He adds: "I think there's been a growing interest because parents who were taken as children now have children themselves and want to share the experience. And there's a growing awareness of where food comes from."

Mark Rennie, owner of Belhaven Fruit Farm, agrees that it's the interest in local produce which is pushing the PYO revival. "It's been absolutely bananas," he laughs, "but we don't grow them of course. Our numbers are up 20 per cent on last year already. I've never known it to be so popular.

"We've got to the stage where we'll have to increase our PYO area for next year as there are so many people wanting to come and do it. I honestly think the rise in popularity is because people are fed up with supermarket strawberries. Supermarkets have targeted strawberries very aggressively and that's decreased the quality, so people are looking for the taste they know from the past."

Right now, his farm is "bursting" with strawberries, blackcurrants and gooseberries. He says: "The blackcurrants are two weeks early and they're just hanging off the bushes. Gooseberries are also very popular this year and the redcurrants are just coming up now as well. We have all the PYO in polytunnels and we were lucky that the bad weather earlier this year didn't affect them.

"I also think PYO is a very family-orientated thing and people are always looking for things to do with their children, and showing them how fruit is grown and how it should taste is a great way of spending time together."

Of course, there is always a danger of too-sticky fingers, but Mark says he finds that most people are respectful enough not to just eat and go.

John adds: "Our PYO is outdoors in the fields and we have rangers on hand to point them in the right direction and to make sure there's not too much eating going on, though that can be difficult to stop with small children. We could always weigh them before they start and then afterwards."

So why trawl round a supermarket when you could be out in the fresh air hunting for nature's spoils yourself?

• For more information, contact West Craigie Farm, South Queensferry, EH30 9TR, on 0131-319 1048, or Belhaven Fruit Farm, Thistlycross, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1RG, on 01368 860573.