If Strawberry Season Had A Home, It Would Be This New York Farm Stand
There’s a moment when summer tastes like something more than fruit. It tastes like pause.
Out in Fairport, New York, there’s a farm where strawberry season doesn’t just arrive. it takes over. The fields turn into rows of red dots against green, and suddenly “fresh-picked” stops being a phrase and becomes the standard.
This place isn’t new to it either. Decades of growing, season after season, have turned simple produce into something people plan their summers around.
You show up with an empty basket. You leave with stained fingers, full containers, and the feeling that store-bought fruit just won’t hit the same again.
And it doesn’t stop at strawberries. The seasons rotate through raspberries, corn, peaches, pumpkins, each one turning the farm into something slightly different, but always familiar in the best way.
There’s even a simple, no-fuss dessert setup waiting when you’re done picking. Because of course there is.
Some places sell produce. This one sells a reason to slow down and come back next season.
The U-Pick Strawberry Experience
There is something almost cinematic about walking into a strawberry field on a warm June morning, basket in hand, with nothing but blue sky above you. Chase Farms Market added its U-pick strawberry operation about ten years ago, and it quickly became the heartbeat of the entire farm.
The fields fill up fast, and for good reason.
Strawberry season at Chase Farms typically runs through June and lasts only a few precious weeks. That limited window is part of what makes it feel so special.
You are not just picking fruit; you are participating in a seasonal ritual that connects you to the land in a way that grocery store shopping never could.
One variety that fans go absolutely wild for is the Earliglo strawberry, a hard-to-find early-season gem known for its deep flavor and beautiful color. These berries are not the pale, watery kind you find in plastic clamshells.
They are bold, sweet, and bursting with real strawberry taste. U-pick hours vary by season, and the farm even offers evening picking sessions during the week, so early birds and night owls both have a shot.
Arrive early if you can, because the best rows go quickly.
Bring cash or plan to spend over fifteen dollars to use a card. Most importantly, bring a bigger basket than you think you need, because you will absolutely fill it.
A Farm With Deep Roots In Fairport, New York
Some places just feel lived-in, in the best possible way. Chase Farms Market sits at 459 Pannell Road in Fairport, NY 14450, and the moment you pull in, you can sense the decades of hard work and dedication baked into every corner of the property.
This farm has been feeding the community for 65 years, which is no small feat.
Brothers Robert and John Chase have been farming together since 1972, and that kind of longevity speaks volumes. You do not stick around for over half a century by cutting corners.
The farm uses sustainable practices including minimum tillage, cover cropping, and crop rotation, all of which keep the soil healthy and the produce tasting exceptional season after season.
The market typically runs from around March through October, making it a destination across multiple seasons rather than just a one-time summer stop.
Spring brings early produce, summer explodes with berries and sweet corn, fall arrives with pumpkins and a corn maze, and the whole cycle keeps drawing people back. Fairport itself is a charming village just outside of Rochester, making Chase Farms an easy and rewarding day trip for anyone in the region.
The farm sits on enough land to feel genuinely rural, yet it is accessible enough that you are not driving down a mystery road wondering if your GPS has given up on you. It is the kind of place that quietly becomes a yearly tradition before you even realize it.
The Full Harvest At Chase Farms
Strawberries get all the glory, but Chase Farms Market is working hard across the entire growing calendar. The farm grows an impressive range of produce that keeps the market stocked and exciting from spring through fall.
Once strawberry season wraps up, the fun is far from over.
Raspberries take center stage next, with U-pick options available for those who love the hands-on experience. Sweet corn is another farm staple that draws serious devotion from regulars, and for good reason because corn picked fresh and eaten the same day tastes completely different from anything you find at a supermarket.
Peaches, cherries, garlic, and pumpkins round out the seasonal lineup beautifully.
The market stand itself carries green beans, squash, cucumbers, potatoes, cantaloupes, peppers, watermelons, and tomatoes, giving you almost everything you need for a spectacular summer meal in one stop. Local goods like pickles and honey also make appearances, adding an artisan touch to the shopping experience.
Edible pod peas are available for U-pick as well, which is a genuinely underrated activity that deserves more attention.
Each season at Chase Farms has its own personality and its own star ingredient, which means there is always a reason to return. The farm essentially offers you a guided tour through the best of New York’s growing season, one crop at a time.
Knowing what is fresh and in season becomes second nature after just one or two visits, and that knowledge is genuinely valuable.
The Tractor And Wagon Ride That Makes The Trip Even Better
Not every farm offers a tractor wagon ride to the fields, but Chase Farms does, and it is one of those simple pleasures that lands harder than expected. There is something genuinely delightful about climbing onto a wagon and rumbling through the farm to reach the strawberry or pumpkin patch.
It sets the tone for the whole visit.
The ride is not just practical transportation. It is part of the experience.
The motion of the wagon, the open air, the view of the fields stretching out around you, all of it builds anticipation in the best possible way. By the time you hop off and start picking, you are already in a completely different headspace than when you arrived.
During fall visits, the wagon takes guests out to the pumpkin patch, where you can select your pumpkin straight from the field rather than from a pile in a parking lot.
That distinction matters more than it sounds. Pumpkins chosen from the patch feel earned, personal, and somehow more festive.
The wagon ride has become one of those details that loyal visitors mention again and again in reviews, often describing it as a highlight of the trip.
Adults enjoy it just as much as anyone else, which is a good reminder that not everything needs to be complicated to be wonderful. Sometimes a tractor, a wagon, and a sunny field is genuinely all you need to feel completely content.
Chase Farms understands that perfectly.
The Underrated Summer Gem
Strawberries may be the headliner, but raspberries at Chase Farms are the kind of opening act that steals the show. Rich, plump, and intensely flavorful, the raspberries grown here have earned their own loyal following.
Visitors who come specifically for raspberry picking describe the experience as almost meditative, peaceful rows of bushes, soft sounds of the farm, and the quiet satisfaction of filling a container.
The U-pick raspberry option extends the farm’s interactive season beyond the strawberry window, giving summer visitors another reason to make the trip out to Pannell Road. Raspberries are more delicate than strawberries, which makes the picking process feel a little more deliberate and rewarding.
You quickly learn which berries are ready and which need another day, and that kind of attentiveness feels genuinely grounding.
Fresh raspberries from Chase Farms have appeared on top of ice cream at the market’s sundae bar, adding a tart brightness that balances the sweetness beautifully.
Raspberries also make incredible additions to baked goods, smoothies, and salads, so arriving home with a full container is never a problem. The only challenge is making sure some of them actually make it home.
Pumpkins, Corn Mazes, And Pure Autumn Vibes
June gets all the Instagram attention, but fall at Chase Farms Market is genuinely spectacular in its own right. When September rolls around and the air gets that first crisp edge, the farm transforms into an autumn wonderland that feels pulled straight from a cozy movie montage.
Pumpkins take over the landscape in the most satisfying way possible.
The pumpkin patch at Chase Farms offers a wide selection of sizes and shapes, and the wagon ride out to the field makes the whole outing feel like a proper adventure.
Decorated hay bales and fall-themed photo setups around the property add a festive touch that makes the visit feel complete. The corn maze is free to walk through, which is a genuinely generous bonus that visitors consistently appreciate.
Fall produce at the market stand is equally impressive, with fresh vegetables and fruits that reflect the best of the harvest season.
The farm stand during this time of year has a particular warmth to it, shelves and tables loaded with the results of a full growing season. Some visitors have been coming every fall for over a decade, taking annual photos next to the same scarecrow height marker and watching the tradition evolve year after year.
That kind of repeat loyalty is not accidental. Chase Farms has built something here that people genuinely want to return to, and autumn is one of its most beautiful chapters.
The pumpkins practically call your name.
Planning Your Visit
Before you show up at Chase Farms with an empty basket and high hopes, a little planning goes a long way. The farm operates from approximately March through October, but specific availability, especially for U-pick activities, changes with the season and even with daily weather conditions.
The farm runs a berry hotline to keep visitors updated, which is worth a quick call before making the trip.
Arrive early if strawberry season is on your agenda. The U-pick fields open early in the morning and the best rows fill up quickly on busy days.
Evening U-pick sessions are available Monday through Friday, typically from six to eight in the evening, giving you a second daily window that many people overlook. Both options have their charm, morning light for picking and golden hour for a more relaxed pace.
Payment at the market works on a cash preference basis for smaller purchases, with card accepted for transactions over fifteen dollars. Parking is free and plentiful, which is a genuinely nice detail when you are arriving with a full carload of enthusiasm.
The farm’s website at chasefarmsmarket.com is the best place to check current hours and seasonal availability. As of the most recent updates, the farm was closed for the 2025 season with plans to reopen for the 2026 strawberry season, so checking ahead is especially important.
Have you ever planned a whole summer outing around a farm visit and had it be the best decision you made all season? This could be that trip.