Field + Forage

I love a U-pick experience! Being out in nature and choosing exactly what I want to bring home, right from a field, makes me so happy!  Because of this, I was super excited to discover that Field + Forage flower farm has opened for U-pick this summer. While I’ve done various U-picks for fruit in the past (strawberries, blueberries, apples, peaches), I had never actually picked my own flowers before. And I was stoked.

Field + Forage is run by mother/daughter team Terri and Ashley, who have a passion for growing and learning about flowers. They often sell their lovely bouquets online with pick-up at Angel’s Island Coffee and I’ve always been so impressed with the color and quality of the flowers when I’ve purchased them. While they have offered various workshops and events in the past at the farm (like Books and Blooms and Flower Crown making), opening for U-pick is a new experience for them. Currently, they are offering Friday evening and Saturday morning options for their U-pick, and are limiting the number of visitors so pre-purchasing tickets online is a must.

I was able to visit on their opening day for U-pick, a perfect cloudy June morning with just a bit of light rain to cool things off. My son and I made the half hour drive south from downtown Huntsville and found ourselves surrounded by open green fields and rolling green hills. The place felt magical. The Field + Forage website gives instruction on how to enter and where to park, and we were delighted to be greeted by a flock of free-range chickens. We brought rain boots to wear, which I highly recommend since the area is a working farm. The highlight for my son was actually walking around with those roaming chickens, though we also saw goats, ducks, and horses.

The actual rows of flowers are surrounded by a wooden fence, and there are inviting tables and chairs that give the whole space a very serene and friendly feel. The bistro lights were off since it was daytime, but I can only imagine the sparkle they give at night! Field + Forage provided us shears and a mason jar with water for collecting our flowers, and we were given free reign to cut what we wanted. We were given a mini tour and guidance on where to snip the flowers, along with names and details of when they were planted. The flowers available will vary according to the time of season. Our favorites from this trip were Lisianthus, Zinnia, and Cosmos (and we were told that the Dahlias should be blooming soon!). After collecting our flowers in the mason jar, we traded it in to be wrapped into a bouquet with paper to take home and enjoy. It was the perfect Saturday morning.

Field + Forage had complimentary water and popsicles on our visit, and they are planning to offer different snack items for future dates. There was also a well-appointed restroom on the property. Every detail seemed so thoughtful in having their guests in mind. Field + Forage U-pick would make a perfect date night, girls outing, or morning with young kids! Make sure it’s on your list for this summer!