Picking strawberries in Chelmsford

Freshly picked strawberries are a very special treat.

I have mixed feelings about strawberries.

Fresh strawberries are one of my favourite fruits. However, grocery-store strawberries can be so bland that they taste like red-coloured cardboard. Therefore, Colleen and I do not often buy imported strawberries.

It was only a short time ago that I learnt that strawberries are grown in Greater Sudbury and that the city has pick-your-own farms.

Last weekend, one of our neighbours told us that he went strawberry picking in nearby Chelmsford, just 15 minutes from our home. We had some of his delicious freshly picked berries. They were so good.

Today, we went to visit one of these farms. Lise's Strawberry Farm is a short pleasant drive just north of downtown Sudbury.

Our hosts met us at the entrance to their farm.

Simple and reasonable rules.

The strawberry fields. We arrived at the farm in the early morning before the temperature became too hot.

You are given a ride out to the row that suits your needs. Some customers are looking for berries that are best for cooking while others want sweet-eating strawberries.

It was not long before we filled our two four-litre baskets. The strawberries cost $20 per basket.

A big bowel of cleaned strawberries ready to be cut and bagged for the freezer.

Lise's Strawberry Farm/Gaston O'Bomsawin
4317 Regional Rd 15, Chelmsford, Ont. P0M 1L0
phone: 705-855-9386

I suggest that you phone ahead to see if they are open. Also note that small children may not be allowed. It would be best to check first.

The drive home

We are still getting use to living in Greater Sudbury so we took a leisurely drive around Chelmsford before heading home.

There are so many lovely homes in the communities that make up Greater Sudbury.

This is the Paroisse St Joseph in Chelmsford.

The site has a historical plaque.

The Grey Sisters insured the area students received French language instruction in the 20th century.

After visiting the Paroisse St Joseph, we had pickerel for lunch at Chemmy's Fish & Chips. So far, the fish and chips there is the best we have had in Greater Sudbury.

However, our fellow diners told us that we should go to Killarney for the very best fish and chips.