Calling all Kentish Maids - where can I go strawberry picking near the A2???

[KBear]

My usual haunt hasn't got irrigation and the dry weather has killed all the strawbs. Anyone know somewhere I can go (kind of off the A2 somewhere)?

Come on you lot, I'm relying on you.....

I am growing them meself me dear

theres some field down near broadstairs/ramsgate way

I was just typing 'I can picture one in my mind but I can't remeber the name' when it came to me HEWITS FARM do you know it?

Fio2 - are you flogging any?

I've heard of Hewitt's Farm but not sure where it is. Orpington way?

Was it Marslady who made jam the other day? Got me in the mood for making some (first time!) so I'm on a mission to buy half a ton of strawbs.

bag one, eat two, bag one, eat two.

I dont have enpough to flog KBear i only have a very very tiny garden. I will ask dh if he has seen any farms advertised on his travels

Yep I think more outta than orpington but the right area. I just loveeee strawberry jam

I shall host a Strawberry Jam Mumsnet Meet-up and give you all a jar if it's any good! ha ha

(Or if it's really good I will keep it to myself and scoff the lot).

I tell you kbear I put double the amt of homemade jam on toast than I do if its shop bought!!

Then you shall have two jars but don't tell the others!!

D'you know Ruxley Manor Garden centre? It's on the main road into Swanley ( i think called London Road). Opposite the Garden centre is a strawberry picking place you can't miss it as it has a giant strawberry floating in the air.

Hewitts is another close by.

Thanks kbear

But you must not tell anyone I don't make it myself (as I pass it off as my own) and its my lovely MIL who make me tons

Fran1 - thats the place that said their strawbs were all dead. Lower Hockenden Farm. Shame.

Thanks tho.

OH damn, i was going to take dd there this week.

Why are they still flying their strawberry in the sky then?

I'll have to go to Hewitts instead then.

Can give you easy directions if you want, where would you be coming from?

Directions from Crittals Corner roundabout would do - isn't it along the road towards Orpington somewhere?? Thanks.

The place I rang was next to Dejavu I think - is that where the strawberry is flying in the air? Hope it's not two different places. Do you live nearby - want to do a drive-by and check???

Yes by deja vu is where the strawberries flying.

I do drive past it nearly everyday, so i will stop one day to see. Will let you know.

Yes Hewitts farm is easy. Take orpington turn off crittals corner onto Sevenoaks road. And it is straight all the way at the end just before M25 roundabout Hewitts is on your left. You go through lots of traffic lights and its a really long road, you'll drive past all the industrial bits, past Orp high street and then onto residential part just keep going and its at the very end, has a big sign so you won't miss it.

Y'never know we may end up there at the same time! Maybe you should wear a big strawberry on your head so i'll spot you

Thanks Fran1 - hoping to go on Sunday.

There's a place between Bluewater and Rochester, because I keep noticing it when I go towards Bluewater and meaning to go myself. I think it's just after the Gravesend turn-off (if you're going towards London on the A2) but it has a sign up saying "pick your own strawberries" and the number of times I've been tempted to just turn off the road and follow the signs...

caligula - thanks for that!

someone told me yesterday that hewitts farm don't do strawberry picking anymore. You may want to ring before you go!

THe farm by de ja vu still has its strawberry flying and late last night i drove past and it still had a pyo sign outside, which i think means pick your own!

Was too late to ask but nextime i pass in daytime i will ask.

oh, thanks for all this info - I know the A2 well, but haven't been strawberry picking for a while. We used to go to the field near Farming World. The one by Rochester sounds the nearest to us (we live on the borders of Greenwich and Bexley).

PS anyone know of any nice campsites off the A2, (not right next to A2 though ) as we need to give our camper van an overnight test?

Gore Farm just off the A2 between Rainham and Sittingbourne. They have a wonderful coffee shop, greengrocers, dairy and gift shop too.

Might be a bit further than you were hoping to travel, but it's lovely there.

tigermoth - Abbeywood campsite!! ha ha ha

thanks for that Fran1 - to be honest I'm too hot to do anything now!!! Might try tomorrow (not good in the heat me!)

Gore farm is lovely - they do other veg picking as well as strawberry. We did apples and corn on the cob last year. But they also do runner beans and other stuff.

Now i just drove past Honeydale farm (the one by dejavu) with floating strawberry. And there were loads of people in the field certainly pickign something.

D'you think it could have been Hewitts you rang and said they were closed?

BTW did u used to go to dejavu, the classy club?

I rang Lower Hockenden Farm which advertises itself as being near Dejavu so there must be two farms there. Cheers Fran for the update - hope there are some left for me tomorrow!!

And yes, many a wild night at Dejavu and also when it was Hickory's!! Those were the days!!!