No early strawberry season this year in Beaufort

One of the many things we anticipate about springtime here in the Lowcountry is getting to visit Dempsey Farms on St. Helena Island to enjoy their U-Pick strawberry patch. Over the past few years, locals here in Beaufort have been lucky that the local farm has had earlier-than-usual strawberry season, but that won’t be happening this year.

Cold weather, tons of rain and an the absence of sunshine have returned things back to…’normal’.

Dempsey Farms has announced that there will not be an early strawberry season this year at their Beaufort farm, and that we can expect the season to open on a more traditional schedule.

The local farm is targeting its opening for the first week of April, with strawberry picking available through the end of May.

Of course, there’s nothing like grabbing the kids and going for a drive down Sea Island Parkway on St. Helena Island and pulling up to the familiar red & white sign on the right side of the highway.

A trip to Dempsey’s is a rite of passage for many of Beaufort’s kids…and plenty of adults. Grabbing a bucket and venturing out into the fields in search of the perfect strawberry is a springtime favorite in these parts.

In 2019, Dempsey’s opened up on March 13th for strawberry picking.

Last year, they opened up on February 17th.

This year, we just have to wait a few weeks longer. Follow Dempsey’s on Facebook for updates on their opening day.

Check out more of what’s going on around town.