Strawberry season may have started in March, but it’s not too late to enjoy the fruits of your own labor. Packed with antioxidants, flavonoids, and vitamin C, strawberries are a great addition to any dessert, breakfast cereal, or afternoon jam-making session. Lucky for us, Changping District abounds with organic pick-your-own strawberry farms, particularly around the areas of Xiaotang Shan and Xingshou Town. Brush up on your Chinese or take a friend with you – most of them speak minimal to no English. The varying prices reflect different strawberry varieties. Happy picking!
Beijing Jiande Hongqun Caomei Caizhai Zhongxin
北京建德红群草莓采摘中心
This center produces three main strawberry cultivars: heat-resistant Sweet Charlie, sweet and flavorful Zhangji, and Japanese newcomer Hongyan. Beijing Hongqun was a supporter of this year’s International Strawberry Symposium, a conference that brought strawberry experts from all over the world to Beijing in February.
Picking season: Apr-May
Price: RMB 20 or 30/jin (weekdays), RMB 25 or 35/jin (weekends)
Getting there: From Tiantongyuan Bei subway station on Line 5, take Bus 537 and get off at Xiangtun station.
Address: 600m west of the Xiangtun north exit, Xingshou Town, Changping District 昌平区兴寿镇香屯北口西600米
Contact: 6172 0288, 135 5215 5575, beijinghongqun@126.com, www.caomeicaizhai.net
Beijing Nankou Farm 北京市南口农场
Since its foundation in 1958, Nankou Farm has received more than 30 municipal and national prizes. This popular agritourism center allows visitors to pick their own fruit, dig up wild herbs, buy organic produce, and “adopt” a tree. To finish off your day on a delicious note, Nankou recommends having a home-style meal or mutton hotpot in a restaurant by the farm.
Picking season: Jan-May
Other products: Apples, dates, star fruit, guava, papaya, grapefruit, loquat, nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, and pears Price: RMB 50/jin (20 percent discount on quantities of 2.5kg or more)
Getting there: From Deshengmen, take Bus 919 to Nankou, then transfer to Bus 20 or 914 to Gecun Village; walk west about 800m to Nankou Farm.
Address: South Nankou, Changping District 昌平区南口镇南
Contact: 6075 5064 Mr. Liu, 139 1031 5570 Wang Pengfei, bjnkncfruit@163.com, www.chppg.com
Dingding Caomei Caizhai Yuan 丁丁草莓采摘园
This quiet farm has extensive fruit orchards, accommodations, and activities like sports and chess. Besides fruit picking, Dingding also rents out 1,000sqm plots of lands for families to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. The farm also raises chickens, ducks, and geese.
Picking season: Dec-Jun
Other products: Cherries, apples, peaches, mulberries, pears, watermelon, raspberries, and apricots
Price: RMB 25, 30, or 40/jin (depends on strawberry variety)
Getting there: On the Changping line, take Bus 870 from Nanshao subway station. Get off at Taolin Village and walk 300m south, then call one of the owners when you get to the farm entrance.
Address: Xingshou Town, Changping District 昌平区兴寿镇
Contact: 136 9317 0992 Ms. Yu, 134 3958 0670 Mr. Yu, ddcaomei@hotmail.com, www.caomeicaizhai.com
Tianyi Strawberry Ecology 天翼草莓园
Founded in 2001, Tianyi is one of the best-known strawberry producers in Beijing. The company provides seeds and seedlings to farmers and agricultural enterprises around the country, as well as providing free technical services to farmers who want to set up their own strawberry greenhouses. Their base in Xiaotang Shan covers 24sqkm.
Picking season: Dec-Jun
Other products: Cherries, peaches, blueberries, plums, dragon fruit, corn, raspberry, apricots, and vegetables
Price: RMB 25, 40, 80/jin (depends on strawberry variety)
Getting there: Take Subway Line 5 to Tiantongyuan Bei (天通苑北), then take Bus 537 to Xingshou Caomei Yuan (兴寿草莓园) and keep on walking for 200m.
Address: Xingshou Town, Changping District 昌平区兴寿镇
Contact: 6172 1718/9, www.tianyicaomei.cn
Yulin Tangquan Nongzhuang 御林汤泉农庄
This agritourism resort encompasses an outdoor hot spring pool, rental villas, a “floating” restaurant, and a spa. Among the many varieties of strawberries are Hongyan, Zhangji, Mikado Queen, Tianxiang, and Sweet Charlie.
Picking season: Dec-May
Other products: Cherries, Chinese dates, peaches, apricots, pears, plums, and mulberries
Price: RMB 40-60/jin
Getting there: From Tiantongyuan Bei subway station on Line 5, take Bus 643 to China Aviation Museum. Walk 300m north; the farm will be on the left side of the road.
Address: West Area, Xiaotang Shan National Agricultural Science and Technology Park, China Aviation Museum West Road, Changping District 昌平区中国航空博物馆路路西小汤山国家农业科技园西区
Contact: 6178 4288, 6179 5124, 136 6111 7755 Mr. Wang, 136 8300 9021 Mr. Zhang, yltqnz@163.com, www.yltqnz.com
Tips for picking and storing strawberries:
• Farms will usually provide you with specialized strawberry containers. If you bring your own, don’t heap strawberries higher than 13cm (5in) to avoid bruising the lower ones.
• If you plan to use the strawberries later, try to pick them in the early morning or on a cool, cloudy day. Strawberries picked on a hot day are prone to bruising and don’t keep well.
• Cool the strawberries as soon as possible after picking. They can be stored uncovered in the fridge for three days or more, but the fruit tends to lose its color and flavor after that.
• When you get home, sort the strawberries, but don’t clean them until they’re ready be eaten. Wash them quickly in cold water and drain well before eating.
This article is excerpted from beijingkids May 2012 issue. View it in PDF form here or contact distribution@beijing-kids.com to find out where you can pick up your free copy.
