It Happens Here: Pick your own flowers and food at Ward's Berry Farm in Sharon
SHARON - Walking through the 200 acres of produce at Ward's Berry Farm on Main Street in Sharon, you realize "farm to table" always starts with the farm.
"Those restaurants that you go to in Boston a lot of times they'll have our produce in them," Alex Hammond, the farm's operations manager, told WBZ-TV.
A wholesale and middleman supplier, the Ward's farm sprouted back in 1982. After years of their produce going into the city, the farm turned back around to Sharon and brought the community to the fields.
"It's just an all-around great day to get outside of the city and get into a little bit of nature," one visitor told WBZ.
"I feel like I'm getting a breath of fresh air," said another.
Fresh air, fresh flowers, fresh food. Ward's "pick your own" or "PYO" blossomed and immediately became a staple for the community.
"Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries. We also offer gooseberries, currents, peaches," said Hammond.
On any given day, you'll find tractors full of families, camps, or field trips being pulled through the field and eventually to the greenhouse where kids can cultivate a new passion.
"In the greenhouse they plant a little seedling from very small and they get to watch it grow, water it, take care of it, and learn a little bit more how plants grow," said Hammond.
And learn from farmers who were once in their shoes, like Alex.
"I've been coming to Ward's since about 4 years old," he told WBZ. "I can still remember crawling over the hay bales when I was a little kid, when I was six years old. One of my fondest memories."
Memories that he hopes these kids will take with them for years to come.
"Hopefully maybe in 15 years some of those kids who had great experiences here will want to come work here and become future farmers,"
For more information on the farm, visit their website