EVENT | Tanaka Farms (U-Pick Wagon Rides)
5/23/2021
Tired of the same routine of eating out and going to the mall on the weekends, Tiffany and I decided to try something new! One of our friends recently went to Tanaka Farms for strawberry picking and posted it on social media; and that’s how we found out about the event. In this blog, you’ll be getting the inside scoop on how our day went, and if Tanaka Farms is worth your time and money.
The Pre
Reservations are REQUIRED and can be made online via Tanaka Farms here. Tickets go for $20 per person for ages 3 years and up.
Attire is casual, but I would recommend wearing shoes you’re willing to get dirty, as you’ll be walking through some mud to pick your fruits and/or veggies!
Parking is spacious and free of charge!
The During
The day began when we were all loaded up into a wagon that was going to take us to 3 separate destinations: the onion fields, strawberry fields, and the petting zoo. In between transport to these destinations, there were tour guides who energetically explained Tanaka Farms history, and tips and tricks on how to pick the best produce.
Upon arrival to the onion fields, we were given plastic bags to pick up to 7 onions from the soil. Pro tip: the tour guide told us the largest onions were at the farthest end of the field, but they’re actually towards the MIDDLE of the field. Go towards the middle of the field, and you should see the biggest onions partially exposed from the ground. If you’re picking an onion and you can’t see the “white” part of it, its too small to be picked! There was a 15 minute time limit, and after that we were rounded up onto the wagon and headed to the strawberry fields.
The strawberry fields were the best part of the tour for insta-worthy photo opportunities. Here, we were given a little plastic tray to put our picked strawberries in. Keep in mind, your limit is as many strawberries that can fit into the tray with the lid closed. The guide told us we could actually eat the strawberries as we go but…. I wouldn’t personally recommend it. As you go through the fields, you’ll notice there’s many flies, bugs, and spiders just chillin on the strawberries. On top of this, I’m no strawberry expert so I wasn’t so sure exactly how ripe a strawberry had to be to eat it safely. The time limit was again 15 minutes, and off we went to the petting zoo.
At this point, the tour was practically over. We could spend as much time at the zoo as we wanted because its right next to the common entrance area. In total, there were about 5-7 different types of animals to look at - yes, it’s a tiny zoo. Nothing spectacular really to look at here. You have your typical farm animals (chickens, pigs, goats, etc.) and that’s about it.
The Verdict
If you’ve got no plans and are looking for something out-of-the-ordinary to do on a weekend afternoon, Tanaka Farms is a solid choice. If you have children, Tanaka Farms goes from being a solid choice to an excellent choice. The children on our tour were having an absolute field day, literally. For $20 per ticket, free parking, good photo opps, AND your very own freshly picked onions/strawberries, there isn’t much to complain about. We spent a good 2 hours at the farm before we started getting tired of the experience. As soon as we got home, we washed the strawberries and dug in and BOY, they were some of the sweetest strawberries I’d ever had. Though I’m sure they tasted a little sweeter because I poured my own blood, sweat, and tears into picking them.
Kha’s Official Rating: 7.5/10
