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U-pick farms provide a way to get outside while supporting local businesses

Posted at 11:29 PM, Apr 05, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-14 07:41:09-04

HUDSON, Fla. -- While we’re all making an effort to stay home and socially distance ourselves, it’s easy to get a little stir crazy. But even under a “safer at home” order, there are still places you can escape to, while also supporting local essential businesses.

Unlike the grocery store, it isn’t hard to maintain your 6-foot distance on a farm. That’s why more and more people are heading out to U-pick farms and farmers markets to get their produce, and a breath of fresh air.

Bob’s Blueberry Farm located at 14000 Edwards Rd. in Hudson is a U-pick farm in Hudson. Their parking lot is always full, but they’re making sure the people are always spread out, and with 17-acres of land, Bob Waldo, owner of Bob’s Blueberry Farm, says keeping people distanced isn’t a problem.

“We’ve got some ‘do not crowd’ signs and maintain 6-feet, trying to make it good for everybody,” said Waldo.

And the people stuck inside their houses are happy to maintain that distance, as long as it means they can get outside.

“We just really needed to get out and get some exercise,” said Linda Mitchell, a local resident who visited the farm.

Mitchell and her family are taking this time to support those essential businesses who are staying open, to support all of us.

“We’re fortunate with him being considered essential personnel that we can come out and make sure we keep our local community going,” said Mitchell about her husband.

And the essential businesses are working together to keep each other going as well. Bob’s Blueberry Farm has a food truck on site every weekend. The Shred 813 serves contact-less food to customers on the farm.

“We have blueberry lemonade, fresh squeezed blueberry lemonade with blueberries from the farm right here,” said Kelly Trapeo, owner of The Shred 813.

And regardless of the curve balls they’re thrown, Bob’s Blueberry Farm says they’re open for business.

“We’re farmers, and that’s, farmers are pretty much necessary,” said Waldo.

Bob’s Blueberry Farm is one of so many other U-pick farms remaining open amid the coronavirus pandemic. You can find a list of some of those farms by clicking here.