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We are the proud new owners of Finke's Berry Farm in Carlton, MN
Formerly known as Spectrum Farm Strawberries & Finke's Berry Farm
We are your new, local berry producers located at the same place it has always been on CR 4 and CR 5
2332 County Road 4
Carlton, MN 55718
Your Family Tradition
At Happy Critters Farm, we use sustainable and regenerative farming practices to raise food and sell direct to our local community. We care for the happiness and health of our animals, our plants, and our land.
Follow Our Facebook Page: The Berry Field
Our Announcement
🍓🎉 Exciting News from Happy Critters Farm! 🎉🍓
Dear Beloved Community,
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Happy Critters Farm is now the proud owner of the local strawberry field, formerly known as Spectrum Farm Strawberries (and Finke’s Berry Farm), right here in Carlton, MN!
Starting this May, Farmer Joe will be making the leap from his longtime employment in Superior to full-time strawberry farming, while Amanda continues her invaluable role homeschooling the kids and contributing her endless support to the Happy Critters operations.
This decision marks a significant milestone in our lives, one fueled by passion, dedication, and a shared vision for the future. We've had the privilege of knowing Strawberry Steve and Rita for many years, and Amanda has even managed their strawberry Facebook page during past picking seasons. With Farmer Joe's deep-rooted interest in soil health and fertility, coupled with his unwavering determination, we're excited to embark on this journey of learning and growth in the berry farming world.
We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the previous owners, who have extended their unwavering support to ensure a smooth transition. Their commitment to preserving the legacy of the strawberry farm in our community and their willingness to guide us every step of the way fills us with immense gratitude.
As we gear up to take on the responsibilities of managing picking days, coordinating workers, tending to the fields, and serving our beloved customers, we are keenly aware of the invaluable role each of you plays in our journey. Your understanding, patience, and support mean the world to us.
We are dedicated to keeping you informed and engaged every step of the way. You can stay updated on our progress and adventures at The Berry Field through our website, newsletter, and Facebook page.
Visit our website at www.happycrittersfarms.com to learn more about us and stay connected.
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for your unwavering support.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Farmer Joe, Amanda, and the Happy Critters Family 🌱🍓
Follow Our Facebook Page: The Berry Field
What You Need to Know
When will you open? Follow our Facebook page and call our Berry Hotline for updates. We are not open daily; only when we have enough ripe berries.
How do I know which days/times you are open? Keep an eye on our Facebook page and call our Berry Hotline. We will not be open every day (because there will not be ripe strawberries every day). So you need to know before you drive out if we are open or not 🙂
Do you offer pick-your-own strawberries? Yes. In fact, that is the only way to get our strawberries into your hands 🙂 If you are needing pre-picked strawberries, check out our neighboring farm, Uffda Organics.
Can I pick in my own container? Yes, absolutely. We encourage it, actually. Just bring it to the stand when you arrive so we can weigh it before you fill it with berries.
Can I buy cardboard flats for my berries? Yes, if you choose to use one of our flats for picking the price is $1 per flat (and then you can take it home and use it next time you come) 🙂
How do I pay? We accept cash or check. We do not accept other forms of payment, we're sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.
What is the price? The price is $4.50 per pound of berries. If you buy any cardboard flats from us, they are $1 per flat.
What is the new Berry Hotline number? 218-830-0846
Why is he driving over the strawberry fields, mowing right over the strawberries? (it is a long description, but really gives you an idea of what we're working with this year).
The answer is: there are so many weeds and quack grass growing in our established berry fields that mowing over the tops of the strawberry plants is one of the methods we need to use to help more berries ripen.
Let us explain:
The fields where we'll let people pick their own berries this summer (probably starting in July) were planted last year before we bought the berry farm. These fields faced several challenges:
1. Last year was very dry, which likely made it hard for the berry plants to grow well.
2. There were a lot of weeds in these fields by last fall (weeds thrive in any weather)l. The tall, thick weeds were mowed and the fields were then covered with straw.
3. The straw may not have covered the strawberries completely because of the weed stalks. Also, the winter that followed didn't help because there wasn't any snow. Snow helps protect berry plants during winter by keeping them warm, but our winter offered none of that.
When we took over the fields this spring, we removed the straw so the berries could grow again. But along with the strawberry plants, all the weeds came back, too. There were so many weeds! Also, the stressful drought summer and snowless winter means the strawberry plant population is not where we were hoping it would be.
What have we done to help?
Since this spring, we've worked hard to get people out in the fields to pull weeds (we started with afternoon shifts during the school year). We recognized the uphill battle ahead, so our weeding crew began weeks before they historically did. We've hauled away wagon after wagon full of weeds, but we have to be careful. If the weeds have big roots, pulling them out can leave big holes that hurt the berry plants. So sometimes, it's better not to pull weeds. Also, there's a lot of quack grass in the fields, and it's not worth pulling it because pulling it just makes more quack grass grow.
In the past month, our crew finally made one full pass through field in this picture, but there were still so many weeds! It took us weeks to go through the whole field once. (it adds up to about 7 miles of weeding). But there are tall weeds and quack grass still growing strong, Farmer Joe decided to mow over the tops of the plants to let more sunlight in.
Even though there are a lot of weeds and the strawberry plants had a hard time last year, we're seeing plenty of blossoms and berries.
Please understand that we've done our best with what we have this year, and our team is working hard to make next year even better.
Follow Our Facebook Page: The Berry Field
Thank you for supporting local producers.
Happy Critters Farm
Joe & Amanda Lambert
Berry Hotline: 218-830-0846
