Soergel Orchards and Trax Farms have canceled their annual strawberry events this year.
High temperatures and lack of rain led to the berries not producing as hoped this year, Soergel Orchards said in a social media post Monday.
The event had been scheduled for Sunday and was slated to include strawberry picking, strawberry-themed treats and other activities.
“We understand the disappointment this news may bring, as the festival holds a special place in our hearts,” the orchard wrote on Facebook. “However, we have made this difficult decision after looking at our fields and the low number of berries they are producing. We don’t feel like we can provide an experience have grown to love (and expect) while you’re here.”
The quality of the berries “isn’t where we like them to be,” and there aren’t as many berries as expected, head farmer Adam Voll said in a video posted to the Soergel’s Facebook page.
The orchard is trying to run irrigation through its strawberry patches in an effort to bolster the crop, he said.
Strawberries will be available in the orchard’s market on a “very limited” first-come, first-served basis.
Voll said the hope is to open a pop-up “pick-your-own” day where people could pick strawberries in the future. If that event comes to fruition, Soergel said it will announce it via social media, their website and in their emails.
At Trax Farms, “a lack of yield” led to its pick-your-own strawberry events being canceled this season.
The Finleyville farm said it would soon offer its homegrown strawberries in its market while supplies last.
According to National Weather Service data, the Pittsburgh region has received 12.4 inches of precipitation in the first five months of 2023, the lowest total in the past four years during that time frame. The weather is expected to remain dry.
