The Experts Were Wrong...Pick-Your-Own is Not Dead!

Some of these experts pointed to the aging of the "Baby Boomer" population and the agricultural disinterest expressed by both "Gen X" and "Gen Y" as key demographics that would fuel the demise of Pick-Your-Own (PYO) operations across the country.

These experts did not foresee the COVID-19 pandemic and how it would influence Americans' attitudes toward our complex U.S. food system. Empty store shelves fueled by pandemic-driven supply chain issues were, for the first time, a regular occurrence in many grocery stores. Uncertainty about our food supply grew in consumers' minds as the pandemic ensued, sparking a vegetable gardening and home food preservation renaissance comparable to the Victory Garden era of the Second World War. Garden centers sold an unprecedented number of vegetable transplants, and store seed racks were laid bare as the backyard vegetable garden became the first line of defense against food shortages in some American homes.

Pick-Your-Own farming operations in my area had declined over the past 15 years. Still, the pandemic spurred a renewed interest in these operations as Americans sought out fresh produce and outdoor leisure activities free from the burden of indoor masking requirements. Some PYO operations, for the first time, began taking reservations online, like fine dining restaurants for customers to come to pick at the farm. To minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission, some PYO operations barred consumers from bringing their own harvesting/picking containers to the farm and switched to "new" standardized picking containers that the consumers would be required to purchase before harvesting fruits and/or vegetables. PYO operations could eliminate the weighing of specific commodities by opting for standardized harvesting containers. They could offer online pre-pay options for their customers, minimizing worker-to-consumer contact while eliminating the chaos that had seemed to plague many checkout lines at PYO operations.

The 2022 harvest season is over, and the demand at PYO operations remained strong, according to most PYO operators. I had the opportunity to visit a rural agritourism operation recently amid its "Fall Frenzy." While the PYO pumpkins were popular, this operation still offered PYO strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and fresh-cut flowers. One glance across the field showed that the PYO berry operation was filled with customers. The customer base was ethnically and generationally diverse, united by their love of fresh farm-produced berries. PYO is not dead, and its resurgence will continue if farm operations can continue to enhance the picking experience for their generationally diverse customer base.

For additional information on PYO, please get in touch with the author.