Frequently Asked Questions
When are you open?
Our standard opening times are from 9.30am until 5pm everyday, But 5pm is when the site is cleared, so give yourself enough time for your visit.
Keep an eye on our social media pages for updates about the farm and fruit picking. If you are interested in PYO, we suggest that you follow our PYO Facebook page so that you’ll know what is available to pick on any given day.
You can also follow our main Facebook and Instagram pages.
What fruit and vegetables do you have?
Below are the fruit and vegetables that we’re growing this year at Lotmead PYO.
Different fruit and veg are available at different times throughout the year. You can see an overview here.
Our strawberry season usually runs from late May well into the autumn.
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Gooseberries
- Blackcurrants
- Blackberries
- Rhubarb
- Sweetcorn
- Asparagus (early season only – picking stops approx. 20 June)
- Sunflowers
- Pumpkins and Squash in October
- Christmas Trees from Late November
Please or check our PYO facebook feed here to find out exactly what we’ve got, as well as any offers we might have on, before you visit.
Do you have fruit available to pick today?
If you would like to know fuit availability for PYO today or tomorrow, please check our PYO page here as we update it daily.
Will you have fruit available to pick on a day in the future that I plan to visit?
We can never guarantee fruit availability for a future date. This depends on how well the fruit grows and how busy we are in the previous days.
We generally have a good availability of strawberries in the summer months, but if we have been very busy, for example over a sunny weekend in the school holidays, demand may outstrip supply on occasion, meaning we will need to close PYO early, or even for the whole day, to give more fruit time to ripen.
There is almost always something to pick, but if you are coming for a specific fruit, or a large quantity, please check availability before travelling.
We always recommend checking our PYO page here for updates on the evening before, or the morning of, the day that you plan to visit.
Do I have to pay for entry and parking?
Parking is free! PYO remains free to enter, and charges for the Farm park are available here
Do you have a café?
Yes we have a café and farm shop just at the entrance. The café serves a great selection of snacks and drinks, including homemade cakes, as well as ice creams.
We have free drinking water available too – there’s a tap by the side of the Farm Store and next to the hand-washing facilities too. Whilst you’re there, have a look around the farm shop too.
Can I bring my own container for PYO?
Yes!
We encourage people bringing their own containers or reusing ones from previous visits. If you’re bringing your own, please have it weighed in the shop before you go into the field so we know how much to take off your final price!
Are your facilities disabled-accessible?
Our table-top picking fields are wheelchair accessible for robust larger wheeled chairs capable of going on grass, as are our Farm Store, café and toilets.
At the start of the season – during June – we sometimes only have our ground level beds to pick from, which unfortunately are not disabled-accessible. If you are planning to visit in June, please contact us to confirm which beds will be available for your visit.
If you require any assistance, please speak to a member of staff.
Do you have baby-changing facilities?
Yes, baby-changing facilities are available in the toilet block. Our fruit picking beds are also accessible by pushchairs.
Are there age restrictions on the play area?
Our play area is designed with children aged up to 14 in mind. Please look out for the signs for any restrictions on specific equipment. All children must be supervised by a responsible adult whilst in the play area.
Can I bring my dog?
Yes, all well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome. Please remember to pick up after your dogs and use the bins provided.
What else is there to do at Lotmead?
Our Farm Park is lots of fun! We have a large play area to keep the little ones happy, with our Strawberry Thief theme. There is also the animal enclosures with lots of pigs, pygmy goats, ducks, geese, alpacas and rabbits.
Can we feed the animals?
Unfortunately not. All of the animals in the small animal enclosure are on a carefully monitored diet and may bite, especially if there’s food involved. We also don’t want them to start developing bad habits and pester our visitors for food all the time!
