Isabella, Victoria, Lilly, and Korina La Variega show off the strawberries they picked.

Sweet Berry Farm outside of Marble Falls gives kids of all ages a fun lesson on where our food comes from. This year, the 20-year-old operation has added a field of colorful tulips to the pick-your-own strawberries.

“We’re like a cardboard box,” says farmer Dan Copeland. “We’re nothing fancy, but you can have a lot of fun with us.”

In addition to the rows of bright red strawberries, the kids can jump on the Berry Bounce, paint a flower pot, ride the barrel train, and meet the farm animals. There is a large picnic area under a stand of trees down by the creek. Don’t miss a chance to try the homemade strawberry ice cream, smoothies, ice pops, and jam.

This year the farm opened in early February, at least a month earlier than usual. The berries have been growing like gangbusters ever since. With 8 acres and six varieties, the farm should have plenty of strawberries into late May.

The tulip field across the road from the strawberry fields is another story. Dan’s daughter Raelynn is in charge of the rows of colorful flowers. There are lots of choices of colors from crimson red to snow white. Since this is the first year for the tulip crop, Raelynn says they’re trying to figure out how long the plants will last, but she guesses at least through mid-April.

Sweet Berry Farm is a few miles west of Marble Falls on FM 1980. The farm is open daily except on Wednesdays, and children’s activities are postponed for now. To get the current conditions at the farm, go to “Fresh News” at www.sweetberryfarm.com. The farm typically closes for the summer and then opens in the fall with pick-your-own pumpkins.


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Gerald E. McLeod joined the Chronicle staff in November 1980 as a graphic designer. In April 1991 he began writing the “Day Trips” column. Besides the weekly travel column, he contributed “101 Swimming Holes,” “Guide to Central Texas Barbecue,” and “Guide to the Texas Hill Country.” His first 200 columns have been published in Day Trips Vol. I and Day Trips Vol. II.