Now that we're in the midst of the Swedish strawberry season, what's better than picking your own favorite strawberries? Sweden Herald followed a family who visited a strawberry farm that offers pick-your-own strawberries, located at Römora 5, just outside Södertälje.
Location
As we approach Römora 5, there are clear signs showing where to go. There's a campsite right next to it, but that's not where you park; instead, drive another 450 meters to park right next to the strawberry field. You can also take public transportation to Römora, with bus 784 from Södertälje center.
Family friendly
Today, the weather is just right - slightly humid and partly cloudy, around 22 degrees Celsius - perfect for picking strawberries and being outdoors in a strawberry field. We notice that there are many families with kids, who seem to love picking their own strawberries. They're also taste-testing quite a bit, as many kids have red stains around their mouths. It's not explicitly stated that you can't taste-test, but you shouldn't overdo it, so the recommendation is to be mindful and taste only a few berries.
Photo: Sweden Herald - Römora strawberry field
The strawberry field
On our way to the field, we hear people in the queue commenting on the strawberries, saying they're the best they've had all year. We get even more excited to go out to the field and pick some. At the checkout, you're given a picking basket with plastic boxes to put the strawberries in, so you don't need to bring your own bags or boxes.
The field is quite large, and we quickly realize that we should head further out into the strawberry field to pick where the plants are bigger. It can be a bit challenging to spot the berries under the foliage, but it's also a skill - soon we figure out the technique for finding the largest berries. Aren't the largest berries also the tastiest? Opinions are divided, with some preferring small berries and others larger ones, as we've noticed. When we sneak a peek into others' boxes, we see a mix of both.
Strawberry taste sensation
We taste a few strawberries, and everyone in the family is thrilled - they're so delicious! Much better than the strawberries you buy in stores, says the youngest in the family.
Time to checkout
Picking the berries goes quickly, and here, you can take your time - we enjoy the picking and the fresh air and nature. After 30 minutes, we're done, having picked five boxes of strawberries. What's the price? It's 120 SEK per kilogram, so one strawberry box costs 78 SEK. It's neither expensive nor cheap, roughly the same price as Swedish strawberries in stores. However, the difference is greater in terms of taste - we think the pick-your-own berries taste fresher and better, and you get to choose the berries you like in terms of ripeness and size.
It's a successful strawberry-picking adventure, and we head home happy, having played the role of strawberry farmers for 30 minutes - or should we say, berry pickers, since we've mostly done the fun part, picking and eating the strawberries!
Pick-your-own strawberries: Römora 5, Järna, outside Södertälje."
