East Yonderton Farm

As a little kid, I always remember going to the farm with my grandparents to pick strawberries so that my grandmother could make jam and bake cakes with them. I loved it and always had fun running through the fields, hunting out the best strawberries and munching them as I went along. Of course, you weren’t supposed to eat them before paying but sometimes when a giant strawberry is staring you right in the face, it’s hard to say no. You get away with things like that as a kid, as an adult not so much. Boo.
East Yonderton is a family run Renfrewshire soft fruit farm near Inchinnan, just beside Glasgow Airport. The farm has been growing soft fruit since 1926. During the fruit season the farm is open daily for picking your own fruit and fruit can also be ordered ready picked for collection on weekdays. The farm also grows Vegetables and Potatoes which are available most of the year.
Ever since moving back to Glasgow, I’ve been meaning to go back again and today was the day.
I headed here late afternoon and misjudged how busy it would actually be. The place hasn’t changed much since the 1980s which isn’t a bad thing. When you enter, you pick up green baskets which you keep and you follow the signs to the open fields. Even though I was here specifically for Strawberries, the farm also has gooseberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, peas, broccoli and potatoes. The crop is a little late this year due to bad weather so you could only get strawberries but one of the farm workers said the rest of the crops will be ready next week.
One of the downfalls going to the farm late in the afternoon is that most of the visible big strawberries were gone and you had to hunt for the best ones. If you were a kid it would be like an elaborate treasure hunt, which it was when I was a little kid. As an adult, it was damn annoying. Once the crops are gone from one part of the field, the next section is open to ensure crops are fully picked and to stop waste. Even though there were signs saying «Do Not Enter» people were ignoring these and taking strawberries from the closed fields. Annoying for the farm workers on patrol and annoying for those who were playing by the rules.
East Yonderton Farm is a fun trip out and you do get a sense of pride at the fact you are picking your own food and supporting a local business. If you do go, I’d suggest going in the morning so you get the best pick of the strawberries without it ending up feeling like an obstacle course. If you like obstacle courses, then go anytime you want!
During the Soft Fruit Season (June-​August) the picking fields are open Monday to Friday 10am till 8pm and Saturday & Sunday 9am till 5pm. The Farm Shop is open Monday to Friday 10am till 8pm and closed Saturday & Sunday during the Soft Fruit Season and outwith the Soft Fruit Season it is open every day between 9am and 6pm.