U Pick season is in full swing, and after visiting a few farms for a day’s worth of time in the sun and on the field, I can conclude that Maan Farms is the one to visit for some of the largest strawberries of the season. With blueberries and raspberries to follow later in the months to come.
For those familiar with the family run farm, they are well known for creative events with plenty of reason to visit their property all throughout the year. They were the first to host an after hours adult Easter egg hunt and are currently running goat yoga (exactly as it sounds, yoga with goats). And the latest reason you need to visit is for their U pick.
Their field is massive marked with a giant strawberry and an inviting arch. And with a rotation of sections picked from per day, they have plenty of crop ready for the harvesting.
Squat down low, push leaves aside and find the right berries for you. You choose your size of bucket and are able to pick enough strawberries to fill it. They ask that you don’t eat as you go, and are reasonable with how much you can put into your bucket. Basically if you are walking and your berries are dropping, you have been a little greedy and ought to buy another bucket. The activity is fun for 30 minutes in the sun, and when you are done there is still plenty to see and do on the farm to make a day out of your visit.
Their market place includes a wide collection of food and goods for gifting and self use. The assortment rotates frequently and this season we are seeing plenty of patterned glassware, creative cheese boards, and sculpted candles.
They also have a pantry section filled with preserves, spreads, and jams made from the fruits harvested on their farm. For something more fulsome, you can also take home one Mama Maan’s authentic home-cooking frozen and ready for reheating dishes.
Maan’s is one one of the only farms to serve food out of their full kitchen. Choose from familiar friendly staples like chicken tenders and fries, or one of Mama Maan’s Indian specialties. We opted for the latter, available reheated to order, or to-go ready out of their frozen goods section (as mentioned above).
Their samosa are sold in pairs either a vegetarian with potato, onion, and peas. Or a butter chicken with rice. Both served hot with a crispy exterior and a packed full centre. The tamarind chutney side offers a nice tangy freshness to cut into the heavier snack.
I liked the simplicity of their butter chicken. Not as decadent as some of the other butter chickens I have had, but it satisfies nonetheless. A creamy, not spicy sauce coating firm white meat and long grains of rice.
For drinks you can grab one of their blueberry fruit slushies, available in a boozy wine version or as the regular icy fruit juice kind.
You can also order one of their fruit wines to accompany your meal. But first I suggest doing a tasting so you know what of theirs you like. With over 16 different options including dessert wines, white wine, and even a port; deciding can be tricky.
For dessert they have strawberry ice cream and mini doughnuts to mark the season. The latter has strawberry mixed into the dough, resulting in a lightly flavoured mini doughnut, all original to Maan’s Farms. Fried to order and coated in a cinnamon sugar dusting, this classic outdoor treat cannot be missed.
But the show stopper has to be their strawberry cloud ice cream. A ring of pink cotton candy surrounds your waffle cone of strawberry soft serve. The ice cream is finished off with vanilla sprinkles, a crispy cookie roll, and a fresh strawberry half. Be warned, on a hot day this melts quick, so be sure to eat with intention.
And when you are ready to burn off some of what you ate, you can explore their large property that includes a petting zoo and playground. With bleating goats, a juggle gym, climbing tire tower, push petal karts, swings, and jumping pads where you can get some major air time.
In closing if you are looking to spend an entire day on the farm, Man’s offers the most with food, drink, and bar options, as well as sweet and savoury treats.
Maan Farms Market and Estate Winery
790 McKenzie Rd, Abbotsford, BC V2S 7N4
(604) 864-5723
maanfarms.com
