Emma Lea Farms

The farm

The farm says it has been in the family since 1885, "starting with Joseph and Emma Tamboline," and that it has run U-pick for more than 30 years. It lists picking times for strawberries, raspberries, tayberries, black currants, blackberries and blueberries, and offers a wide variety of pumpkins and gourds at its pumpkin patch.

The farm market, which the farm calls the Stand, sells the farm's berries ready-picked and the jam it makes on the farm in small batches, with local vegetables, fresh-pressed juice, honey, frozen pies and frozen berries, beeswax candles, flowers, SPCA Certified beef and, in season, fruit from the Okanagan. Most of it is grown or made on the farm, the farm says, and the rest comes from other farms.

Where it is

The farm is on Westham Island Road, the road from the Westham Island Bridge to Westham Island Park, about 5 km by road from Ladner Village. Getting there means crossing the bridge, TransLink's century-old swing bridge over Canoe Pass, which the farm calls "the century old, wooden bridge." Our Westham Island guide covers the bridge, where TransLink posts its closures, and parking on the island.

What to expect

U-pick

Picking is first come, first served, with no reservations and no entrance fee. Start at the check-in tent: the farm encourages pickers to buy a U-pick container there before going into the fields, and asks everyone to check in each time they pick. Stay in the fields marked for picking, and leave the berries uneaten until you're out of the field. The farm would rather you left bags at home: plastic bags aren't allowed in the fields, and a backpack is searched on the way out.

Rather not pick? The Stand sells the same berries ready-picked.

The ice cream shop and picnic area

The Ice Cream Shoppe serves cones, sundaes, milkshakes and smoothies, with your choice of berries, and has vegan options. Eat them in the picnic area, or bring a picnic of your own: there are three gazebos for shade, picnic tables, open grass for blankets, two play sets and a climbing dome. The farm asks parents to keep an eye on their children the whole time.

Say hi to the farm's miniature rescue donkeys while you're there. You can pet them, but the farm asks visitors not to feed them, and to wash their hands afterwards. There are vintage tractors to sit on for photos, too.

The pumpkin patch

Hunt the field for your own pumpkin, or pick one the farm has already harvested. There's an oat maze, with jokes posted along the way. Field trips are booked by email; the pumpkin patch page has the address.

Before you go

The farm has a no-pets policy, for the health and safety of its guests, so leave the dog at home. It takes cash, debit, Visa and Mastercard. Asked whether it's organic, the farm says it uses integrated pest management, a mix of organic methods and conventional practices.

Hours and seasons

The farm posts its market hours and approximate picking times for each berry on its home page, and the pumpkin patch's days and hours on the pumpkin patch page. For what's ready today, the farm's own advice is to phone: its line carries a recorded update on what's available, and it can put product on hold for you.

Questions and answers

Is Emma Lea Farms U-pick?

Yes. Check in at the U-pick tent, where the farm encourages you to buy a container, and pick your own, or buy the berries ready-picked at the farm market. Picking is first come, first served, with no reservations and no entrance fee.

What can you pick at Emma Lea Farms?

The farm lists picking times for strawberries, raspberries, tayberries, black currants, blackberries and blueberries, and runs a pumpkin patch. Each crop has its own season, posted on the farm's site.

Can you bring a dog to Emma Lea Farms?

No. The farm has a no-pets policy.

Does Emma Lea Farms have ice cream?

Yes. The Ice Cream Shoppe serves cones, sundaes, milkshakes and smoothies with your choice of berries, and has vegan options. You can eat them in the farm's picnic area.

Where is Emma Lea Farms?

At 2727 Westham Island Road on Westham Island, about 5 km by road from Ladner Village, over the Westham Island Bridge.

What are Emma Lea Farms' hours?

They change through the year. The farm posts its market hours and picking times on its own site, and its phone line carries an up-to-date message.