Straight River Farm

04/08/2025

River Bend Nature Center is taking over the farm and we' re having an equipment auction this Saturday, April 12th at 10: A. M. Stop by and say hello and thank you for your business and friendship over the past 22 years. Time to pursue other interests!

Bill and Maggie Hein
Straight River Farm

11/24/2024

Farmer Bill wishes to add a huge thank you to all the amazing people he’s met and gotten to know over the past 20+ years. Straight River Farm has been an adventure and the people are the part he’ll miss most. Thanks for the memories!🥰

Bill Hein, a cornerstone of our market community, began selling at the market in 1978. In 1980, he became the first manager hired by the St. Paul Growers Association, where he led the transition from the old market at 10th and Jackson to our current location in 1982. After taking a couple of decades off, Bill returned with Straight River Farm in 2003 and has been a beloved part of our market ever since.

This Sunday will be Bill's final day at the market. It has truly been a pleasure having him as part of our community. If you see Bill, be sure to stop by, say hello, and wish him all the best on his next adventure!

06/30/2024

Picked blueberries will be available starting Monday July 1; but they must be ordered ahead by calling us - 507-334-2226 - during open hours (8:00 am-12:00 noon). They are $5.50/pint. We plan on being open every day from 8:00 am-12:00 noon - except during heavy rain/thunderstorms. Hope to see you soon!

06/28/2024

Open for pick-your-own blueberries Saturday & Sunday, June 29-30, from 8:00 am-12:00 noon (or until picked out) each day. Hope to see you in the blueberry patch soon!

06/27/2024

The raspberry patch is closed for the season, but the blueberries are coming on strong and we'll be open for pick-your-own blueberries on Friday, June 28, from 8:00 am-12:00 noon. Blueberries are $4.25 each for 1-4 pints & $4 each for 5+ pints. We'll update when/if we can offer picked blueberries, as well as announcing hours for future picking days. Thanks for all your kind support regarding the raspberries!

06/26/2024

We've discovered SWD (spotted wing drosophila) in our raspberries. This invasive fruit fly pest is not harmful to humans, but is disastrous to raspberries, burrowing into ripe fruit & laying eggs that quickly hatch into squirming larva. While the number is currently low, it's enough to make the raspberries unpalatable for most consumers. We're closing the raspberry patch while we consider what to do; SWD are notoriously hard to control. On a positive note: the blueberries are not yet affected and we may be able to keep the SWD out of them, so we will probably have blueberries to pick. The blueberry patch will be closed on Thursday and we'll update as soon as possible about Friday and the weekend. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

06/24/2024

Farmer Bill says the first blueberries are ready to pick, so he'll be open tomorrow (Tuesday June 25) from 8:00-12:00 noon with BOTH pick-your-own raspberries and pick-your-own blueberries. He'll be offering picked berries soon-ish. Raspberries are $5.50/pint for 1-4, $5/pint for 5+. Blueberries are $4.25/pint for 1-4 & $4/pint for 5+. Bill is looking forward to seeing you in the berry patch soon!

06/20/2024

UPDATED: We will not be able to start offering picked raspberries on Monday, but should by later in the week. The raspberry patch will open for pick-your-own on Sunday June 23, from 8:00 am-12:00 noon & will probably be closed on Monday to let berries ripen; please call - 507-334-2226 - or check the website (or here on FB/Insta) for updates. Raspberries are by the pint: $5.50 for 1-4 pints & $5.00 for 5 or more. Picked raspberries are $6.50/pint when they are ready. The blueberries are almost, but not quite, ready... we'll update as soon as they are!

06/17/2024

The strawberry patch is closed now, but we are hoping to open for raspberry picking later this week - and blueberry picking a week or so after that! Both the raspberry & blueberry crops still look fantastic, not bothered by all this rain, and we look forward to great picking for our customers. We'll update again when we're sure about the start date, but it won't be long since we're finding the odd ripe raspberry as we scout the field.

06/14/2024

UPDATED: Having scouted the fields late Friday afternoon, Farmer Bill says we'll have to be closed Saturday & Sunday June 15-16. We'll update again late Sunday if there is picking available for next week. Meanwhile, our friends & colleagues at Lorence's Berry Farm and Miracle Strawberry Farm should be able to help with your strawberry needs this year. Thanks so much for all your support and patronage!