Where to get fresh strawberries in Spartanburg, Greenville and Anderson during peak season

Samantha Swann, Herald-Journal
·5 min read

Strawberry season is at its peak, and pounds of the red, ripe berries are selling fast at Strawberry Hill, USA.

While peaches are the Chesnee farm's biggest crop, Cooley Farm is best known by many for its freshly-picked strawberries, which it has offered since 1995. The farm was started by the grandfather, father and uncle of current owner James Cooley in 1947. It is now also known by its nickname Strawberry Hill.

The Cooley brothers' original farm stand was joined in 2001 by a cafe adjacent to their more than 100 acres of strawberries. In the years following, the farm became a destination, not only for fresh fruit, but for spending time with family and school and youth group tours.

Strawberry season has begun at Strawberry Hill USA in Chesnee. The Cooley family, along with farm and cafe workers, are busy providing fresh strawberries to their customers, Monday, May 9, 2022.
Strawberry season has begun at Strawberry Hill USA in Chesnee. The Cooley family, along with farm and cafe workers, are busy providing fresh strawberries to their customers, Monday, May 9, 2022.

"There's nothing fancy about it, but people like to come, I think, for that reason, to sit in the rockers and spend the day," said Brandi Easler, Cooley's daughter. "It's our family tradition, but it's become a lot of other people's family tradition to come out here as part of their spring and summer."

Strawberry season has begun at Strawberry Hill USA in Chesnee. Strawberry Bread at the peach shed, Monday, May 9, 2022.
Strawberry season has begun at Strawberry Hill USA in Chesnee. Strawberry Bread at the peach shed, Monday, May 9, 2022.

In addition to fresh strawberries by the gallon ($16) or quart ($6), the farm shed also sells strawberry bread and fritters, strawberry jam, and strawberry cider made locally with farm's strawberries. The strawberries are also available there in slushie form, made with the cider. All of the farm's strawberries are pre-picked; they do not offer a U-Pick option.

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Across the street at the restaurant, strawberries are on the menu April-June for breakfast, lunch and snacks.

Strawberry season has begun at Strawberry Hill USA in Chesnee. Bethani Cooley McLellan shows a freshly-made Strawberry Pancake Plate at the cafe, Monday, May 9, 2022.
Strawberry season has begun at Strawberry Hill USA in Chesnee. Bethani Cooley McLellan shows a freshly-made Strawberry Pancake Plate at the cafe, Monday, May 9, 2022.

Strawberry Hill U.S.A. Café and Ice-cream Parlor serves breakfast from 8-10:30 a.m. and this time of year the most popular item, besides their country breakfast with cat head biscuits, is their strawberry pancake. The plate-sized pancake is covered in sliced strawberries and whipped cream.

Strawberry season has begun at Strawberry Hill USA in Chesnee. Bailey Philbeck shows a freshly-made Strawberry Ice Cream Cone at the cafe, Monday, May 9, 2022.
Strawberry season has begun at Strawberry Hill USA in Chesnee. Bailey Philbeck shows a freshly-made Strawberry Ice Cream Cone at the cafe, Monday, May 9, 2022.

"Every evening, we slice up strawberries and we put a little sugar on them at night, just to make a little extra juice on them, and then we'll put them on pancakes for breakfast time," said Bethani McLellan, Cooley's daughter.

The leftover sweetened strawberries are used on strawberry shortcakes, featuring the farm's homemade strawberry ice cream for the lunch crowd.

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The ice cream parlor offers ice cream on sugar and waffle cones, banana splits, and milkshakes.

The strawberry season is at its peak, owner James Cooley said. The farm's 108 workers began picking in early April, and the farm is hopeful that strawberries will be plentiful into June. The farm is working with two main varietals to stagger the crop.

Strawberry season has begun at Strawberry Hill USA in Chesnee. The Cooley family, along with farm and cafe workers, are busy providing fresh strawberries to their customers, Monday, May 9, 2022. James Cooley brings a load of freshly-picked strawberries out of the cooler to re-stock the peach shed produce.
Strawberry season has begun at Strawberry Hill USA in Chesnee. The Cooley family, along with farm and cafe workers, are busy providing fresh strawberries to their customers, Monday, May 9, 2022. James Cooley brings a load of freshly-picked strawberries out of the cooler to re-stock the peach shed produce.

"The best is yet to come, just gotta keep rolling. Cool mornings and warm days makes for wonderful strawberries and we hope that strawberries will keep going through this month and as much into June as possible," Cooley said.

Strawberry Hill USA is located at 3097 SC Highway11 in Chesnee. The farm shed is open daily 8 a.m.-8 p.m. The cafe is open from 6 a.m. - to 2:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday and the ice cream parlor is open daily 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Where to get your strawberry fix near Upstate SC

Abbott's Farm Outlet (1980 Reidville Road, Spartanburg) Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Bellews Market (240 Garner Road, Spartanburg) Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Belue Farms Natural Market (3769 Parris Bridge Road, Boiling Springs) Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.

Grey Rock Farms and Green Acres Produce (5760 Anderson Mill Road, Moore) Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday 12:30 p.m.-6 p.m.

Strawberry Hill USA - Gaffney Market (117 Nancy Creek Road, Gaffney) Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Hobo Hollar (124 Old Converse Road, Spartanburg) Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Hood Farms Peaches & Strawberries (2512 Fairfield Road, Chesnee) daily 7 a.m.- 5 p.m.

McDowell Farms (3731 Highway 11 West, Chesnee) Monday-Friday 9 a.m.- 7 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.- 7 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Bush-N-Vine Farm (160 Filbert Highway, York) Saturday 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Black's Peaches (1800 Black Highway, York) Monday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Wednesday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Springs Farm (1010 Springfield Parkway, Fort Mill) Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 1-7 p.m.

Hall Family Farm (445 W. Rebound Road, Lancaster) Tuesday-Thursday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Friday-Sunday 9 a.m.- 7 p.m.

McConnell Farms (177 Old Dana Road, Hendersonville) Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Johnson Family Farm (1202 Kanuga Road, Hendersonville) Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Rich Hill Farms (3061 Rocky River Road, Heath Springs) Monday-Friday 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m.

Stewart Farms (6600 Highway 92, Enoree) Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Fisher's Peach Orchard (504 S. Buncombe Road and 1000 Locust Hill Road, Greer) daily 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Buck and Ann’s Strawberry Farm (139 Pearson Road, Greer) hours vary, call 864-879-4612

Hunter Farms (607 Jameson Road, Easley) Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.- 6 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m.

Estrada Farms (1428 Table Rock Road, Pickens) daily 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Callaham Orchards (59 Crawford Road., Belton) daily, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Beechwood Farms (204 Bates Bridge Road, Marietta) Monday-Friday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Samantha Swann covers food and restaurants in Spartanburg County. She is a University of South Carolina Upstate and Greenville Technical College alumna. Contact her with your burning restaurant questions, recipes, and new dinner specials at sswann@shj.com or on Instagram at @sameatsspartanburg.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Where to get strawberries during South Carolina's season peak