
So many different ways to bake fruit with butter, sugar, flour, etc.
I’m not trying to be the word police, but there’s so many different ways to bake fruit with butter, sugar, flour, etc. My first experience with cobbler was in the Boy Scouts. Fruit cooked in a big black dutch oven, using fire and coals. A sweet cakey mixture on top and bubbling syrupy goodness on the bottom. It was amazing. I’ve since learned how to pull this off on my own car camping trips using frozen berries, a box of yellow cake mix, a stick of butter and a Sprite. Everything tastes better when you’re camping.
For a more refined and delicious baked fruit dessert I prefer a crisp or a crunch. One has oats and one does not. Whether a crisp, crunch or cobbler, it’s all about the topping. Don’t skimp on the topping. That’s the part everybody wants. Here’s a basic recipe for you to try.

How an Incubator Farm Launched Heeks Farm
This past Tuesday I had the opportunity to attend a Durham Farm Campus Retreat. It was a welcome escape from the heat. The farm stand was still open. I’ve been trying to have everything set up for self-serve while I am busy working in other parts of the farm or if I have to run an errand.
The future Durham Farm Campus is located at the corner of Orange Factory Road and N. Roxboro St. (or US Hwy 501). The plan one day is for it to be an incubator farm. A place where new and beginning farmers can gain access to land and start or grow their farm businesses. There’s also plans for a commercial kitchen space with dry and cold storage. And lots of recreational and educational opportunities. There’s a lot of plans. And right now not a lot of money.

How Research, Deer, and Trial-and-Error Built Our Blackberry Rows
A few years ago I was approached by Durham County’s Agricultural Agent with the Cooperative Extension to see if I would grow a row of blackberries. They were interested in comparing several common varieties to a new blackberry variety developed at NC State. I was supposed to record observations on vigor, yield, disease and insect pressure for the 5 varieties. Sure. Sounds like fun. I had absolutely no idea how to grow blackberries. I got the soil tested, spread the appropriate amendments, and plowed the area to prepare for planting.

One Last Pick: Saying Goodbye to Strawberry Season
In the offseason it’s easy to plan. Farming on paper. Numbers on a spreadsheet. A mental to-do list. A packet of tomato seeds, a few reused trays, bags of potting soil, some fertilizer, time on the tractor, get the field ready for planting, t-posts, twine…What starts out as a series of zeroes and ones, can fit into an envelope in the mail and slowly the scale grows exponentially. The present day farmer can not go back and tell the brilliant planner sipping coffee on a cold winter day that he’s forgetting something.

Still Picking, Still Planting: Music & Memories
I posted a video on facebook this week that featured a snippet of the song “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers, a song seared into my brain by my dad. I can still picture him dancing to his favorite country tunes, especially “Elvira” by The Oak Ridge Boys. My dad gave me a lot of things. Love of music, carpentry skills, a work ethic, anger issues, confidence. I don’t think I was a very nice son when I was young, but that didn’t matter. My dad would still bend over backwards to help me with whatever. And the cycle goes on. I have a son who loves music, has an incredible work ethic and sometimes isn’t very nice to me. I love him no matter and would do anything for him. Father’s Day is June 15th.

Late May at the Farm: Strawberries, Passion Vines & What’s Next?
Yes. We still have strawberries! How much longer is anyone’s guess, but it looks like we could have some overlap with the blackberries. A few years ago when we planted the blackberries we had this vine show up in the patch as a “weed”. Turns out it was purple passion flower or maypop or passion fruit. Yes. Passion fruit. I’ve been slowly experimenting with cultivating this wild plant so we could have more of it. It has an absolutely stunning flower, is an amazing pollinator plant and it is the host plant for the Gulf Fritillary (passion butterfly).

Strawberries, Robots, and Real Dirt Farming: Memorial Day at the Farm
I used to think my job was safe from the robots. I’ve discovered a system developed in the UK where they grow strawberries off the ground in these elevated soil bags. They are grown in field scale poly tunnels, protected from the rain and wind. It’s pretty impressive. Everything is highly automated. And they have robots which they say “will increase farm productivity whilst reducing packhouse and farm labour, fruit waste and fungicide use, and ultimately eliminating fossil fuel use.”

Calls to Farmer Mark and Lessons from a First-Year Grower
I’ve called Farmer Mark of Waller Family Farm every week with some crisis or pressing question. It starts with me texting him, “Hey Mark. Got a minute to chat? I’ve got a question about…”. 5, 10, 15 minutes later my phone will ring. It’s Mark. No matter how I’m feeling when I answer the phone. It’s like a burst of sunshine and rainbows on the other end of the line when I hear Mark’s voice. As a first year strawberry grower I feel like I’m on a roller coaster. I’ve never grown a crop with so many ups and downs, highs and lows. I mean lowest of low.

Rain and Strawberries
After over 2 inches of rain, many ripe strawberries at Heeks Farm are at risk of going to waste. If you can pick and put up berries this week, we need you! It’s a chance to save food, stock your freezer, and support a local farm near Durham, NC. Open Wed–Sat—call first!

Makin’ Jam & Building Community
Granpappy came to the farm on a mission to make jam. His grandson had been treated for leukemia and in the process lost his appetite for everything but farm fresh strawberries. To preserve the season and put some weight back on this young boy, Granpappy had the idea to make jam. Peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwiches. Tasty and nutritious. It worked. The boy loved the jam. Couldn’t get enough of those peanut butter and jam sandwiches. Now Granpappy makes dozens of jars of jam for his grandson every year.

Strawberry season is short and it's time to pick berries
Strawberry season is in full swing at Heeks Farm, and Farmer David is working hard to keep the berries healthy during this record-breaking April heat. From daily walks through the rows to updates on the berry hotline, it’s all about keeping the patch thriving for as long as possible. Stock your fridge, freezer, or favorite recipes with fresh-picked strawberries—perfect for snacking, breakfast, desserts, and more. Plus, sugar snap peas are just starting, and a new pollinator garden is in the works. Check our Facebook for updates and call before you come!

Wow! What a Week!
Wow! What a week! We officially opened the farm for strawberry picking with a ribbon cutting on Monday. We were featured in the Raleigh N&O newspaper on Wednesday in the annual PYO strawberry farm roundup.
We started using the flag system this week for efficient picking as suggested by Mark Waller. It seemed to work pretty well, so I’ll be utilizing that system on Saturday. Hope to see you Saturday!

Roasted Strawberries Recipe
There’s nothing like the taste of freshly picked strawberries—especially when they come from Heeks Farm, your go-to destination for pick-your-own strawberries near Durham, NC. Our slow-roasted strawberry recipe brings out the deep, jammy sweetness of farm-fresh berries, making it a perfect way to enjoy the harvest long after your visit. Whether you top your morning yogurt or dress up dessert, this easy recipe is a flavorful reminder of strawberry season in North Carolina.

How to Freeze Strawberries
Want to enjoy strawberries year-round? Learn simple, effective ways to freeze whole or pureed berries—straight from the fields at Heeks Farm. These freezer-friendly tips will help you savor the sweet taste of strawberry season long after harvest.

The farm signs are up!
Spring is in full swing at Heeks Farm in Durham, NC! The strawberries and blueberries are blooming, and the farm signs are up—handcrafted from reclaimed wood with a touch of Heeks Farm history. Between hand-weeding the berry rows and conducting nutrient tests on the strawberries, we’re busy preparing for a successful harvest. Check out our latest update, including a behind-the-scenes video of the sign painting process.

The life of a strawberry
At Heeks Farm in Durham, NC, we’re gearing up for our first season of offering pick-your-own strawberries. From ordering plants in June to preparing the soil, planting 8,000 bare root strawberry plants, and dealing with challenges like unexpected diseases, it’s been a labor of love. After months of care, we’re excited to share our journey and offer families the chance to pick their own strawberries at our farm this spring.