Some of my best summer memories involve strawberry shortcake. My Nana made it all the time for me, and I’ll be honest, she wasn’t pulling fresh berries from a garden. She bought the ones that came frozen in syrup, in a little cardboard box from Market Basket. You know the ones. And they were absolutely perfect.
I thought about that this week when we drove a few minutes from my house to Saltonstall Farm in Stratham to pick strawberries. Third generation, veteran-owned, and quietly one of the best things about living on the New Hampshire seacoast. Their pick-your-own season just opened, and we grabbed my flat and went…because strawberry season in New England is short, and I’ve learned not to wait.
I came home with way too many strawberries. It was a great problem to have.
New England in Bloom
This is part of New England in Bloom, my ongoing series spotlighting the small farms, independent nurseries, and hidden garden gems across New England. Because there’s so much worth celebrating right here in our own backyard!
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A Little Bit About Saltonstall Farm
Saltonstall Farm has been part of the Stratham landscape for three generations, and today it’s run by Sophie and Kyle, who, I should mention, showed up to greet visitors on a warm Saturday morning fully decked out in strawberry attire. Points for commitment.
What struck me when talking with them at the farm entrance is how much this place means to Sophie personally. She grew up on this farm. She’s not just running it, she’s stewarding something that’s been in her family her whole life. When I asked her what her favorite thing about strawberry season is, she didn’t even hesitate. She gave me three answers: the nostalgia of farming land she grew up on, the endless supply of berries to eat, and having the community come out and love the farm the way she does.
That third one stuck with me.
Kyle is out at 5 am during growing season, and I have to say, that hit close to home. I have a garden. Just a garden. And I always feel behind. I can only imagine the million things on a farm that size that need doing before most people have had their first cup of coffee. It’s clearly a labor of love.
Pick Your Own: What It’s Actually Like
Before we even made it to the fields, Kyle handed us a white strawberry to try. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know white strawberries were a thing. One bite and I was completely won over. Delicate, almost tropical, genuinely amazing. Kyle mentioned they’re a challenging variety to grow in New Hampshire, but absolutely worth the effort. I believed him immediately.
Then we grabbed our cardboard tray and headed into the rows.
There were rows and rows of big red berries stretching out in every direction, with plenty more still ripening on the vine. The whole experience felt like a treasure hunt: you’re lifting leaves, peeking underneath, looking for the ones that are the deepest red and just waiting to be picked.
We would spot a ‘big one’ in the next row and hop over the plants to grab it. Saltonstall Farm grows about five different varieties, which explains why the field felt so abundant and varied. Some berries were enormous. Some were small and intensely sweet. All of them were so good!
Seeing the parents with their little kids instantly flashed me back to going strawberry picking when my boys were little! They would have red-stained mouths within a few minutes of hitting the field.
We left with a full tray, and we couldn’t stop eating them on the ride home.
A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go:
- PYO hours are Saturday and Sundays, 8 am-noon; Tuesdays, 2-6 pm; Thursdays, 8 am-noon.
- Wear shoes you don’t mind getting a little dirty, and I would suggest bringing a hat; the fields are sunny and open. There’s also wood chips between rows-I wore sandals and wished I had thrown on sneakers because I had to keep stopping and getting pieces out of my Birks.
- Strawberry season in New Hampshire is short! Typically, through late June or early July. So don’t wait on this one
- Follow Saltonstall Farm on Instagram for the most current picking conditions and hours. Plus, they are just a fun follow!!
- Check out their website for more info
Pop Into The Farm Stand
And before you leave, make sure you stop into their small farm stand (more like a cute store). Fresh-picked berry quarts in the cooler case if you don’t want to pick your own, local jams, handmade pie plates, a beautiful little display of children’s books, and fresh bouquets from a small local flower grower. It’s like a hidden gem-so cute!
More Than Just Strawberries
It’s worth knowing that Saltonstall Farm is more than a PYO operation. They have a stunning barn that they rent for weddings and events. I love peeking in when driving by. Weddings look so fun there! It’s the kind of venue that makes you wish you had an excuse to plan a party.
And if you really want to lean into the full farm experience, they offer a farm stay apartment that is genuinely special. The three-bedroom apartment was renovated in 2024 and was actually featured on HGTV’s Farmhouse Fixer Season 3, in an episode called “Berry Farm Charm.” I loved this series, especially since the homes they renovated were all in New England. It books through Airbnb and VRBO and is just an hour from Boston (depending on traffic, ifykyk!) and about 20 minutes from Portsmouth, so if you’ve been looking for a unique New England getaway, this might be it. Staying on a working fruit farm in the seacoast? Yes please!
Plus, you can come visit me!
What I Made When I Got Home: Macerated Strawberries
I came home with a very full tray of strawberries and my favorite dessert: strawberry shortcake on my mind!!
So I made macerated strawberries for shortcake…and ran over to Market Basket for shortcake biscuits and dessert shells (some people in this house don’t like the biscuits). Here’s what to do:
Macerated Strawberries
6 servings
- 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Step 1: Slice Strawberries
Hull and slice 4 cups of fresh strawberries. I love using an egg slicer for this task, and place them in a bowl. You want slices, not chunks. More surface area means more syrup.
Step 2: Add Sugar & Lemon Juice
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of sugar on top of the sliced strawberries and squeeze about 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice over the strawberries.
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Step 3: Let Sit For 1 Hour
Let the berries sit at room temperature, stirring once or twice. You’ll start to see a beautiful, rosy syrup pooling at the bottom of the bowl as the sugar draws moisture out of the fruit. This is the magic moment!
Chill until you are ready to use.
Step 4: Serve & Enjoy
 Spoon generously over shortcake, biscuits, pound cake, or vanilla ice cream. Make sure to get plenty of that syrup; that’s the whole point!
Homemade Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chill a mixing bowl and whisk or mixer attachments. Add ingredients to the chilled bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.
Support Your Local Farms This Summer
Here’s something I think about a lot this time of year: it is so easy to drive past a farm stand or skip the PYO in favor of a quick grocery store run. I get it. Life is busy. But places like Saltonstall Farm exist because people show up for them, and the season is short enough that if we all wait until “next weekend,” the strawberries are gone and the moment has passed.
You don’t have to live in New Hampshire to find something like this near you. Most of us are closer to a small family farm, a local flower grower, or a roadside farm stand than we realize.
This summer, I’d encourage you to seek one out, buy a quart of berries, grab a bouquet of dahlias from someone’s front yard stand, and check your area for farmers’ markets. Just stop at the farm stand instead of the grocery store just once. It makes a difference to the people growing things, and honestly? It’ll make a difference to your summer too!
Seacoast New Hampshire Summer Farmer’s Markets
Now, Go Pick Some Strawberries!
Strawberry season in New Hampshire is one of those things that sounds like it’ll last forever and then suddenly it’s over, and you missed it. Don’t miss it this year. Saltonstall Farm is the kind of place that makes you feel good about where you live. A family that’s been farming this land for three generations, growing something beautiful, and genuinely happy to share it with the community around them.
Take your kids. Take your mom. Take yourself on a solo Saturday morning and just enjoy being somewhere quiet and good for an hour.
And then go home and make something yummy!
xo, Jennifer
Saltonstall Farm
Saltonstall Farm is located at 61 Stratham Heights Road, Stratham, NH.
Follow them on Instagram & Facebook @saltonstallfarm for current picking hours and conditions. Strawberry season moves fast, and they’ll keep you posted.
