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• Pontious Farm leaves produce selection up to the customers

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Located off of Interstate 72, west of Champaign, sits Pontious Farm, one of Central Illinois’s only pick-your-own berry, herb and vegetable farms.

A family tradition, Pontious Farm got its start in 1968. Richard Pontious’s father started the farm with only strawberries for sale. The farm now grows an assortment of berries, along with rhubarb, herbs, radishes, zucchini, cucumbers, and green beans available as well.

“It’s a business that a lot of other people have tried and quit,” said Pontious.

The farm is only open during the summer months through early October. This time of the year, everyone visits the farm for the blueberries, which are fast approaching the end of their season. According to farm owner and operator Richard Pontious, the best blueberries are “very dark and very blue this time of year.”

The Pontious’s pride themselves on “treating the place like a farm, not a commercial entity.” According to Pontious and his wife Nancee, many people treat the farm like their own private park, which is easy to do with the picnic tables, small petting zoo, swing sets and large sandbox that take up the remaining land. When asked what they thought people get out of picking fruit by hand rather than purchasing it at a local grocery store, Richard responded: “It’s a great experience, especially with family — a great family outing where all can have a good time.”

When new visitors arrive, Richard said he and Nancee are glad to show them around the farm. There is no admission charge, and though they would love it if you bought some freshly grown crops, no purchases are required.

But if one is looking to make a purchase, the Pontious family is quick to help their customers find the best selection of produce by providing a map of the best picking locations. Not only do they help their customers get the best quality for their money, they also give them the best price. For the 2009 season, Pontious Farm’s U-PIK price for fresh blueberries is $1.75 per pound. As a comparison, County Market’s price for blueberries runs $2 for three quarters of a pound.

Many consumers have taken to buying organic or picking their own fruit and vegetables fresh from the vine, something Pontious believes to be a good thing. Pontious said that many store-bought fruit could be one day to three weeks old — at a minimum — and that it’s usually processed and shipped from all over the world.

Picking your own fruit at Pontious Farm is as fresh as the day you pick it. Pontious Farm follows organic practices to raise their crops, though Pontious is quick to add, “we are not certified as an organic farm.”

The hours of Pontious Farm are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Generally, the Pontious family can be found tending to daily chores around the farm. Don’t let this summer pass by without a trip to Pontious Farm for some fresh fruit and vegetables and an entertaining way to spend a summer afternoon.