Strawberry Season at Rivercrest Orchard
What to know before you go and how one local farm is growing more than fruit
Rivercrest Orchard just east of Fayetteville draws visitors each spring for strawberry season. We asked owners Timothea and Dennis McGarrah what to expect — and how to bring a taste of the farm home.
Q. How did Rivercrest Orchard get started, and what do you have there?
Rivercrest Orchard offers pick-your-own berries and a fun atmosphere in Washington County. (Photos provided by Rivercrest Orchard.)
Rivercrest Orchard began in 2019 when we purchased our farm, but Dennisʼs family has been farming Northwest Arkansas for over 200 years. We offer pick-your-own strawberries, tulips, sunflowers, apples and pumpkins. We also grow melons, blackberries and raspberries.
The year starts with tulip festival in March, followed by Easter and strawberry festivals, and a fall festival later in the year. We have a variety of attractions – a real train with just under a mile of track, bumper cars, bounce pillows, a barn chute slide, hayrides, paintball, apple blasters, bubble barns, low ropes course and more.
We recently opened the Rivercrest Grill and Sweets Barn, serving handmade pizza, burgers, pulled pork, grilled salmon, funnel cake, soft-serve ice cream and other seasonal treats.
Q. For first-time visitors, what’s your advice for making the most of a trip to the orchard?
Dress for the weather and allow plenty of time. It usually takes around two to four hours to complete everything on our farm.
Q. What role do local farms like Rivercrest play in keeping our rural communities strong?
Supporting our local economy that extends beyond agriculture. We provide jobs for seasonal and year-round employment. Working farms like ours help keep rural land productive and not developed. We provide a place for families in our community to make lifelong memories and have safe family fun.
Q. What’s one mistake people make when picking strawberries?
Picking them green. Strawberries don’t ripen once they’re picked, so wait until they’re fully ripe before taking them from the vine.
Q. What recipe are you sharing with us and why?
Strawberry-lime chicken tacos, a sweet taste of strawberry season. Tender cilantro-lime chicken topped with melted mozzarella and fresh strawberry salsa, all wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. We enjoy creating seasonal dishes you don’t typically find elsewhere.