According to Messick, this year’s strawberry yield is the lowest he’s experienced since he started the farm 13 years ago. Customers eager to handpick fresh strawberries were turned away weeks earlier than usual, as the farm closed its pick-your-own fields after just four weeks. In an ordinary year, the strawberry season kicks off by mid-April and runs into late June. But in 2025, it was effectively over before May had even ended.
The primary culprit is a rapidly spreading fungal disease known as Neopestalotiopsis, or Neo-P for short. The pathogen has impacted strawberry crops across Virginia and the surrounding areas. Though the disease often leaves visible signs such as discolored or spotted leaves, it is not always outwardly apparent. In many cases, healthy-looking plants produce few or no berries. Even when flowers bloom, fruit development may be stunted or entirely absent.
On Messick’s farm, roughly five acres of strawberry plants were affected. Standing among them, Messick pointed to damaged leaves showing the telltale signs of the fungus — brownish-yellow splotches ringed with darker maroon hues. The disease, unfortunately, does more than just blemish leaves. It reduces productivity to the point where entire sections of the field yield nothing at all. From a distance, the plants appear vigorous. But closer inspection reveals a lack of fruit and flowering — a quiet devastation that leaves fields deceptively green but unproductive.
The fungus isn’t the only reason strawberry fields are struggling. Unseasonably heavy rainfall and persistent moisture have compounded the problem, creating perfect conditions for diseases to thrive while stressing the plants even further. According to Messick, strawberries flourish in cool, dry weather. The excessive rainstorms in the region this spring provided anything but.
The situation is not unique to one farm. Similar reports have emerged from other farms across Northern Virginia and surrounding regions, many of which had to shut down their pick-your-own operations well ahead of schedule. Some farms, still managing to offer strawberries for sale, are doing so at reduced volumes, with customers having to call ahead or check for availability on farm websites.
Even though not all farms are affected equally — a few are still operating — the broader trend is clear: the region is facing a strawberry drought. The early closures and limited yields have disappointed regular visitors and families who look forward to strawberry picking as a cherished springtime outing.
Inside the farm market, staff members have been fielding calls from hopeful visitors, only to deliver the disappointing news. Jessica Howland, who works at the farm, described the dismay felt by both employees and customers. For many, the annual trip to the strawberry fields is about more than fruit — it’s about making memories. From children smeared with berry juice to family photos among the vines, the experience is a staple of local seasonal traditions.
Looking ahead, Messick plans to make changes that could help safeguard next year’s harvest. He intends to plant a new variety of strawberry that offers greater resistance to Neo-P and other diseases. This decision could be key to recovering from what has been an unusually challenging year.
There’s still a silver lining for loyal customers. Though the strawberries are gone for now, the farm’s growing season is far from over. Blackberries, another local favorite, will be ready for picking in a few weeks. Other crops, from summer vegetables to pumpkins in the fall, will follow, promising a return to form for the farm’s bustling agrotourism calendar.
In the meantime, the farm remains a reminder of the fragile balance that farmers depend on — one that’s increasingly being tested by both nature and emerging agricultural threats. While this year’s strawberry season may have left gaps in picnic baskets and family photo albums, the hope remains that next season will offer a sweeter outcome.
