Owner Robin Dornauf is expecting eager strawberry fans when the doors to the cafe and self picking open at 9am on Wednesday.

“Usually the Queensland [strawberry] season finishes some time in September and it’s not really starting here until October or November so there’s a month lag, with a bit of pent up demand there for berries,” Mr Dornauf said.

“People forget they’re a summer fruit. This is the true season for them so they’re at their peak,” he said.

Strawberry pickers can choose from 50,000 strawberry plants at the Pick Your Own facility, with raspberries, blueberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants coming on later in the season.

“This year we’ve got strawberries on a raised bed, which will make picking easier, but still a good height for kids, mums with prams and people in wheelchairs,” Mr Dornauf said.

If picking your own berries is not for you, Hillwood Farmgate also has freshly-picked berries for sale at the cafe.

What do they do to people who try before they buy?

“We expect people to taste. We don’t expect people to completely gorge themselves. We understand people taste and that’s part of the experience,” Mr Dornauf said.

Hillwood Farmgate and Pick Your Own also sells Tasmanian produce – such as vinegar, jam, cheese, butter, cream, wine and honey – that is used in the cafe, marketing coordinator Tamra Noble said.

“People love pancakes with fresh berries, strawberry sundaes, berries and cream and scones,” Ms Noble said.

“Anything we use on the menu we try to have available to buy. If you like it, you can take it away,” Mr Dornauf said.

Pick Your Own allows you to pick as many as you want and pay by weight: $10 per kilogram of strawberries and $25 for raspberries and blueberries.

“By December and when school holidays hit it’s mad. In the holidays we have a line up out the door,” Ms Noble said.

If you cannot get to Hillwood, berries are also available at Stonesthrow, Queechy, and green grocers in Launceston.

Hillwood Farmgate and Pick Your Own is open seven days between 9am and 5pm until mid May.