With acres of farms and two-lane country roads, the South Dade area is a total departure from the hustle and bustle of Downtown Miami and South Beach. It also has a fascinating history of pioneer homesteaders, such as the Knaus family, who moved south to farm the land and develop Miami’s agricultural industry in the early 20th century.

Visiting the Farm

Knaus Berry Farm is a popular attraction that is open from November through mid-April. Special events are frequent, so call or check the website for updates. The cash-only fruit stand has a menu that includes everything to satisfy a sweet tooth. Oh, and prepare to wait in line, because their goodies – including those irresistible cinnamon rolls – are just that good. Locals and visitors travel for miles to buy the sweet, gooey, melt-in-your-mouth treats.

Pick Your Own Berries

When the crops are ripe, be sure to take advantage of a chance to pick your own berries on a visit to Knaus Berry Farm. There’s nothing fresher than a sweet strawberry or tomato picked directly from the vine. Call ahead to find out when U-pick is available, then grab a basket and head behind the fruit stand where rows of fruits and veggie plants await. One section of the farm uses a vertical growing system, so people don’t have to bend down or get dirty to pluck the best-looking produce. Those who prefer finding strawberries the old-fashioned way can pick from traditional rows of strawberry patches. One thing is for sure… a stop at Knaus Berry Farm while visiting Homestead is a fun (and sweet!) time for the whole family.

History of Knaus Berry Farm

The Knaus brothers, Jess and Harley, moved to Florida from Missouri in 1924. They came for construction work, helping to build Miami during its first development boom. When the hurricane of 1926 ended the Florida land boom of the early 1920s, they returned to their agricultural roots and began raising vegetables on an 80-acre farm not far from what now is Homestead Air Reserve Base.

By 1934, the farm was doing well enough that the brothers were able to build identical two-story houses a short distance from where Knaus Berry Farm is located today. Jess’ sons, Russell and Ray, spent their childhoods on the farm. In 1942 (with the German military disrupting shipping off the Florida coast) the Knaus brothers decided they were too close to the war front and moved back to Missouri.

In 1956, Ray and Russell returned to Florida and began growing strawberries together in the Redland, an area south of Miami named for its pockets of fertile red clay. They set up a small roadside stand to sell their berries to local residents. To this day, the farm remains a family-owned and operated business.

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