ELLERBE — For the second time in four years, the World’s Largest Strawberry has been named North Carolina’s Best Roadside Attraction.
The Berry Patch came in first in the category in Strange Carolinas’ Best of NC Awards for 2022, the website announced Tuesday.
The roadside produce stand and ice cream shop topped Mystery Hill in Blowing Rock and Wally’s Service Station and the Mayberry Courthouse in Mount Airy, which came in second and third, respectively.
Owner Lee Berry was unaware of the honor until being contacted by the RO Wednesday evening.
“We have made ourselves a destination,” Berry said. “We appreciate everyone who voted for us.”
Berry joked that he only voted once, so he didn’t skew the results.
“It’s an honor to win that, especially with all the other attractions around North Carolina,” he added.
Other finalists for that category in the Strange North Carolina division were:
The Berry Patch previously won the category in 2019 and placed third in 2021. Berry also said he didn’t know about last year’s distinction.
Other categories in the Strange North Carolina division are best ghost story, urban legend, paranormal team and ghost walk/tour.
There are several other divisions in the Strange Carolinas contest:
The Berry Patch first opened in 2002 a mile south from its current location. However, the state bought the land for the U.S. 220/Interstate 73/74 widening project and the Berry’s moved to Exit 25 on the corner of U.S. 220 and Cargo Road in late 2012, re-opening the following year.
The stand sells a variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables along with jams, jellies and other N.C.-made products — and, of course, ice cream from the giant strawberry.
It gained national notoriety in 2014 when Jon Stewart, then host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” declared it as “The World’s Largest Strawberry” rather than a site in Iowa that made the same claim.
In recent years, the Berrys have hosted outdoor concerts during the summer as well as Independence Day fireworks.
The Berry Patch is starting its 2022 concert season Thursday, April 2 with the return of the Beach Fever Band. The band played its first gig to open the Berry Patch’s concert season last March.
In February, the Berry Patch was listed on the website OnlyInYourState.com, in a post sponsored by Visit Richmond County, as one of the “8 Ways To Spend An Unforgettable Day In Richmond County, North Carolina.”
On March 24, Carolina Farm Credit featured the World’s Largest Strawberry in a Facebook post, announcing the Berrys’ plans for an agri-toursim center.
Berry told the RO Thursday that they bought a piece of land on the service road near the Berry Patch where they intend to have fall activities for the people of Richmond and surrounding counties - particularly kids in school and church groups-, including a corn maze, pumpkin patch, a train and a picnic area.
“It’s something Richmond County needs,” Berry said.
Carolina Farm Credit has also recently featured other Richmond County members, all in Ellerbe: E.E. Vuncannon, the fourth-generation supply store; the Grants’ third-generation Century Farm; and Chris and Amy Yaklin’s farming operation.
The online visitor guide on VisitRichmondCounty.com lists agritourism as the first category features the Berry Patch, Triple L Farms, the Sandhills AgInnovation Center and several others.
According to a report from Richmond County Economic Development, around 22% of the county’s employment is in agriculture.
