Ready for You-Pick -- and a giveaway?

The Observer's annual list of Pick Your Own farms goes up Wednesday. We do it as a print list in the paper and online as a searchable map that stays posted through October, so it's ready for apple and pumpkin season, too. New this year: We'll combine our map with the Raleigh News & Observer's version, giving you a big net of fresh-in-the-fields food from the coast to the mountains.

Along with the list this year, my Raleigh cohort Andrea Weigl is writing about a couple of books that fit the theme, "The New Southern Garden Cookbook," by Sheri Castle, and "Farm Fresh North Carolina," by Diane Daniel. Daniel's book is an unusually helpful guide to farmers markets, farm stands, orchards and farm-centric food and lodging all over the state.

To get everyone in the strawberry-picking mood, I've got a copy of "Farm Fresh North Carolina" to give away. To enter, send an email with "Farm Fresh" in the subject line to kpurvis@charlotteobserver.com. Deadline: 9 a.m. Wednesday.