2024 Charlotte area of North Carolina Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in Charlotte area of North Carolina in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for blackberries that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a state have blackberries orchards that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!

Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!

PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.

New! As inflation remains high, see this page for reliable (tested) brands of generic canning lids at lower costs, and cost-saving measures for getting fruit and vegetables and home canning.
 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

New! Road tripping and camping is a great way to have a fun, safe and inexpensive family trip. The national and state parks and monuments are open, and campgrounds usually cost between $10 and $40 per night. September to November is the best camping weather.  See our new website Road Tripping and Camping.com for tips, tricks, guides, checklists and info about parks, monuments and other places to visit.

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Cabarrus County

• Summerberry Farm - blackberries, U-pick and already picked
  3430 Rimer Road, Concord, NC 28025. Phone: (704) 721-0670. Email: summerberryfarm@outlook.com. Open: Thursday and Friday from 7 am to 6 pm, Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm, Sunday from 1pm to 6pm, Call before coming highly recommended. Directions: Take Route 73 East out of Concord, turn left on Gold Hill Road just out of town, go 4.5 miles turn left on Rimer Road. Summerberry Farm is 0.7 mile on right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard, ApplePay. 2021 prices were $14.00 per gallon PYO, $5.50 per quart pre picked. (Our blackberries are thornless. Containers provided. Water availableThey also have some blueberries and wineberries to pick, but call ahead yo check availability. They also have lodging on the property that can be booked. (UPDATED: May 23, 2022)

Catawba County

• Martin Farms - blueberries, blackberries
  3035 M\/M Dr., Vale, NC 28168. Phone: (704) 462-1091. Email: 677martins@gmail.com. Open: We started picking in Mid-June; on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday from 8 am to 12 pm, Please call ahead for other times; Thank You. Directions: Hwy 127 south from Hickory,N.C., 10 miles to Highway 10,go west\(turn right\) on highway 10,go 3 miles to state road 2042, turn left, \(Heavner Rd\) Go 1 mile, MM Drive on left to farm. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Hwy 127 south from Hickory,N.C., 10 miles to Highway 10,go west(turn right) on highway 10,go 3 miles to state road 2042, turn left, (Heavner Rd) Go 1 mile, M/M Drive on left to farm Please call ahead for best picking dates and times. Thank You!. The ONLY pyo crops offered are Blackberries, Blueberries, (UPDATED: June 19, 2018) Smith Blueberry Farm - No pesticides are used, blueberries, flowers, sunflowers, zinnias, dahlias7584 Greedy Hwy, Hickory, NC 28602. Phone: (828) 302-1950 csmith3922@gmail.comWe usually open the 3rd or 4th week in June and close mid August; from 7 am to 9 pm Daily. during picking season; July and August.: We do not use pesticides on the crops. Payment: Cash, Check, Venmo . While we are not technically an "Organic" farm, we do not use any chemical pesticides or fungicides. We have over 600 bushes and 4 different varieties. We have an early, early/mid, mid and a late season bush. This helps us extend our picking season. We have plenty of picking buckets and bags to carry your berries home in. . The ONLY pyo crops offered are Blueberries and Flowers. A U-Pick flower farm will be opening this August, providing a unique opportunity for visitors to select and pick their own flowers. With a variety of flowers available, such as sunflowers, zinnias, and dahlias, the farm offers a picturesque setting for visitors to enjoy and explore. (UPDATED: June 15, 2023)

Cleveland County

• Knob Creek Orchards - apples, blackberries, strawberries, Honey from hives on the farm, U-pick and already picked, farm market, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, school tours
  6471 Fallston Road, Lawndale, NC 28090. Phone: 704-538-1405. Email: info@knobcreekorchards.com. Open: Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 6 pm; Saturday, from 8 am to 7 pm; Sunday, from 12:30 pm to 8 pm; May through December. Directions: Located on Highway 18 North of Shelby and South of Morganton. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  Knob Creek Orchards Facebook page. Picking updates: Click here for picking updatesStrawberries: Spring (May to June) Blackberries: Summer to Early Fall (June to October) Peaches: Summer (June to September) Apples: Late Summer to Winter (August to December)Apart from fresh fruits, is known for their homemade ice cream and waffle cones. We allow our customers to pick strawberries at a discounted price across the street from the store. This is a great activity for families, groups, or the average person. Pick-your-own strawberries is contingent on the weather and availability, so we do advise you to call ahead to make sure picking will be available for the day of your visit.

Gaston County

• Double B. Farms - Apple, blackberries, Squash
  7322 Flay Road, Cherryville, NC 28021. Phone: (704) 435-1073. Open: By appointment only; Sept. Click here for a map and directions. Phone: (704) 435-2606-OctFrom Lincolnton take 27 W. approx. 7 miles; take left on Flay Rd.; first farm on left after crossing Hwy. 274. From Cherryville take 274 N. approx. 6 miles; take left on Flay Road. Crop availability: Summer squash June to Aug. We will have what you need ready.
• Lewis Farm - strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties, restrooms, picnic area, picnic area (bring your own food), pony rides, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, group reservations
  330 Lewis Road, Gastonia, NC 28054. Phone: 704-842-1208. Email: events.lewisfarm@gmail.com. Open: Usually April-June, see their website. Directions: For a map to our farm, . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard. located in Ranlo, NC, a small town in Gaston County approximately 15 minutes from Charlotte, NC. We raise grass-fed cattle, pastured pork, wonderful brown eggs from Golden Comet chickens, hay, corn, soybean, wheat, pumpkins, & produce. Our products are sold straight from the farm (by appointment) year-round. We also host private birthday parties, weddings, family reunions, corporate events, and private carriage rides. Give your students the opportunity to explore life on a working farm, learn from true family farmersA visitor writes on October 10, 2013: " "Went every year with my daughter and son's Preschool class. Always had a great time!"
• Linebergers - Blackberries, Corn, Cucumber, Gourds, Greens, Muscadine, scuppernongs, Pumpkins, Raspberries, Squash, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Hay Rides, Tours
  906 Dallas-Stanley Highway #275, Dallas, NC 28034. Phone: 704-922-8688. Email: linebergersfarm@gmail.com. Directions: Located on Hwy 275 one mile east of Dallas and 5 miles west of Stanley. From I-85, take the New Hope Road Exit 20 in Gastonia, go north on New Hope Road 4 miles to Dallas, turn right on the Dallas-Stanley Hwy #275. The farm is a little over one mile on the right. Crop availability: Strawberries - May-early June Blackberries & Raspberries - June-July Pumpkins, Gourds, Muscadine & Greens - September to October Squash, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Sweet corn & Melons pre-picked only in June& - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Linebergers Facebook page. or Phone: 704-748-1488. May/June hours: 8 am to 7 pm Monday- Saturday,from 1 pm to 6 pm Sunday. Call for hours in other seasons. the farm produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, blackberries, peaches, vegetables, and pumpkins. Our customers enjoy buying fresh produce, picking their own berries, picnicking and letting the kids play. We sell produce at our on-farm stores and the Gastonia, Denver, and Atherton Mill Farmers' MarketsFormerly called Maple Springs Farm. (UPDATED: July 19, 2019, JBS)
  Comments from a visitor on September 11, 2009: "Nice people! Very well run operation. Produce is fresh & market is clean. They have hayrides & farm-oriented play area. Lots of schools & daycares go there in the fall for the pumpkins & hayrides. "

Iredell County

• Prevette Family Farm - blackberries, blueberries, restrooms, picnic area you may bring your own food
  236 Williamsburg Road, Olin, NC 28660. Phone: 704-539-4350. Email: pre4@yadtel.net. Open: Monday to Friday 8 am to 5 pm Saturday 8 am to 4 pm. Directions: From Statesville, North Carolina, take I-77 north to Union Grove Exit, turn right, go approximately 2.5 miles, turn right on Tabor Road, Go 1 mile, Turn right on Williamsburg Road, go 12 mile, farm is on right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. Prevette Family Farm Alternate Phone: 704-880-3453 Picking updates: Click here for picking updatesFrom Statesville, North Carolina, take I-77 north to Union Grove Exit, turn right, go approximately 2.5 miles, turn right on Tabor Road, Go 1 mile, Turn right on Williamsburg Road, go 1/2 mile, farm is on rightBlueberries and Blackberries Mid June through Mid AugustOur Rabbiteye blueberry varieties ripen from mid-June until late July. Blackberries are available June - July. Please call for availability of blackberries and blueberries. Call to place your order. When you call to pick you own or want us to pick your berries, we put you on our waiting list and as soon as the berries ripen, we fill the orders for our customers, calling them in the order on our list. We have picking buckets, but recommend that you bring your own container to take them home. It takes a little more than an hour to pick a gallon of blueberries(ADDED: January 31, 2015)

Rowan County

• Fisher Farms - Blackberries, tomatoes
  77789 Stokes Ferry Road, Rockwell, NC . Phone: 704-239-7449. Click here for a map and directions. . Alternate phone: 704-239-1719Take I-85 North to Exit 68 (China Grove/Rockwell). Go right at the ramp toward Rockwell. Follow N.C. 152 to Rockwell. Call the farm from East Rowan Cafe in Rockwell for further directions. Farm is two miles east of Rockwell. Crop availability: Blackberries in mid-June through late July; picking tomatoes starting July 1. Prices set in season. Other produce available. 8:30 am until dark weekdays, 1-7 p.m. Sunday; closed Saturday.
• Keeper Creek Farm Farmers Daughter - blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, lavendar, u-pick and already-picked,
  1679 Triplett Rd, Mt Ulla, NC 28125. Phone: 704-201-8475. Email: Chester.bp@gmail.com. Open: Tuesday to Saturday from 7am to 12pm, June - August. Click here for a map and directions.
  Keeper Creek Farm Farmers Daughter Facebook page. They currently have over 1000 blueberry bushes and around 600 blackberry and raspberry plants. Blackberries and Blueberries are normally from mid June and to the 1st of August, from 7:30-12 Wed-Sat. Lavendar is available in June, Thursday - Saturday from 5pm-8pm. With multiple cultivars providing different colors and scents you’ll love to come walk, picnic, or take photos in our field of around 150 lavender plants! facebook page. (ADDED: June 20, 2024, JBS)

 

Blackberry

Blackberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Blackberries typically peak during June in the South of the U.S., and in July in the north and in Canada. Crops are ready at various times of the month depending on which part of the state you are located. In order to produce good local Blackberries, producers depend on ideal spring and early summer weather conditions. See this page for a list of blackberry festivals around the U.S.

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!
2. Leave early.  On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
    
3. Most growers furnish picking containers designed for Blackberries, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring containers.
   If you use your own containers, remember that heaping Blackberries more than 5 inches deep will bruise the lower berries. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers. I like the Glad storage containers like the one at right.
4. Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.

Tips on How to Pick Blackberries

1. There are two types of blackberries to know about: thorny and thornless! Obviously, the thornless are easier to pick, but some people claim the thorny varieties are sweeter. With the thorny plants, you want to reach into the plant in the gaps, so you don't need to touch anything but the berry you're after, avoiding the thorns.
2. A ripe blackberry is deep black with a plump, full feel. It will pull free from the plant with only a slight tug.  If the berry is red or purple, it's not ripe yet.
3. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. Unlike strawberries, blackberries are usually pretty tough, I dump mine into the bucket. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
4. Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.

General Picking Tips

Whether you pick Blackberries from your garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Pick only the berries that are fully black. Reach in between the stems to grab for hidden berries ready for harvest. Bend down and look up into the plant and you will find loads of berries that other people missed!
2. Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunlight any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Blackberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.

When you get home

1. DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them or freeze them.  Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
2. Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries
3. Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash  off the others, drain them and freeze them up! (Unless you're going to make jam right away) Blackberries are less perishable than blueberries or strawberries, but refrigerate them as soon as possible after picking. Temperatures between 34 F and 38 F are best, but, be careful not to freeze the blackberries (while they are in the fridge)!
4. Even under ideal conditions blackberries will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase

Blackberry Recipes, Freezing and Jam directions

1. How to make Blackberry jam - It is VERY easy - especially with our free Blackberry jam directions - very easy!
2. How to make Blackberry jelly
3. How to freeze berries
4. Blackberry syrup, make and can it! 
5. Seedless blackberry pie!
6. Blackberry Festivals: Where, When and More to Find an Blackberry Festival Near You this year:

Blackberry Facts and Tips

• Black Raspberries, also known as "black caps" are a very healthy food; packed with anthocyanins!
• The USDA says 1 cup of blackberries has about 62 calories.
• 1 cup of blackberries, not packed down weighs about 140 grams.
• Select plump, firm, fully blackberries. Unripe berries will not ripen once picked.
• Ohio State University's Article Regarding Their Prevention of Cancer
• Oregon Berry Black Raspberry Brochure
• Blackberry tea was said to be a cure for dysentery during the Civil War. During outbreaks of dysentery, temporary truces were declared to allow both Union and Confederate soldiers to "go blackberrying" to forage for blackberries to ward off the disease.
• Blackberries were enjoyed by the ancient Greeks, who believed them to be a cure for diseases of the mouth and throat, as well as a preventative against many ailments, including gout.
• The blackberry leaf was also used as an early hair dye, having been recommended by Culpeper, the English herbalist, to be boiled in a lye solution in order to "maketh the hair black".
• Guide to blackberry varieties
• Researchers have known for quite some time that berries contain antioxidants which help to fight cancer causing free radicals.  A study at the University of Ohio has found that blackberries are the most potent cancer fighting berries of them all, by nearly 40 percent!
• U-pick Blackberry farms typically sell berries by the pound. A quart equals 1 and 1/2 pounds of fresh berries.
• Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase as Blackberries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a couple of days in the refrigerator.
• You can easily freeze berries that you cannot use right away - just wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible.  Those vacuum food sealers REALLY do a good job of this! The berries will keep for many months frozen without air.
• Want to go to a blackberry festival? See this page for a list!

 

 

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Local Honey Finder
• Local Meat, Milk and Eggs
• Venues: Farms, Wineries, Orchards for your event, wedding or party
• Easter egg hunts
• Children"s consignment sales
• Fruit and vegetable festivals
• Winery tours and wine tastings
• Horse rides, stables, lessons, trails
• Maple Syrup farms and sugarworks
• Bed & Breakfasts on Farms, Wineries, Ranches and Orchards
• Pumpkin patches
• Corn mazes
• Zombie Paintball venues
• Christmas Tree Farms & lots
• Environmental resources
• Consumer fraud information
• Wholesale food sources
• Resources for Farmers