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

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in Southern Piedmont 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.

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Harnett County

• Dr. Young's Pond Berry Farm - blackberries, blueberries, raspberries
  10865 NC 210 N, Angier, NC 27501. Phone: 919-639-6360. Open: Tuesday and Thursday from 7AM to 12 PM and Saturday from 7AM to 1 PM. Directions: We are 8.5 miles west of the intersection of US 40 and NC 210 at exit 319. We are also 2 miles northeast of the intersection of NC 210 and NC 55 in Angier. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. See this page for a map and more detail or click here for a Mapquest map to our farm. Crops are usually available in June, July. Additional times announced on phone message in peak season
• Hidden River Farm, LLC. - Certified Organic, apples, blackberries, blueberries, figs, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, Asian pears, almonds, hazelnuts, Jujubes, Other fruit or veg, U-pick and already picked, porta-potties, picnic area you may bring your own food, group reservations, events at your location (call for info)
  774 Kirk Adams Road, Angier, NC 27501. Phone: (919) 601-6610. Email: hiddenriverfarms1@gmail.com. Open: Monday through Friday by appointment only unless otherwise specified Mid June - October Annually Saturday 9am to 3pm Sundays 10 am 12 pm to 2 pm All times are subject to change. Directions: Blueberry season is typically mid June through August Blackberries are mid July until all gone Other fruits begin late July through the fall. We are certified organic for all . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard.
  Hidden River Farm, LLC. Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: (919) 331-0369. Monday through Friday by appointment only (unless otherwise specified) Mid June - October Annually Saturday 9am to 3pm Sundays 10 am 12 pm to 2 pm All times are subject to change crops! We also grow Jujube's, Asian pears, almonds, hazelnuts. (UPDATE: July 19, 2023, JBS) (ADDED: July 03, 2019)2019 Prices and Notes: Blueberries- $4/lb. - Thornless Blackberries $5/lb.
• Rabbit Ridge Nursery - blackberries, blueberries, loganberries, Muscadines, grapes, other berries, raspberries (red), raspberries (Autumn, yellow), tayberries,
  125 West Lisa Street, Coats, NC 27521. Phone: (910) 897-2639. Email: Fred@RabbitRidgeNursery.com. Open: Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 4 pm; Saturday from 8 am to 12 noon; Closed Sunday. Directions: 125 W. Lisa Street, Coats, NC 27521. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  Rabbit Ridge Nursery Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: (919) 820-1175 Thornless Blackberries and Blueberries June; Raspberries in fall; Muscadine grapes in fall;. Click here for photos of the farm, recipes and a map (ADDED: May 09, 2017)

Lee County

• Blueberry Hill U-Pick - blackberries, blueberries, gift shop, porta-potties
  3122 White Hill Road, Sanford, NC 27332. Phone: (919) 498-4282. Email: blueberryhillupick@gmail.com. Open: Typical season is mid to late May to Early August; in season, Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm and Sunday from 12pm to 6pm; Fields May be closed for ripening from time to time; Please check our Facebook page or call to confirm that the u - pick is open. Directions: From US Highway 1 and NC highway 42 Take NC highway 42 west about two miles to Steel Bridge road on Left. Turn Left on Steel Bridge road about two miles to Blueberry Hill on Left. Farm located on left just past Bridges road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. In addition to u-pick blueberries and blackberries, we have fresh picked fruit, jams, jellies, slushies and more in our store! (UPDATED: May 26, 2020).

Moore County

• Olde Carthage Farm - Certified Organic, blackberries, blueberries, flowers, table grapes (with seeds), Muscadines, grapes, strawberries, U-pick and already picked, picnic area you may bring your own food, school tours
  2270 US Highway 15 501, Carthage, NC 28327. Phone: (919) 353-0179. Email: oldecarthagefarm@gmail.com. Open: Call for hours; Subject to season and weather. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.
  Olde Carthage Farm Facebook page. We are a small family owned and operated organic farm currently offering strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes, tomatoes and flowers. We will pick them for you or you can spend some time with us picking your own. We currently have strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, Muscadine grapes, tomatoes, and flowers. We use no pesticides, no herbicides and if there's a weed, we have to bend over and pull it by hand. We do things the hard way..the right way. (UPDATED: July 22, 2021) (ADDED: June 15, 2017, JBS)
• The Farm at Star Ridge Aquatics, LLC - Uses natural growing practices, blackberries, blueberries, muscadine grapes, slicing cucumbers, sweet peppers, Heirloom tomatoes, paste or Roma tomatoes, tomatoes, restrooms, WiFi is available, Cell service cell phones work here, school tours
  180 Star Ridge Rd, Carthage, NC 28327. Phone: (910) 603-7778. Email: starridgaquatics@gmail.com. Open: Wednesday to Saturday 9a - 4p Spring, Summer and Fall Wed - Friday 9a - 4p Winter Hours. Directions: 180 Star Ridge Rd, Carthage, NC 28327. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, All credit cards, ApplePay, Venmo.
  The Farm at Star Ridge Aquatics, LLC Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: (910) 947-5333 Wednesday to Saturday / 9a - 4p Spring, Summer and Fall Wed - Friday / 9a - 4p Winter HoursWe use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification Click here for our Instagram page. Celebrating over 30 years of serving locals and beyond, we are family owned and operated. We look forward to your visit to Star Ridge Aquatics, LLC. For berries, muscadines, seasonal produce, farm fresh eggs, and honey, come see us at The Farm at Star Ridge Aquatics. (ADDED: June 03, 2024)

 

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