2024 Northwestern North Carolina Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in Northwestern 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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Alexander County

• Auton Valley Berry Farm - blueberries, blackberries, muscadine grapes,
  44 Auton Rd, Taylorsville, NC 28681. Phone: 828-612-4059. Email: tammycauton@gmail.com. Open: daily in season, 8 am to 5 pm. Click here for a map and directions. 4

Burke County

• C and O Farms - Uses integrated pest management practices, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (Spring, yellow), raspberries (Autumn, yellow), strawberries,
  5480 Wilkies Grove Church Road, Hickory, NC 28602. Phone: . Email: info@cnofarms.com. Open: Call before you go, their website is gone, but the state of NC Ag still lists them as active; last reported hours were Tuesday to Friday from 8-6, Sunday 12-6. Directions: From I-40 \(east or west\) take the IcardRhodhiss exit \(#116\). Turn left off the exit ramp and go about 1.5 to 2 miles. Turn right on Johnson Bridge Road. Take Johnson Bridge Road all the way to the end \(about 5 miles\) to the stop sign. Go straight through the stop sign and the farm is about 100 yards on the right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check.
• Countryside Berries - Certified Organic, blackberries, blueberries, U-pick and already picked, picnic area you may bring your own food
  125 Stephens Road, Morganton, NC 28655. Phone: (828) 391-1661. Email: tjaynes@appapp.com. Open: Hours: Thursday to Saturday: 8am to 8pm Sunday: 1pm to 8pm WePick Hours: call for availability 828 am to 391 pm to 1661 Monday thru Friday. Directions: We . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
  Countryside Berries Facebook page. Hours: Thursday to Saturday: 8am to 8pm Sunday: 1pm to 8pm WePick Hours: call for availability (828 am to 391 pm to 1661) Monday thru Fridayopen the Saturday closest to June 15th; are open through the first week in August; Blueberries are available all season; Blackberries are available the 1st two weeks in July;. use natural practices, but are not yet certified OrganicOur berries are in an open field so please bring sunscreen. There is no per person fee. charge by the quart and gallon. Check our listed Facebook page for current prices. As with any farm, there are bees and other bugs so if you are allergic, please bring any necessary medication. look forward to meeting you. planted muscadines in 2018 and will start selling them via U-Pick (PYO) in September 2020. (ADDED: July 11, 2019)

Surry County

• Miss AngelsU-Pick Farm - Peaches, blackberries, Local Produce, Flowers, Pumpkins, Festivals
  252 Heart Lane, Mount Airy, NC 27030. Phone: (336) 745-5166. Email: info@missangelsheavenlypiesinc.com. Click here for a map and directions. June 1st through November 1st, pick your own peaches, berries, flowers, and pumpkins! (Depending on what's growing at the time!). exit 100 off I-77 which is Rte 89 (West pine street), left onto Oak Grove Church Rd, right onto Heart Lane. Call store 336-786-1537 if you need our assistance thank you and happy pickingPack your picnic basket, sit under a peach tree or by the water, have a cup of homemade peach ice cream at Miss Angels U-Pick Farm. NOTE: FOR THE SECURITY OF THESE EVENTS, NO OUTSIDE STROLLERS, CARRIAGES, OR WAGONS ARE ALLOWED ON THE FARM. Farm fresh vegetables, homemade ice-cream available at our country store Thursday through Sunday.

Wilkes County

• Brushy Mountain Berry Farm - Uses natural growing practices, blackberries, blueberries, Fresh eggs, U-pick and already picked, farm market, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, picnic area
  7493 Nc highway 16 S, Moravian Falls, NC 28654. Phone: 336-414-9958. Email: cody@brushymountainberryfarm.com. Open: See our website for current hours. Directions: From Wilkesboro: ~8 miles south on NC highway 16. From Taylorsville: ~10 miles north on NC highway 16. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check.
  Brushy Mountain Berry Farm Facebook page. Blueberries: May - August, Blackberries: June - July, Raspberries: June - July. We use integrated pest management practices. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. We now use natural growing practices (no pesticides) and will be seeking organic certification soon! (UPDATED: June 07, 2016)

 

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