2024 Fingerlakes Region of New York State Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in Fingerlakes Region of New York State 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.

New! We just went live with our latest website, FunFactoryTours.com - As they name implies, you can find a fun factory tour, including chocolate, automobiles, historical forts and sites, famous buildings, Active Federal facilities even fun geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

Monroe County

• Green Acre Fruit Farm - apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, currants (red and black), gooseberries, nectarines, peaches, plums, pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), picnic area, school tours
  3460 Latta Road, Rochester, NY 14612. Phone: 585-234-0252. Open: Strawberries Mon to Friday 7am to 7 pm, Saturday, Sun 7am to 4pm Summer hours: Closed Mondays, Tuesday thru Thursday 8am to 8pm Sat and Sunday from 8am to 4pm; After 91 open 9am to 5pm daily Strawberries start mid June, Raspberries early July and all fall long. Directions: 390 north to Latta Rd exit. Go west, left, 3 miles. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Strawberries Mon to Friday 7am to 7 pm, Saturday, Sun 7am to 4pm Summer hours: Closed Mondays, Tuesday thru Thursday 8am to 8pm Sat and Sunday from 8am to 4pm; After 9/1 open 9am to 5pm daily Strawberries start mid June, Raspberries early July and all fall long Crops are usually available in June, July, August, September, October, November. pricots mid July, Blueberries mid July, Peach/Nectarine early August, Apples, plums, pumpkins start September thru end of October Green Acre is THE "Farm to Pick"
  Comments from a visitor on September 27, 2010: "I LOVE it!!! It makes for a great family outing!"
• Mendon Acres - blackberries, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (Autumn, black), strawberries,
  4287 Clover St, Honeoye Falls, NY 14472. Phone: (585) 733-2299. Email: doug.osovski@gmail.com. Open: Strawberries will be U - pick in June through early July depending on weather and crop; Raspberries and Blackberries will be U - pick in July through September depending on weather and crop; Pumpkins will be available in September through October. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. (ADDED: March 07, 2017)
• Robb Farms - Uses integrated pest management practices, apples, blackberries, blueberries, corn (sweet), peaches, raspberries (black), saskatoons, tomatoes, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises
  800 Gallup Rd, Spencerport, NY 14559. Phone: (585) 352-0814. Email: Robbfarm@aol.com. Open: 9 am to 6 daily. Directions: Located in Spencerport on Gallup Road. Gallup Road is located between Washington Street and Sweden Walker Road off of Route 31 or Ridge Road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Robb Farms Facebook page. We use integrated pest management practices (UPDATED: June 28, 2020)

Orleans County

• Hurd Orchards - U Pick Apples, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, sour cherries
  17260 Ridge Road, Holley, NY 14470. Phone: 585-638-8838. Email: market@hurdorchards.com. Open: May 1st through December 24th, Wednesday through Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm. Click here for a map and directions. , winter hours by appointment. Black Raspberries, Red Raspberries, Blueberries, and Sour Cherries are ready to pick in July. Pick your own or purchase the lovely fruit in our market that we have picked for youis a family fruit and flower farm and canning company nestled in the fertile lake plains of Western New York between the banks of the Erie Canal and the shores of Lake Ontario.

Wayne County

• G and S Orchards - apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, currants (red and black), gooseberries, other berries, pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries,
  825 Atlantic Avenue ( Route 286) 1 mile East of Penfield Town Line, Walworth, NY 14568. Phone: 315-524-3823. Email: gcraft@rochester.rr.com. Open: You Pick Daily: weather permitting or call for times, changes with each crop; Farm Stand: Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 6:30pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 6 pm; June thru November with picked seasonal fruits and vegetables. Directions: From NYS Route 590, take Exit 7, proceed East on Atlantic Avenue \( Route 286\) exactly 10 miles. Farm is on the North East corner at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue \(Route 286\) and Lincoln Road Just 15 minutes from Downtown Rochester. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Fax:. From NYS Route 590, take Exit 7, proceed East on Atlantic Avenue ( Route 286) exactly 10 miles. Farm is on the North East corner at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue (Route 286) and Lincoln Road Just 15 minutes from Downtown RochesterCrops are usually available in June, July, August, September, October, November Apples: September 20 to November 2, Blackberries: September 20 to October 12, Black Raspberries: July 12 to August 3, Sweet Cherries: June 28 to August 24, Currants: July 5 to August 3, Gooseberries: July 5 to August 3, Pumpkins: September 27 to October 31, Purple Raspberries: July 12 to August 10, Red Raspberries: June 28 to July 27, Strawberries: June 14 to July 13CSA shares also available and Sales on Saturdays at Fairport Farmers Market (June thru November). Our "High Quality, High Taste Produce" is grown using Good Agricultural Practices and Integrated Pest Management Methods. (UPDATED: May 11, 2016, JBS) (UPDATED: September 11, 2013, jbs)
  Comments from a visitor on July 05, 2009: "Loved the orchard and the people. We arrived later in the day - just before they were going to close, and they didn't rush us to finish. Better then most of the other orchards around.
• Noto Fruit Farm - U Pick Apples, cherries, ORGANIC, blueberries, blackberries. apple cider
  7539 E. Townline Road, Williamson, NY 14589. Phone: 315-589-8703. Email: info@notofruitfarm.com. Open: We have 6 varieties of organically grown highbush blueberries; Blueray, Bluecrop, Elliott, Patriot, Burkley, and Bluetta. Click here for a map and directions. The picking season usually starts about July 4th, with Bluetta and Patriot being the first to ripen. The picking season peaks about July 25th when all varieties are available and extends to about August 10th with the later varieties. We have several varieties of both light and dark sweet cherries including Bing, Emperor Francis, Hedelfingen, Hudson, Napoleon and, Schmidt. Our U-Pick sweet cherry season starts in early July and tart cherries usually start to ripen in mid-July. Cherry harvest is almost always completed by August 1st, when the peach season starts. (UPDATED: July 05, 2018, 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