Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Putnam County, North Florida in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for blueberries that we know of in this area. Not all areas of any state, nor even every state, have blueberries 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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Putnam County

• Blueberry Hill Farm, Inc. - Blueberries, restrooms
  1522 CR 308, Crescent City, FL 32112. Phone: 386-559-0408. Email: ndbp2k@yahoo.com. Open: typically April, call for days, hours and availability. Directions: Call for directions. Payment: Cash, only. They have about 3 acres of Blueberries the bushes are at least 3 years old so are fairly established, it is a beautiful setting on a hill overlooking a lake. A visitor writes on April 12, 2013: \the people there are very friendly and down to earth. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. I go back every year and highly recommend it. Blueberries have a 5 week season here
• K&S Berry Farms, Inc - blueberries,
  200 Kirkwood Avenue Corner Kirkwood and US 17, Pomona Park, FL 32181. Phone: 954-552-7567. Email: rkidd@bt-starfinder.com. Open: We will not have anything available for you pick in 2015 due to weather; next year we should be open from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday and Sunday from April through mid May; Call for dates and current availability. Directions: Located one mile South of Pomona Park, FL. on US 17 and corner of Kirkwood Avenue. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Please bring your own containers to take berries home in.
• Miller Blueberry - blueberries, U-pick and already picked, restrooms
  394 County Road 315 S, Interlachen, FL 32148. Phone: 386-684-6362. Email: info@millerblueberry.com. Open: from mid-April, everyday from 9 am to 6 pm; See website for season status updates, typically late April through May. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check.
  Miller Blueberry Facebook page. . FL Facebook page.
• Ron's Berries - Uses natural growing practices, blueberries, grapes, U-pick and already picked, picnic area you may bring your own food
  123 South Providence Church Road, Palatka, FL 32177. Phone: (386) 328-3909. Email: ronlarrow@bellsouth.net. Open: permanently closed. Directions: From down town Palatka: Highway 17 north to Highway 100 west\(towards Keystone HeightsLake city\) Highway 100 goes from 4 lane to 2 lanes at the Palatka airport continue 3 miles past airport to county road 309-D Turn Right\(north\)on 309-D is also called Bardin road, On Bardin Road travel 7.2 miles to Providence Church road and turn left onto little dirt road, travel .2 tenths of a mile to Blueberry farm on the left.\(There is a black mail box with the number 123\). . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Fax: (386) 325-7960. . UPDATE for 2021, They may have closed; Does anyone have current information, are they still offering pick your own or are even open? If so, please write me, their last reported hours were 7 days a week from about June 1st till the 1st of August or when blueberries are gone off the bush; Grapes come in sometime around the end of August to mid - September All Hours are from Day - break till Dark (7 am to about 8 pm) 7 days a week. From down town Palatka: Highway 17 north to Highway 100 west(towards Keystone Heights/Lake city) Highway 100 goes from 4 lane to 2 lanes at the Palatka airport continue 3 miles past airport to county road 309-D Turn Right(north)on 309-D is also called Bardin road, On Bardin Road travel 7.2 miles to Providence Church road and turn left onto little dirt road, travel .2 tenths of a mile to Blueberry farm on the left.(There is a black mail box with the number 123). We use natural practices, but are not yet certified Organic.
  Comments from a visitor on July 8, 2021: "Unsure if farm is but phone is disconnected."
• Royal Manor Vineyard and Winery - blueberries, grapes, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, farm animals, weddings and wedding parties
  224 Royal Ave, Interlachen, FL 32148. Phone: 386-916-8909. Email: royalmanorwinery@yahoo.com. Open: grapes in august, blueberries starting in May, please call prior to coming out. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  Royal Manor Vineyard and Winery Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 386-684-6270. .
• Towers Family Farms - Minimizes chemical and pesticide use, blueberries, strawberries, broad beans, cucumbers, summer squash, tomatoes, watermelons, Other vegetables, porta-potties, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties
  487 Millican Road, Palatka, FL 32177. Phone: (904) 955-3276. Email: towersfarmsjax@gmail.com. Open: daily during the season: 9 am to 4 pm Closed Monday and Thursday. Directions: From Jacksonville: South on US 17 to Palmetto Bluff Road 2.1 miles, then right on Millican Road Turn right in 0.7 miles From Palatka: North on US 17 to Palmetto Bluff Road 2.1 miles, then right on Millican Road Turn right in 0.7 miles. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  Towers Family Farms Facebook page. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Our blueberries begin harvest in April and last for up to two months; Our strawberries begin harvest as early as January and can last through May; Our squash, zucchini, and cucumbers begin harvest in mid May and can last through late June; Our watermelon begin in June and last about four weeks;. We minimize use of pesticides and other chemicals. Also FAQs. (UPDATED: March 12, 2024, JBS) (ADDED: April 17, 2022) For availability of other crops (berries, vegetables, etc.) in Florida, click here!

 

Blueberry

Blueberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Blueberries are one of the easiest fruit to prepare and serve. There's no peeling, pitting, coring or cutting. They have few natural pests, (other than birds), so pesticides are generally unnecessary! This year's crop is fantastic (see related news story), thanks both to the weather and to more farms planting more blueberry bushes due to increased consumer demand over the past few years as more studies proclaim the anti-oxidant and other health properties of blueberries.

Click here to find a local Blueberry Festival (usually held between April and July).

If you are looking for information about a similar berry, the saskatoon (also called the June berry or Serviceberry) see this page about saskatoons.

Picking tips:

Select plump, full blueberries with a light gray-blue color. A berry with any hint of red isn't fully ripened.

Ripening AFTER picking?

First, it is key to know that once picked, blueberries will NOT become any sweeter, nor will the flavor improve. The only change that occurs is the color. They will APPEAR to ripen, but it is only a color change, from white to green to rose to red to pale blue to fully blue. So, white and green colored blueberries will not "ripen" after they are picked; while blueberries that have already turned purple, red or blue-ish usually DO change color after they are picked (if they are kept at room temperature to "ripen").

As the blueberries ripen ON THE BUSH, the flavor goes from tastless to bitter to tasteless tart to tart blueberry flavor to sweet blueberry flavor.

Grocery stores sell blueberries that are tart, not sweet because they had them picked unripe by machine so they are very firm and can handled being bumped around in shipping. They may look good, but are not as tasty as those picked when actually ripe.

So, the key is, PICK ONLY RIPE BERRIES!

How to pick blueberries

Since blueberries hang on the bushes in bunches a but like grapes do, the easiest and fastest way to pick them is hold your bucket under them in one hand and with your other hand, cup a ripe bunch and gently rub them with your fingers. The ripe berries will drop into your bucket, while the unripe ones will remain attached to the bush.

When the bushes are at peak, I can easily pick 2 gallons per hour (if I'm not being distracted by the kids and the sun isn't too hot!). A newbie might do 1 gallon per hour.and at the beginning or end of the season it takes more time as the berries are not as plentiful nor concentrated in clusters.

Tips for storing blueberries after harvesting:

• Once picked, don't place the berries, still warm from the sun, in a closed bag or container. Leave the container open so moisture doesn't form in the container.
• Don't wash berries until just before using, to prevent berries from becoming mushy.
• Chill berries soon after picking to increase shelf life. Store your fresh blueberries in the refrigerator as soon as you get them home, without washing them, in a covered bowl or storage container. If refrigerated, fresh-picked blueberries will keep 10 to 14 days.
• Freeze berries in freezer containers without washing to keep the skins from toughening. Place berries one layer deep. Freeze, then pour the frozen berries into freezer containers. Because unwashed blueberries freeze individually, they can be easily poured from containers in desired amounts. Remember both frozen and fresh berries should be rinsed and drained just before serving. Just before using, wash the berries in cold water.

Blueberry Measurements and Conversions

Keep in mind that blueberries vary considerably in density and moisture content, so these ranges are approximates.

• 1 gallon of blueberries weighs about 7.5 lbs or (4 liters of blueberries is about 3.5 kg)

• 1 pint of fresh blueberries weights about 3/4 of a pound. (1 liter of blueberries is about 700 grams)

• 1 pound of fresh blueberries is usually between about 2 and 3 cups of berries.

• It takes about 4 cups (about of blueberries to make a blueberry pie (see this fantastic and easy blueberry pie recipe)

• A normal batch of blueberry preserves, jam or jelly requires 5 pints of berries.

• Blueberries do come in a variety of sizes from small (190-250 berries per cup) to extra large (<90 berries per cup).

Blueberry Recipes, Canning and Freezing Blueberries

Recipes

• The world's best Blueberry pie, recipe and directions and illustrated!
• Blueberry buckle coffee cake: illustrated directions for this great crumb-topping blueberry coffee cake
• Other easy directions to make blueberry desserts: cobblers, etc.

Canning, freezing and other blueberry recipes:

• How to Freeze Blueberries
• How to Can Blueberries
• How to Make Homemade Blueberry Jam
• How to make blueberry jelly
• How to make and can blueberry syrup (it works for strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, too)
• blueberry pie filling to use later,
• blueberry butter

Baking tips

If you have trouble with blueberries settling to the bottom of muffins and blueberry breads, try one or more of these tips:

• Coat them with flour before adding to the batter. Just gently shake the blueberries in a bag (plastic or paper) with 1/2 cup of flour, then dump them mix in a sieve to remove excess flour.
• It may just be that your batter is too thin. try making the batter a little thicker!
• Fill the muffin cups or baking pan up to 1/4 full with batter (which hasn't had blueberries added to it yet); then stir the blueberries into the remaining batter, and continue to fill the muffin cups or bread pan. The blueberries will start off higher in the mix!

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