2024 Southwest Colorado Raspberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Raspberry U-Pick Orchards in Southwest Colorado in 2024, by county

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

Not all areas of a state have raspberries 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

Delta County

• Camelot Farms - Uses natural growing practices, apples, apricots, cherries, herbs or spices, lavender, pears, raspberries (red), raspberries (yellow), tomatoes, Fresh eggs, U-pick and already picked, restrooms, picnic area, farm animals, school tours
  15911 Black Bridge Road, Paonia, CO 81428. Phone: 970 527 3194. Email: toniharmony@yahoo.com. Open: UPDATE for 2021, Their website and Facebook pages are gone or outdated - I presume they have closed. Directions: If you are coming from Carbondale you well be taking a left off of Highway 133 onto Black Bridge Road Then your first Right on Black Bridge Road it\'s a long Driveway. If you are coming from Delta it will be a Right hand turn onto Black Bridge. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Alternate Phone: 970 309 3183Does anyone have current information, are they still offering pick your own or are even open? If so, please write me. Monday through Sunday 8 am to 8 pm July 1st Through November 7thIf you are coming from Carbondale you well be taking a left off of Highway 133 onto Black Bridge Road Then your first Right on Black Bridge Road it's a long Driveway. If you are coming from Delta it will be a Right hand turn onto Black Bridge We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification. We have a country farm market with fruit, flowers, vegetables, jams, fruit butters, local jewelry, and much more.
• Delicious Orchards - Certified organic, U-pick organic fruit: cherries, apples, peaches, apricots, pears, nectarines, raspberries, grapes, winter squash, apple cider, hard cider
  39126 Hwy. 133, Hotchkiss, CO 81419. Phone: (970) 527-1110. Email: info@bigbs.com. Open: Daily, 8 am to 6 pm Also Wine tasting, local produce, cheese, gifts, deli, campground, picnics. Directions: Located in the North Fork Valley of Colorado, one mile west of Paonia on CO Hwy 133. Click here for a map and directions. . Varieties to pick include: Honeycrisp, Gala, Jonathan, Macintosh, Winter Squash, Peaches, Tomatoes, Basil, Pears, Raspberries, Grapes. Our high elevation, Rocky Mountain water, cold nights and warm days produce some of the finest fruits in the world! Big B's produces a full line of organic and local juices and ciders from Western Slope fruit at our manufacturing plant located in the town of Hotchkiss. We're happy to answer u-pick questions during the fruit growing season, get you registered for camping, or introduce you to our award winning hard ciders. You can enjoy a meal in the cafe and try out our famous tree swings in the courtyard (at your own risk, of course!) offers free live music regularly throughout the summer with outdoor BBQ's. (UPDATED: October 25, 2019, JBS)
• Orchard Valley Farms and Black Ridge Winery - ORGANIC, raspberries, pumpkins, apples, pears, peaches, blackberries, cherries, grapes, farm raised Beef, Weddings, Farm Market, Wine Tasting Room
  15836 Black Bridge Road, Paonia, CO 81428. Phone: 970-527-6838. Email: kendal.butterfield@gmail.com. Open: 9 am to 6 pm, seven days a week, from Memorial Day to Halloween. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions.
  Orchard Valley Farms and Black Ridge Winery Facebook page. . We are open Map. We offer the finest organically grown apples, pears, peaches, cherries, blackberries, raspberries, grapes, and vegetables in season. Pick your own produce, wander the gardens and orchard, visit our market and wine tasting room. Then picnic along the beautiful Gunnison River. We also have a tempting variety of gourmet products and gifts - vinegars, oils, salsas, jams and jellies, syrups, butters, mustards, chutneys, and honey. Orchard Valley Farms and Market and Black Bridge Winery Facebook page. U-Pick produce - from raspberries in June to pumpkins in October: We sell fresh from the fields in our market. Want even fresher? Pick your own produce. Our fruit orchards, berry patches, vegetable gardens and pumpkin patch give visitors a true farm experience. In season, check our Facebook page or get our e-news to see what's ready for picking. We furnish U-pickers with a wagon to fill with produce (or kids!) and a map of the farm. Their wedding venue gives you access to a riverfront wedding and vineyard reception, complete with views of the West Elk Mountains, luscious green grass, duck pond, bountiful fruit trees, rustic bridge, and lovely farm scenery. Our unique location is available for your dream rehearsal, ceremony, and reception! Here you have the freedom to make your dreams come true for your special day! Contact us for dates and prices: Kendal at 530-205-5409, or Jessi at 970-640-4346, jmheinritz@live.com. Black Bridge Beef - Alongside our orchard and winery, we raise beef. Our cattle are raised with the upmost care and consideration. Enjoy our home-grown, farm-raised beef. Beef is locally raised and sourced here in the North Fork Valley. Complete your dinner tonight with beef! Frozen ground beef, steaks and roasts available. Farm market with Fresh and sustainably grown fruit and produce, plus local to global artisan crafted foods and gifts are available in our Paonia, Colorado farm market and online store. Black Bridge wines are crafted from our West Elks estate grown vineyards or from full-flavored fruit from our orchards. Taste the magic in a glass and discover your favorite wines! Our wines are made in limited quantities and sell out, so we encourage you to stock up when you visit or join our Wine Club for deliveries to your door.
• Uncle Johnny's U-Pick Farm - Uses natural growing practices, apples, apricots, beans, beets, blackberries, cherries, cucumbers, currants (red and black), grapes, peaches, peppers, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (Autumn, red), summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), U-pick and already picked, picnic area, farm animals, weddings and wedding parties
  18561 Surface Creek Road, Cedaredge, CO 81413. Phone: . Email: 22arniebclarke@gmail.com. Open: UPDATE for 2021, The now former owner says they sold the farm, and he expects the new owners will continue it as a U-Pick. Directions: from the stoplight in Cedaredge @main street and highway 65 turn east, travel 1 mile on east main to the rodeo grounds, turn north on surface creek road, go about 1-34 miles to 18561 surface creek road on the left hand side. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Uncle Johnny's U-Pick Farm Email- 7 days a week 8 amto8 pm (by appointment) during harvest seasonfrom the stoplight in Cedaredge @main street and highway 65 turn east, travel 1 mile on east main to the rodeo grounds, turn north on surface creek road, go about 1-3/4 miles to 18561 surface creek road on the left hand sideWe use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certificationFree range pork is grown on a pre-paid reserved basis by 1/4-1/2 or whole pig. Custom Processing, using your cutting and packaging instructions is extra and will be scheduled when pigs are at their prime.

 

Raspberry

Raspberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Raspberries can produce an early summer crop or  a late summer and Fall crop. In the U.S. Spring / Summer raspberries (called florocanes) typically peak during June in the South, and in July in the North. The primocane varieties, which produce raspberries on shoots that come up each Spring are typically read from August until frost.

In addition to the variety a farm plants, the berries are ready at various times depending the local climate, such as which part of the state you are located. See this page for a list of raspberry festivals around the U.S.

And for those of you from the upper midwest through the west and up to Canada, if you are interested in Thimbleberries, see this page.

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 raspberries, 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 raspberries 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 raspberries

1. Raspberry bushes don't have thorns, but they are a pick prickly, so if you want to hold the stem while picking, a pair of lightweight gloves is helpful.

   Raspberries Nutritional Data
   (fresh)

   Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
   Energy	220 kJ (53 kcal)
   Carbohydrates	11.94 g
   Sugars	4.42 g
   Dietary fiber	6.5 g
   Fat	0.65 g
   Protein	1.2 g
   Vitamins
   Thiamine	(3%) 0.032 mg
   Riboflavin2	(3%) 0.038 mg
   Niacin3	(4%) 0.598 mg
   Pantothenic acid5	(7%) 0.329 mg
   Vitamin B6	(4%) 0.055 mg
   Folate9	(5%) 21 μg
   Choline	(3%) 12.3 mg
   Vitamin C	(32%) 26.2 mg
   Vitamin E	(6%) 0.87 mg
   Vitamin K	(7%) 7.8 μg
   Minerals
   Calcium	(3%) 25 mg
   Iron	(5%) 0.69 mg
   Magnesium	(6%) 22 mg
   Manganese	(32%) 0.67 mg
   Phosphorus	(4%) 29 mg
   Potassium	(3%) 151 mg
   Zinc	(4%) 0.42 mg
   Other constituents
   Water	85.8 g
   Units μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units
   Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source:

   
   
2. A ripe raspberry is deep color with a plump, soft but firm feel. It will pull free from the plant with only a slight tug. The center will remain on the plant. Keep in mind, raspberries come in many colors: red, yellow, black, purple, so you want to pick the darker shade of whichever it is.
3. Pick only the berries that are fully ripe. 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!
4. I find it helps to hold the stem with one hand, while picking with the other.
5. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
6. Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down. Ideally, the collection containers should be wide so the pberries aren't more than a few deep.
7. Pick berries into a shallow container. If they get piled too deep they will crush each other.
8. 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.

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. DO refrigerate! Right after picking, place raspberries in the fridge. If your fridge tends to dry out produce, lightly cover the container.
3. Raspberries don't store for very long, usually just a few days. The reason the ones from the grocery store last longer is they are covered with fungicides!
4. Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries
5. 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) raspberries 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 raspberries (while they are in the fridge)!
6. Even under ideal conditions raspberries will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase
7. See this page for illustrated freezing instructions.

Raspberry Recipes

1. Now, get ready to make raspberry jam - It is VERY easy - especially with our free
   raspberry jam directions - very easy! or for a jam with a little kick, try raspberry chipotle jam
2. And if you want to freeze them to use later, see my How to freeze berries page.
3. You can also make your own raspberry vinaigrette,
4. See this page for an easy recipe to make raspberry chipotle sauce

 

Raspberry Facts

• Raspberries are a very healthy food; packed with anthocyanins!
• Raspberries contain more vitamin C than oranges, are super high in fibre, lhave a good amount of folic acid, are high in potassium, vitamin A and calcium.
• The USDA says 1 cup of raspberries has about 62 calories.
• 11 cup of raspberries, not packed down weighs about 140 grams.
• An average raspberry has 100 to 120 seeds.
• Select plump, firm, fully raspberries. Unripe berries will not ripen once picked.
• Raspberries belong to a large group of fruits known as brambles, such as blackberries, in the plant genus Rubus.
• Raspberries come in red, yellow, orange, purple and black colors.
• Yellow raspberries are red raspberries that don't make red pigment.)
• In most areas, raspberries begin to bloom in late May or early June.
• Bumblebees, honeybees, and other wild bees love to visit brambles.
• 60-70 pints of fruits can be harvested from 100 feet row.
  Raspberries can be harvested from early summer through fall, usually right up until a freeze
• The United States is the world's third-largest producer of raspberries (FAOSTAT, 2013).
• Production occurs across much of the country, although most of it is concentrated in California, Oregon and Washington. California leads the nation in both black and red raspberry production (NASS, 2015).
• According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, the United States has 8,052 raspberry farms totaling 23,104 acres (Census of Ag, USDA, 2012).
• U-pick raspberry farms typically sell berries by the pound. A quart equals 1 and 1/4 pounds of fresh berries.
• Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase as raspberries 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 raspberry 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