2024 Charlotte area of North Carolina Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
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Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in Charlotte 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 any state, nor even every 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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Cabarrus County
Summerberry Farm - blackberries, U-pick and already picked 3430 Rimer Road, Concord, NC 28025. Phone: (704) 721-0670. Email: summerberryfarm@outlook.com. Open: Thursday and Friday from 7 am to 6 pm, Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm, Sunday from 1pm to 6pm, Call before coming highly recommended. Directions: Take Route 73 East out of Concord, turn left on Gold Hill Road just out of town, go 4.5 miles turn left on Rimer Road. Summerberry Farm is 0.7 mile on right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard, ApplePay. . 2021 prices were $14.00 per gallon PYO, $5.50 per quart pre picked. (Our blackberries are thornless. Containers provided. Water available. They also have some blueberries and wineberries to pick, but call ahead yo check availability. They also have lodging on the property that can be booked. (UPDATED: May 23, 2022)
Catawba County
Martin Farms - blueberries, blackberries 3035 M\/M Dr., Vale, NC 28168. Phone: (704) 462-1091. Email: 677martins@gmail.com. Open: We started picking in Mid-June; on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday from 8 am to 12 pm, Please call ahead for other times; Thank You. Directions: Hwy 127 south from Hickory,N.C., 10 miles to Highway 10,go west\(turn right\) on highway 10,go 3 miles to state road 2042, turn left, \(Heavner Rd\) Go 1 mile, MM Drive on left to farm. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Hwy 127 south from Hickory,N.C., 10 miles to Highway 10,go west(turn right) on highway 10,go 3 miles to state road 2042, turn left, (Heavner Rd) Go 1 mile, M/M Drive on left to farm. Please call ahead for best picking dates and times. Thank You!. The ONLY pyo crops offered are Blackberries, Blueberries, (UPDATED: June 19, 2018)
Cleveland County
Knob Creek Orchards - apples, blackberries, strawberries, Honey from hives on the farm, U-pick and already picked, farm market, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, school tours 6471 Fallston Road, Lawndale, NC 28090. Phone: 704-538-1405. Email: info@knobcreekorchards.com. Open: Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 6 pm; Saturday, from 8 am to 7 pm; Sunday, from 12:30 pm to 8 pm; May through December. Directions: Located on Highway 18 North of Shelby and South of Morganton. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. Knob Creek Orchards Facebook page. . . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Strawberries: Spring (May to June) Blackberries: Summer to Early Fall (June to October) Peaches: Summer (June to September) Apples: Late Summer to Winter (August to December). Apart from fresh fruits, is known for their homemade ice cream and waffle cones. We allow our customers to pick strawberries at a discounted price across the street from the store. This is a great activity for families, groups, or the average person. Pick-your-own strawberries is contingent on the weather and availability, so we do advise you to call ahead to make sure picking will be available for the day of your visit.
Gaston County
Double B. Farms - Apple, blackberries, Squash 7322 Flay Road, Cherryville, NC 28021. Phone: (704) 435-1073. Open: By appointment only; Sept. Click here for a map and directions. Phone: (704) 435-2606. -Oct. From Lincolnton take 27 W. approx. 7 miles; take left on Flay Rd.; first farm on left after crossing Hwy. 274. From Cherryville take 274 N. approx. 6 miles; take left on Flay Road. Crop availability: Summer squash June to Aug. We will have what you need ready.
Linebergers - Blackberries, Corn, Cucumber, Gourds, Greens, Muscadine, scuppernongs, Pumpkins, Raspberries, Squash, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Hay Rides, Tours 906 Dallas-Stanley Highway #275, Dallas, NC 28034. Phone: 704-922-8688. Email: linebergersfarm@gmail.com. Directions: Located on Hwy 275 one mile east of Dallas and 5 miles west of Stanley. From I-85, take the New Hope Road Exit 20 in Gastonia, go north on New Hope Road 4 miles to Dallas, turn right on the Dallas-Stanley Hwy #275. The farm is a little over one mile on the right. Crop availability: Strawberries - May-early June Blackberries & Raspberries - June-July Pumpkins, Gourds, Muscadine & Greens - September to October Squash, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Sweet corn & Melons pre-picked only in June& July. School tours welcome & hayrides in October. Eight acres of strawberries, beginning last week of April or early May. Take-home containers available. Pumpkins, gourds, greens, muscadines and hayrides in September and October. Restroom, playground, picnic tables available. . Click here for a map and directions. Linebergers Facebook page. or Phone: 704-748-1488. May/June hours: 8 am to 7 pm Monday- Saturday, 1-6 pm Sunday. Call for hours in other seasons. the farm produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, blackberries, peaches, vegetables, and pumpkins. Our customers enjoy buying fresh produce, picking their own berries, picnicking and letting the kids play. We sell produce at our on-farm stores and the Gastonia, Denver, and Atherton Mill Farmers' Markets. Formerly called Maple Springs Farm. (UPDATED: July 19, 2019, JBS) Comments from a visitor on September 11, 2009: "Nice people! Very well run operation. Produce is fresh & market is clean. They have hayrides & farm-oriented play area. Lots of schools & daycares go there in the fall for the pumpkins & hayrides. "
Iredell County
Prevette Family Farm - blackberries, blueberries, restrooms, picnic area you may bring your own food 236 Williamsburg Road, Olin, NC 28660. Phone: 704-539-4350. Email: pre4@yadtel.net. Open: Monday to Friday 8 am to 5 pm Saturday 8 am to 4 pm. Directions: From Statesville, North Carolina, take I-77 north to Union Grove Exit, turn right, go approximately 2.5 miles, turn right on Tabor Road, Go 1 mile, Turn right on Williamsburg Road, go 12 mile, farm is on right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. Prevette Family Farm Alternate Phone: 704-880-3453. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. From Statesville, North Carolina, take I-77 north to Union Grove Exit, turn right, go approximately 2.5 miles, turn right on Tabor Road, Go 1 mile, Turn right on Williamsburg Road, go 1/2 mile, farm is on right. Blueberries and Blackberries Mid June through Mid August. Our Rabbiteye blueberry varieties ripen from mid-June until late July. Blackberries are available June - July. Please call for availability of blackberries and blueberries. Call to place your order. When you call to pick you own or want us to pick your berries, we put you on our waiting list and as soon as the berries ripen, we fill the orders for our customers, calling them in the order on our list. We have picking buckets, but recommend that you bring your own container to take them home. It takes a little more than an hour to pick a gallon of blueberries. (ADDED: January 31, 2015)
Rowan County
Fisher Farms - Blackberries, tomatoes 77789 Stokes Ferry Road, Rockwell, NC . Phone: 704-239-7449. Click here for a map and directions. . Alternate phone: 704-239-1719. Take I-85 North to Exit 68 (China Grove/Rockwell). Go right at the ramp toward Rockwell. Follow N.C. 152 to Rockwell. Call the farm from East Rowan Cafe in Rockwell for further directions. Farm is two miles east of Rockwell. Crop availability: Blackberries in mid-June through late July; picking tomatoes starting July 1. Prices set in season. Other produce available. 8:30 a.m. until dark weekdays, 1-7 p.m. Sunday; closed Saturday.
Blackberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information
In
the U.S. Blackberries typically peak during June in the South, and in July in
the North. 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:
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!
Leave
early. On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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:
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!
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
DON'T
wash the berries until you are ready to use them or freeze them. Washing
makes them more prone to spoiling.
Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting
berries
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)!
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 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 forgage 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".
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.