2024 El Dorado County, California Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in El Dorado County, California 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

El Dorado County

• American River Cherry Company - Uses natural growing practices, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cherries, figs, lavender, olallieberries, other berries, persimmons, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), Saskatoons, Honey from hives on the farm, U-pick and already picked, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, picnic area you may bring your own food, weddings and wedding parties, group reservations
  2240 Dias Drive, Placerville, CA 95667. Phone: 530-626-3881. Email: info@americanrivercherryco.com. Open: Cherries and Berries May 25 through late June, Figs July 27 through August 31 Persimmons November 10 through December 10, call before you go for figs and persimmons. Directions: Go to Placerville on highway 50. Turn North on highway 49. Follow highway 49 for 3 miles. Turn right at the sign at Tyrell to Dias. Follow the signs up the hill to the ranch site on the left. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard.
  American River Cherry Company Facebook page. Loganberries May 31 Olallieberries May 31 Cuthbert Raspberries May 31 Blueberries (3 varieties) June 1 Chilliwack Raspberries June 5 Siskiyou Blackberries July 8 Boysenberries July 6 Arapaho and Apache Blackberries July 10. We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certificationThe ranch contains a large natural Koi pond with several hundred eager Koi for feeding with the provided Koi food. A nearby one acre lawn with shade is available on which to spread your picnic(UPDATED: May 06, 2018, JBS)
• Berry Heaven, USA - Uses natural growing practices, apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, herbs or spices, lemons, peaches, persimmons, plums, raspberries (red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (black), summer squash, strawberries, tomatoes, Fresh eggs, porta-potties are available, farm animals, school tours
  5170 Marshall Road, Garden Valley, CA 95633. Phone: 530-457-7181. Email: moonchldt@aol.com. Open: Monday thru Saturday 9am to 6 pm Sunday 1pm to 6pm, June call or see their website for opening date to October 31. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx, WIC Vouchers.
  Berry Heaven, USA Facebook page. . Monday thru Saturday 9am to 6 pm Sunday 1pm to 6pm, June (call or see their website for opening date) to October 31 We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification(UPDATED: May 01, 2018)
• Celtic Gardens - Apples, Blackberries, Grapes, Pears
  4221 North Canyon Road, Camino, CA 95709. Phone: 530-647-0690. Email: stephenvb@D-web.com. Click here for a map and directions. Fax: 530-677-6275. .
• Goodness Orchard - apples, peaches, pears, strawberries, blackberries, tart cherries,
  4341 Pony Express Trail, Camino, CA 95709. Phone: (530) 644-6448. Open: June 4 to November 25 Reservations are required, on Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm, Sunday from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Click here for a map and directions. June 4 to November 25 (Reservations are required), on Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm, Sunday from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm. You-pick heirloom apples. They also have 15 different varieties of vegetables including sweet corn, tomatoes, sweet peppers, chilies and winter squash in their seasons. Daily June - Nov 25, 10-4. Advance reservation required.
• Harris Family Farm - apples, blackberries, blueberries, marionberries, pears, pumpkins, rhubarb, Fresh eggs, picnic area, weddings and wedding parties, school tours
  2640 Blair Road, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. Phone: (530) 644-2194. Email: harristreefarm@hotmail.com. Open: Thursday to Sunday, from 9 am to 4:30 pm, June 1 to December 24. Directions: Driving directions: Travel on Highway 50 to Pollock Pines. Turn off at the Pollock Pines exit #57, turn left under the freeway. Turn right on Pony Express Trail, about one mile turn left on Blair Road. Travel one mile on Blair Road, the entrance is on the left. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
  Harris Family Farm Facebook page. Picking updates: Click here for picking updates Pies & Turnovers , Jam & Preserves. You pick blackberries beginning in July. Camp on our farm in the forest or Christmas trees. (ADDED: April 05, 2017)
• Honey Bear Ranch - pumpkin patch, kid\'s corn maze, Christmas trees, blackberries,
  2826 Barkley Road, Camino, CA 95709. Phone: 530-644-3934. Click here for a map and directions. or Toll Free: 1-866-644-3934. For a map, Pick your perfect pumpkin from our giant pumpkin patch. Meander through our kid's corn maze, wander through our Christmas tree farm or just linger in the shade of our Cherry or Plum trees on the lawn. Watch while our BBQ Chef roasts a whole pig on a spit over apple wood chips pruned from our apple orchard. Enjoy the water wheel at our Koi pond while the kids feed the Koi. Stroll under the weeping willows which drape the pond while you wait for your turn to tour the orchard on our horse drawn cart.

 

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