Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Western Connecticut 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.

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

Fairfield County

• Jones Family Farms Pumpkinseed Farm - Strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins, Christmas trees, winery
  120 Beardsley Road, Shelton, CT 06484. Phone: (203) 929-8425. Email: janet@jonesfamilyfarms.com. Open: Strawberries June; blueberries early July to mid-August, you need a reservation; Christmas trees starts weekend before Thanksgiving. Click here for a map and directions. Fax: (203) 929-2089. . Strawberries (June); blueberries (early July to mid-August, you need a reservation); Christmas trees (starts weekend before Thanksgiving. A 400-acre family farm since 1848. Berry picking is at the Valley Farm or Pumpkinseed Hill. Farm hours and harvest areas depend on weather and crop readiness. We have strawberry fields at our Pumpkinseed Hill and Valley Farm locations. Be sure to call the Farmer Jones Crop Line (203-929-8425) before leaving your home to come harvest. The Crop Line is updated daily during the berry seasons with hours and specific picking locations. Normal picking hours for strawberry season are 8am until 5:30pm Monday through Saturday and 8am until 12pm on Sundays, but be sure to call before you come because hours can change due to weather. A typical strawberry season runs from early June into early July - however, this is New England and days and times change as quickly as the weather does. For blueberry season the farm is typically open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am till 5:30pm and is closed Sundays and Mondays. A typical blueberry season runs from mid-July into late August. Once you find out when and where we are picking, visit our directions page and as you get closer, look for the Jones Strawberry signs pointing you to the correct location. Jones Family Farm Facebook page. A visitor writes on June 19, 2020: "$36 for a 10+ pound box that can be shared by 2 people "
• Jones Family Farms Valley Farm - Strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins, Christmas trees, winery
  555 Walnut Tree Hill Road, Shelton, CT 06484. Phone: (203) 929-8425. Email: janet@jonesfamilyfarms.com. Open: Strawberries June; blueberries early July to mid-August, you need a reservation; Christmas trees starts weekend before Thanksgiving. Click here for a map and directions. Fax: (203) 929-2089. . Strawberries (June); blueberries (early July to mid-August, you need a reservation); Christmas trees (starts weekend before Thanksgiving. A 400-acre family farm since 1848. Berry picking is at the Valley Farm or Pumpkinseed Hill. Farm hours and harvest areas depend on weather and crop readiness. We have strawberry fields at our Pumpkinseed Hill and Valley Farm locations. Be sure to call the Farmer Jones Crop Line (203-929-8425) before leaving your home to come harvest. The Crop Line is updated daily during the berry seasons with hours and specific picking locations. Normal picking hours for strawberry season are 8am until 5:30pm Monday through Saturday and 8am until 12pm on Sundays, but be sure to call before you come because hours can change due to weather. A typical strawberry season runs from early June into early July - however, this is New England and days and times change as quickly as the weather does. For blueberry season the farm is typically open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am till 5:30pm and is closed Sundays and Mondays. A typical blueberry season runs from mid-July into late August. Once you find out when and where we are picking, visit our directions page and as you get closer, look for the Jones Strawberry signs pointing you to the correct location. Jones Family Farm Facebook page. A visitor writes on June 19, 2020: "$36 for a 10+ pound box that can be shared by 2 people "
• Silverman's Farm - Pick your own peaches, apples, blueberries, raspberries, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, petting zoo, farm animals, school tours (hayrides - sometimes - check their website for details)
  451 Sport Hill Road, Easton, CT 06612. Phone: 203-261-3306. Email: nsilv370@optonline.net. Open: Seven Days a Week Weather Permitting. Directions: Located in the easy to find in the southern Connecticut town of Easton, about 2 12 miles north of the Merrit Parkway \(exit 46\). We're at 451 Sport Hill Road \(Route 59\), just past the intersection with Center Road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, AmEx. . . Crops are usually available in July, August, September. Located in the easy to find in the southern Connecticut town of Easton, about 2 1/2 miles north of the Merrit Parkway (exit 46). We're at 451 Sport Hill Road (Route 59), just past the intersection with Center Road. See Website. Seasonal cider. Beautiful greenhouse and florist. We have dozens of varieties! Please refer to our Apple chart. And May through August is a great time for a birthday party at the animal park. Call for details. U Pick Schedule: Rasperries Late June; Peaches - Mid July; Blueberries - August; Apples - Mid August. Call For Picking Times. Facebook page. Remember your water, sun hats, sunscreen AND your walking shoes!!

Litchfield County

• Cheney Family Farm - Uses natural growing practices, blueberries,
  144 Mansfield Rd, Harwinton, CT 06791. Phone: 860-485-9371. Email: cheneyfamilyfarm@gmail.com. Open: permanently closed. Directions: We use natural practices, but are not yet certified Organic. Payment: Cash, only. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . UPDATE for 2021, Their Facebook page says they are ; it could be a mistake, but.. Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. No herbicides, pesticides, nets, or fertilizers. Nothing but sunshine and rainwater on these bushes.
• Evergreen Berry Farm LLC - Uses natural growing practices, blueberries, Black raspberries,
  435 Bassett Road, Watertown, CT 06795. Phone: (860) 274-0825. Email: evergreenberryfarm@gmail.com. Open: everyday 8 am to 12 pm in July while berries last; Please see our website or call for current hours and availability. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, All credit cards, AndroidPay, ApplePay. . We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification. Click here for our Instagram page. Call ahead for updated picking conditions and berry availability. Crops are available (typically): Blueberries (July to early August); black raspberries (early to mid-July); red raspberries (early July). Pick-Your-Own berry farm organically managed. Blueberries, black and red raspberries,(UPDATED: July 02, 2023)A visitor tells us: "Every effort is made to raise crops as organically as possible. _SOME years when insect control is needed, small amount of control is used. Owner's happy to let you know about field conditions Family owned for 25 years.
• Litchfield Hills Blueberry Farm - blueberries,
  23 Schroback Rd, Plymouth, CT 06782. Phone: (860) 283-9571. Email: litchberry@yahoo.com. Open: Call for current hours. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, ApplePay, Venmo. . . Crops are usually available in July, August, September. (UPDATED: June 29, 2022). .
• Maple Bank Farm - Blueberries
  53 Church Street, Roxbury, CT 06783. Phone: (860) 354-1278. Email: dakota@maplebank.farm. Click here for a map and directions. . PYO July & August. Farm stand May - Dec., Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. Fresh vegetables picked daily; herbs, flowers, wool yarn, cider, apples. A family farm since 1730. Facebook page.
• March Farm - apples, blueberries, cherries, nectarines, peaches, plums, pumpkins, Fresh eggs, corn maze, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), snacks and refreshment stand, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  160 Munger Lane, Bethlehem, CT 06751. Phone: (203) 266-7721. Email: marchfarms@marchfarms.com. Open: Thursday to Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm; closed on Monday to Wednesday; See our website for hours in November and December; PYO apples begins September 8th from 10-5pm with Macs, Cortlands, Honey crisp, Gala & Macouns near farm store ONLY. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, WIC Vouchers. . Fax: (203) 266-6076. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Hayloft Playscape, Animal Yard: May 25 to October 31; Corn Maze and Hayrides: September 4 to October 31; Pick Your Own Blueberries: July to September; Pick Your Own Peaches: Mid July to October; Pick Your Own Apples: September to November; Pick Your Own Pumpkins: October. Market & Bakery, Outings & Events, Weddings is a fourth generation family farm destination offering seasonal Pick Your Own berries & fruit along with family friendly activities. The Farm Store & Bakery is stocked with regional food specialties and fresh baked goods - everything you need to compliment your next meal or dessert. Facebook page. The rustically beautiful Pond Side Pines & Hill Top Orchard event spaces are perfect to host your next special occasion, outing or party no matter how small or large. Join us for our next Summer Concert and other special events
  Comments from a visitor on September 18, 2008: "Just wanted to write to tell you how much our family loves this farm! The family that runs it is wonderful! They also have a great play area for the children complete with giant pumpkins (great Fall photo opportunity), playhouse and pedal tractors/trikes and a track to ride on. Our kids love to come here and pick all of their wonderful produce and then take some time to play. Last year they had a informative corn maze as well. As you went through you learned about their family run farm. Great stuff!!!!"
• Old Barn Farm - blueberries, raspberries
  300 Bartholomew Hill Rd, Goshen, CT 06756. Phone: (860) 491-0017. Email: carl@oldbarnfarmct.com. Open: Early July through mid-August annually, on Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm, CLOSED ON MONDAY. Directions: See their website for directions. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . . . grows many different types of blueberries. When there's enough crop, they also have raspberries available for picking, too. (ADDED: June 23, 2019, Suggested by a visitor)A visitor writes on June 23, 2019: "LOVE IT! Best prices around per pound for blueberries. $2.50/lb for the 2019 season.."
• Peck's Berry Farm - - blueberries
  205 West Street, Lakeside, CT 06758. Phone: (860) 567-0546. Open: July through August. Click here for a map and directions. . PYO . Located at 205 West Street (Rte 109) in Morris. 1 mile west of the center of Morris. Open
• Ruwet Farm - blueberries, strawberries, pumpkins, Fresh eggs, U-pick and already picked, porta-potties are available, picnic area, birthday parties, school tours
  East Pearl Road, Torrington, CT 06790. Phone: 860-866-6338. Email: ruwetfarm@yahoo.com. Open: October 1 to October 31; Fridays from 12 pm to 5 pm; Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm; Columbus Day from 10 am to 3 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . June: Already picked & pick your strawberries. July-August: Already picked & pick your own blueberries. The BEST sweet corn & other fresh vegetables. September-October: Already picked & pick your own pumpkins. FREE hayride to pick you own pumpkins. Gourds, Indian corn, winter squash & much more for fall decorating. Market includes squash, corn stalks, indian corn, broom corn, apples and other fall decorations.
• Starberry Farm - Apples, pears, cherries, sweet & sour, peaches, plums, nectarines, blueberries
  47 Kielwasser Road, Washington Depot, CT 06794. Phone: (860) 868-2863. Email: Starberry@snet.net. Click here for a map and directions. Fax:. 34 varieties of yellow & white peaches for PYO for eating, freezing & canning, PYO, ready-picked, retail & wholesale. PYO cherries in June 15-25th; white peaches in July 15-September 15th. Apricots, plums, nectarines in August. Pears & apples September 15-Oct 31st. Children welcome with well-behaved parents.

 

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