Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Gilcrest and Levy counties, 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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Gilchrist County

• Fuyu Persimmons by Baumer - Uses natural growing practices, blueberries, persimmons, U-pick and already picked
  5671 NW 165 St, Trenton, FL 32693. Phone: (352) 535-5053. Email: charleenhuffbaumer@hotmail.com. Open: April and May for blueberries August 15 thru October for persimmons Monday thru Saturday call for appointment. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . April and May for blueberries Aug 15 thru October for persimmons. We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification. (ADDED: November 08, 2020)
• Steph-Lo Farm - No pesticides are used blueberries,
  11120 Se 80th Ave, Newberry, FL 32669. Phone: (352) 472-4740. Email: LOSANA@AOL.COM. Open: Opening on Saturday, May 25, 2024; hours are Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm and 5:30 pm to 8 pm, plus Thursday and Friday from 5:30 pm to 8 pm; typically from late-May to June 30. Directions: From Gainesville heading west on Newberry Road, go 3 miles past the traffic light, turn left \(south\) at the large intersection for SW 298 Street SE 90 Avenue This is the county line for Alachua and Gilchrist County. Continue south for 4 miles, follow the signs. Coming from Trenton, head east on Newberry Road \(SR 26\). When you come to the blinking light at PaPaw\'s BP gas station, turn right onto SE 70th Avenue heading south. Follow the signs. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. . Alternate Phone: (786) 255-6344. . From Gainesville heading west on Newberry Road, go 3 miles past the traffic light, turn left (south) at the large intersection for SW 298 Street/ SE 90 Avenue This is the county line for Alachua and Gilchrist County. Continue south for 4 miles, follow the signs. Coming from Trenton, head east on Newberry Road (SR 26). When you come to the blinking light at PaPaw's BP gas station, turn right onto SE 70th Avenue heading south. Follow the signs. We do not use pesticides on the crops. Our blueberries are free of chemicals, pesticides and fertilizer. (UPDATED: May 17, 2024)

Levy County

• Amber Brooke Farms - blueberries, peaches, strawberries, sunflowers, Honey from hives on the farm, U-pick and already picked, gift shop, restrooms, picnic area
  3250 NE 140th Ave, Williston, FL 32696. Phone: (352) 973-1963. Email: eustis@amberbrookefarms.com. Open: See our website for current hours. Directions: Payment: Debit cards, All credit cards. They also have a STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL in mid-February \(see their website\) Weekends from 10am to 5pm. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Debit cards, All credit cards.
  Amber Brooke Farms Facebook page. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. They also have a STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL in mid-February (see their website) Weekends from 10am to 5pm. Click here for our Instagram page. . Peaches : they have four varieties of peaches, three of which were developed by the University of Florida. All our peach varieties are clingstone peaches, which means the flesh adheres to the pit inside the peach. These varieties of peaches tend to be sweeter, juicier, and more tender than freestones. The peach season begins in mid-May and could overlap with our blueberry season. Nothing says farm-fresh like eating a handful of fresh Florida blueberries, peaches, or strawberries from Amber Brooke Farms in Williston, FL. We are a 100-acre agritourism destination in north central Florida. During the spring we grow several of the finest and best tasting varieties of blueberries including: Emerald, Sweet Crisp, Springhigh, Prima Donna, Meadow Lark, Farthing and Jewel. In addition to our blueberries, we also grow some of the juiciest and sweetest strawberries and peaches around. We have plenty of sunflowers and zinnias for you to pick, over 13 acres to be exact! Our sunflower fields are perfect for capturing photos of precious family memories as you enjoy a day on the farm.Food, Fun, Music & More! Formerly called Red, White & Blues Farm(UPDATED: February 9, 2023, JBS) (ADDED: February 16, 2015)
• Brad's Organic Blueberries - ORGANIC, blueberries, restrooms, picnic area you may bring your own food
  7450 NE 135th Street, Bronson, FL 32621. Phone: 352 486 4367. Email: bradsblueberries@wildblue.net. Open: Wednesdays to Saturdays from 8 am to 8 pm in June. Directions: Located off of Highway 337, 5 miles north of Bronson, Florida and 9 miles south of Newberry, Florida. Turn west on 138th Lane \(a paved road\) and go 7 tenths of a mile to 72nd Court \(a dirt drive\), turn left and follow to the parking area through the . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . . Located off of Highway 337, 5 miles north of Bronson, Florida and 9 miles south of Newberry, Florida. Turn west on 138th Lane (a paved road) and go 7 tenths of a mile to 72nd Court (a dirt drive), turn left and follow to the parking area through the open gate. For a map to our farm, U-pick Blueberries on weekends in June. Blueberry Plants are sold year round. Call for information and to schedule an appointment
  Comments from a visitor: "I just went to Brad's today, and you pick 'em blueberries are $3/pound this year. Mighty tasty, though! Thanks for the site, I just found it today and love it!"
• Fuyu Persimmons by Baumer - blueberries, Muscadines, grapes, peaches, persimmons, U-pick and already picked
  5671 Nw 165th St, Trenton, FL 32693. Phone: 352 535 5053. Email: johnbaumer@yahoo.com. Open: Monday thru Saturday, 8am to 7pm during harvest dates; Please call for open seasons. Directions: Trenton west on highway 26 for 3.6 miles, turn left on highway 341 for 2.4 miles turn left on 165th .5 mile on left. For a map to our farm, . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Alternate Phone: 352 535 5879. . We do not use any sprays for weeds nor bugs. (UPDATED: October 25, 2016) (UPDATED: April 29, 2016).

 

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