Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Jackson and western-central Mississippi 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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Copiah County

• Crystal Springs Farm Market - Minimizes chemical and pesticide use, blueberries, Honey from hives on the farm, U-pick and already picked, farm market, restrooms, picnic area you may bring your own food
  3042 Mathis Rd, Crystal Springs, MS 39059. Phone: (601) 835-7305. Email: wesfitzpatrickiii@gmail.com. Open: Typical blueberry season is from late May to early July. Directions: From points north: I-55 Crystal Springs North exit. Left onto highway 27, right onto highway 51, south to second flashing red light. Left onto Marion Avenue. East to "T" at the High School. Right onto Newton Street. Mathis Road begins at "Y". Continue straight south 2.5 miles. From ponts south: I-55 Gallman exit. East, cross highway 51, continue on East Gallman Road 2 miles to "T" with Thomas Road. Right onto Thomas Road, for .5 mile. Left onto Mathis Road, north 2 - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, PayPal. . We minimize use of pesticides and other chemicals. They keep adding blueberry varieties, in 2021, they have Alapaha, Premier, Tifblue, Powderblue, Climax, Brightwell and Ochlockonee. (UPDATED: July 06, 2020)

Hinds County

• Locust Grove Berry Farm - blueberries, Muscadines, grapes, scuppernongs
  2651 West County Line, Jackson, MS 39213. Phone: (601) 362-8769. Open: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday for pick your own options. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . fields open until 6 pm. . (ADDED: June 20, 2018, Suggested by a visitor)A visitor writes on June 20, 2018: "I went to check it out to see if it would be a good place for my young grandchildren (4 and 6) and it is perfect for them! No pesticides are used so we can eat right off the bushes. Lots of high and low branches for all the age groups. The farmer keeps the grass mowed so there are no fire ants or snakes to deal with. Parking right next to where the bushes are so it isn't a long trek to get to the picking zone. $2 quart, btw. I thought I saw something saying $5 quart online but the reality is much more affordable. The blueberries are ready by June 2 said the farmer and by the end of the month are pretty well done. I'll take pics of the Muscadine picking when I head over there mid-August and let you know what I think about the vines. Thank you so much for your website!!! ."
• Pecan Hill Farms - No pesticides are used blackberries, blueberries, flowers, herbs or spices, porta-potties, picnic area you may bring your own food, school tours
  19470 Highway 18, Raymond, MS 39154. Phone: (601) 594-2012. Email: susandraughn@comcast.net. Open: Beginning June 3 until berries run out typically close to July 4. Directions: Highway 18 south of Raymond on right. From I-20 at Highway 18 exit: Take Highway 18 South towards Raymond. Travel through Raymond. When Highway 18 changes from 4 lane to 2 lane, travel approx. 4.5 miles further. Our farm is on the right. You will see a red fence and red barn. There is a sign out front "Pecan Hill Farms". Come in at red barn and drive up to pavilion. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. . Beginning June 3 until berries run out (typically close to July 4). We do not use pesticides on the crops. (UPDATED: May 21, 2021)

Rankin County

• Blueberry Hill Farm - No pesticides are used, blueberries, Fresh eggs, U-pick and already picked, farm animals
  177 Traylor Road, Florence, MS 39073. Phone: (601) 214-1947. Email: martinseverything2017@gmail.com. Open: Monday thru Sunday from Daylight to Dusk; June 1 to the end of August. Directions: On 49 South you will turn right at the red light at Polk\'s Drugs. Jerry\'s fish house \( the big igloo\) will be to your left at the light. This is Eagle Post Road Follow it to the last road on the left which is Seven Day Road Take the left onto Seven Day. Come down til you see Traylor Road on your right. Turn onto Traylor Road Turn on the dirt driveway at 177. Follow the driveway around til you see the metal barn. Go past the metal barn on up the hill till you see blueberry bushes on lef - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. 2 Alternate Phone: (601) 331-2900. . On 49 South you will turn right at the red light at Polk's Drugs. Jerry's fish house ( the big igloo) will be to your left at the light. This is Eagle Post Road Follow it to the last road on the left which is Seven Day Road Take the left onto Seven Day. Come down til you see Traylor Road on your right. Turn onto Traylor Road Turn on the dirt driveway at 177. Follow the driveway around til you see the metal barn. Go past the metal barn on up the hill till you see blueberry bushes on left. We do not use pesticides on the crops. (UPDATED: May 22, 2018)

 

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