Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Fredericksburg, Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula 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

Caroline County

• Mount Olympus Berry Farm - Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, melons, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins and gourds
  23298 Jefferson Davis Highway, Ruther Glen, VA 22546. Phone: (804) 448-0395. Email: mary@mtolympusfarm.com. Open: 9 am to 6 pm, daily, April-October 31. Directions: Located at U.S. 1 in Carmel Church. I-95 exit 104 \(Bowling GreenCarmel Church\). Go west on Route 207 to U.S. Route 1. Turn right \(north\) on U.S. 1. Go approximately one mile. Farm in on the left. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Mount Olympus Berry Farm Facebook page. ; FAX (804) 448-2913, FAX (804) 448-2913. . Located at U.S. 1 in Carmel Church. I-95 exit 104 (Bowling Green/Carmel Church). Go west on Route 207 to U.S. Route 1. Turn right (north) on U.S. 1. Go approximately one mile. Farm in on the left. Call for current in-season hours.Mount Olympus Farm is a family owned farm located between Richmond and Fredericksburg, VA. You can pick-your-own (PYO) strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. We also take pride in offering a large variety of high quality fresh vegetables including many heirloom varieties. Our garden center has many perennials, herbs, annuals, shrubs, etc. Can't make it to our farm? Look for the Mt. Olympus truck bringing fresh produce to several Northern Virginia producer-only farmer's markets. Farm stand and garden center/nursery with locally-grown fruit and veggies. Jams, jellies, and local honey available. Convenient to Richmond or Northern Virginia areas. Customers welcome to picnic by the lake. Arrange for your daycare or school group to come pick their own pumpkin. Please call for current hours and picking conditions. They also have bulk / wholesale pumpkins. Mt. Olympus Berry Farm Facebook page. (UPDATED: September 20, 2020 JBS)
  Comments from a visitor on July 12, 2011: "Excellent. First visit this weekend & would highly recommend it. We went for U-pick blueberries & blackberries, both of which were available this past weekend. Also have nice farm market., restrooms, picnic area. Not organic, but sustainable. I think they do holiday themed events. A lot of detail on their web page & on Facebook"

King William County

• Pleasant Fields Farm - blackberries, blueberries, pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries, Honey from hives on the farm, prepicked produce, restrooms
  1765 Nelsons Bridge Road, Hanover, VA 23069. Phone: 804-994-2791. Email: pleasantfields@aol.com. Open: UPDATE FOR 2021: here will not be any pick your own in 2021 Hopefully maybe in 2022; Pick - your - own is available from daylight to dark and Hayrides and Haunted Forest is open Thursdays and Fridays 5pm to 10pm and Saturdays and Sundays 1pm to 10pm. Directions: Route 30 to Dabneys Mill Road; go about 1 mile; Turn right onto Nelsons Bridge Road; Farm will be about a 1 on the right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard. Pleasant Fields Farm . We open in May with pick-your-own Strawberries and our Self-Serve Stand; Then we have Blueberries ,Blackberries and Raspberries; In the fall starting October2 pm to November 1st We have our hayrides and Haunted Forest along with pumpkins and Mums. Crops are usually available in April through October. (UPDATED: May 04, 2018, JBS)
  Comments from a visitor on August 02, 2009: "My husband and I went picking at Pleasant Fields Farm this morning. Blackberries were plentiful, and raspberries were just beginning to come into season. Blueberries were advertised, but were picked clean. The farm is open from daylight to dark. Today (a Sunday) it was operating on the honor system, and cash or checks could be left for payment. There was a nice farm stand with lots of produce pre=picked: watermelons, corn, butternut squash, zucchini, acorn squash, eggplant, apples, oranges, peaches, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, a variety of potatoes, lemons, limes, and fresh honey. I don't know how much of it was local (the tomatoes and honey definitely were). No fresh cut flowers available, but we weren't looking for them anyway. There is a restroom available."

Mathews County

• Bentwaters Farm - spray-free blueberries
  1083 Circle Drive, Route 600, Mathews, VA 23109. Phone: 804-725-5839. Email: larry.brown723@verizon.net. Directions: From I-64 at West Point exit #220, follow Route 33 to the intersection with Route 17 at Glenns. Crossing Route 17, Route 33 becomes Route 198. Follow to Route 14 at Mathews Court House, continue on Route 14 east for approximately 8 miles to the Newpoint Fire Station. Turn right onto Circle Drive \(Route 600\) approximately 1 mile lane on right marked with sign. by appointment, pick your own beginning in August, on Friday and Saturday only, no Sundays; Call or e-mail for an appointment. Isolate - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Bentwaters Farm Facebook page. . . UPDATE for 2020 and 2021: my guess is they have closed - their website is now junk and I haven't seen an update in years I'll remove them at the end of 2021 if I do not hear otherwise, do call before you go. From I-64 at West Point exit #220, follow Route 33 to the intersection with Route 17 at Glenns. Crossing Route 17, Route 33 becomes Route 198. Follow to Route 14 at Mathews Court House, continue on Route 14 east for approximately 8 miles to the Newpoint Fire Station. Turn right onto Circle Drive (Route 600) approximately 1 mile lane on right marked with sign. by appointment, pick your own beginning in August, on Friday and Saturday only, no Sundays; Call or e-mail for an appointment. Isolated waterfront farm in beautiful Mathews County, Virginia. Check the area's website or call toll free, 1-877-725-4BAY, for features and accommodations. Friendly farm animals - sheep, cashmere goats, llamas, and Angora rabbits, a treat for young and old. Pick-your-own season is typically mid-July through August. Fresh-picked berries for your convenience, also. Pure wool yarn for knitters or weavers. Finished hand crafted wool products, as well. Hand woven baskets and unique walking staffs and canes. Scheduled classes for spinning, weaving, dying yarn, knitting and basket weaving are also offered for groups or individuals.
• Eastfields Farms - No pesticides are used, blueberries, restrooms, picnic area, picnic area you may bring your own food
  85 Preston Pt Rd, Mathews, VA 23109. Phone: 804-725-3948. Email: dperina45@gmail.com. Open: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 1 pm; July and August. Directions: From highway 17 in Gloucester-Take Route 14E to Mathews. Make right onto Route 611, right onto 621, right onto 622, left onto Thurston Road. Take first right onto Preston Point Road go to end. From I-64 Exit at West Point, take Route 33 to Glenns, cross over Route 17 to Route 198. Continue East to Mathews. Take Route 198 to Route 621, make right continue to Route 622 and follow as above. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Eastfields Farms . We do not use pesticides on the crops. Pick your own spray free blueberries in chemical free environment. We do not use pesticides on bushes or herbicides on field. Picking buckets are provided. Bring take home container(low flat box). Call ahead (804 725-3948) or check with Facebook to confirm hours opened. Berries are Virginia's Finest, we are also recipient of Clean Water Farm Award. Farm raised oysters grown and available on premises. Oyster aquaculture supplies and free advisory service. Picnic area and restroom available. astfields Farms is a diversified farm offering chemical and spray free u-pik blueberries. Eastfields has been active in aquaculture since 1984, providing farm raised oysters and aquaculture supplies and advisory services. (UPDATED: June 2, 2022
• Tater Neck Blueberry Farm - Blueberries.
  Route 608/ Potato Neck Road, Port Haywood, VA 23138. Phone: (804) 725-2623. Open: during the day light hours and use no chemicals on their bushes. Click here for a map and directions. . They are open
  Comments from a visitor on July 02, 2016: "If no one is there, they have an honor policy on what you pick and how to pay. Do bring your bug spray, because the very nearby marsh can cause some very hungry mosquitoes. There are no restrooms or frills, just yummy berries. It is truly a treat to go and pick your own and make something special with your kids and mine really appreciate the break from the city life to do such things. I picked there as a child and now I am giving that gift to my children. Many of the bushes are well over the height of 6ft so you don't even have to bend over to pick. The berries are always plum and jucy. I have been picking my blueberries there for over 20 years. You can pick your own and weigh them for a price or the Family's grandchildren will pick yours for you, for a price."

 

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