2024 Southwestern Mississippi Blueberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
Find a pick-your-own farm near you! Then learn to can and freeze! Since 2002! We update continuously; Beware the copycat websites!
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Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Southwestern 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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Adams County
Second Creek Blueberry Farm - blueberries, pick your own or u pick, 801 Hwy 61 south, Natchez, MS 39120. Phone: 601-807-3369. Email: secondcreekblueberries@gmail.com. Open: UPDATE for 2021, Their website is gone; Does anyone have current information, are they still offering pick your own or are even open? If so, please write me, their last reported hours were See their website. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Second Creek Blueberry Farm . 2.4 miles south of Mammy's Cupboard. (Suggested by a visitor, ADDED: May 30, 2011)
Marion County
James Melcher - Blueberries 234 Stuckey Road, Columbia, MS 39429. Phone: 601-736-8432. Open: Late May to late July, Monday to Saturday & Sunday pm Please call in advance. Click here for a map and directions. . 2007 prices: U-Pick $4/gal. Or We-pick $7/gal
Pike County
Chatawa Farms - certified organic blueberries, and prepicked produce Chatawa, Mississippi Highway 51, Magnolia, MS 39652. Phone: 985-626-0029. Email: sdethor@bellsouth.net. Directions: Call for information . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . . Crops are usually available in May, June, July. 7 days/week May 26 - July 15 Organic blueberries We are certified organic for all crops! (UPDATED: May 01, 2007)
Fowl Play Poultry and Blueberry Farm - Uses natural growing practices, blueberries, restrooms, picnic area 1684 Highway 583 North, Jayess, MS 39641. Phone: 601-730-2003. Email: fowlplayguard-blueberry@yahoo.com. Open: Anytime by appointment; Saturdays and Sundays 6:00 am to 7:00 pm during June and July; Please be sure to call in advance for weather conditions, availability, etc. Directions: Take I-55 north from Laplace, LA to exit #15A \(U.S. 98 East to Tylertown\). Continue East \(2 miles\) to 3rd traffic light \(S. Magnolia Street \) Turn left and proceed 1 mile to next traffic light at Pearl River Ave\(MS Highway 44\). Turn right and proceed 14 miles to MS Highway 583. Turn left and drive 1.5 miles to farm at 1684 Highway 583. Phone #601-730-2003. Blueberries usually available June and July; Please call for definite dates and times we are . Click here for a map and directions. . Alternate Phone: 601-249-2003. Fax: 601-249-2003. . Take I-55 north from Laplace, LA to exit #15A (U.S. 98 East to Tylertown). Continue East (2 miles) to 3rd traffic light (S. Magnolia Street ) Turn left and proceed 1 mile to next traffic light at Pearl River Ave(MS Highway 44). Turn right and proceed 14 miles to MS Highway 583. Turn left and drive 1.5 miles to farm at 1684 Highway 583. Phone #601-730-2003. Blueberries usually available June and July; Please call for definite dates and times we are open. We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification. Payment: Cash, Check or 'Share what you pick'
Route One Nursery - blueberries, and prepicked produce 2158 Lloyd Hamilton Road, McComb, MS 39648. Phone: 601-684-9609. Email: Timmons1940@BellSouth.net. Open: Monday to Saturday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Blueberries, late May, entire month of June and early July We are certified organic for all crops! Payment: Cash, only. Directions: From McComb, Ms. East on Hwy 44 to Friendship Church. turn Right on Friendship Road, travel 2 miles to Summit Holmesville Road, bear left on Lloyd Hamilton Road past cemetery to gravel road \(good road\), into blueberry farm . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Fax: Same. . From McComb, Ms. East on Hwy 44 to Friendship Church. turn Right on Friendship Road, travel 2 miles to Summit Holmesville Road, bear left on Lloyd Hamilton Road past cemetery to gravel road (good road), into blueberry farm Crops are usually available in June.
Ted's Blueberry Farm - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, blueberries, 3073 Old highway 24, McComb, MS 39648. Phone: (601) 341-2002. Open: seven days a week; Please call first to ensure access to blueberries. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Blueberries: available for picking June 16 to July 31.
Wilkinson County
Dunbar McCurley Blueberry Farm - Blueberries 474 Briarwood Lane, Woodville, MS 39669. Phone: 601-888-4420. Open: Call for hours of PYO or top place orders for fresh-picked berries. Click here for a map and directions. or 601-888-4434 or 601-888-6574.
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.
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.
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!