2024 Victoria, Australia Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in Victoria, Australia in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for blackberries that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a state have blackberries 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

Victoria

• Chappies - Cherries, Raspberries and Blackberries, U-pick and already picked
  21 Parker Road, Silvan, VIC 03795. Phone: (03) 9737 9534. Email: enquiries@upick.com.au. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  Chappies Facebook page. Click here for our Facebook page.Note: 2016/2017 there is a $10 entry fee to the U-Pick; Kids Primary School Students: $5, Pre-School: Free. What you pick: $10per kg. Cherries will commence end of November. Sour Cherry U-Pick commences late December. We ask that you come prepared to pick in the fields. The weather may be hot and dry or cool and wet - please check weather forecast before leaving home. Wear suitable footwear (the ground may be uneven), a hat and sunscreen are a good idea. And of course, bring a container for your fruit, or pick one up from ushave a large farm including Cherries, Raspberries and Blackberries available for you to U-Pick or buy fresh from our shop. (UPDATED: February 16, 2019, JBS) (ADDED: November 22, 2016)
• Gentle Annie Berry Farm - blackberries, strawberries, red currants
  520 Penny Royal Valley Road, Penny Royal, VIC 03235. Phone: (03) 5236 3391. Open: typically Melb cup weekend to 30th April. Click here for a map and directions.
  Gentle Annie Berry Farm Facebook page. Facebook page. No entry fee (produce by weight). Thornless blackberriesUPDATE for 2021: OUR PROPERTY IS ON THE MARKET BUT WE WILL BE OPEN FOR PYO BERRY PICKING AND SERVING REFRESHMENTS FROM OUR SHOP.
• High Grove Berries - blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, boysenberries, red and black currents.
  227 Mt Stanley Road, Stanley, VIC 03747. Phone: +61 3 5728 6526. Email: info@higrove.com.au. Open: The farm is open to the public for pick-your-own berries and cherries in December and January each year. Directions: Take the Stanley road from Beechworth [8 kilometers]. As you drive through the small town of Stanley you come to a \T intersection. Click here for a map and directions. chooks and geese can be encountered. "
• Jay Berries - strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries
  140 Wandin Creek Road, Wandin East, VIC 03139. Phone: (03) 5964 4451. Email: info@jayberries.com.au. Open: Sunday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Directions: in the Yarra Valley, 50 Minutes from Melbourne. . Click here for a map and directions.
• Paynes Orchards - Apples, apricots, blackberries, cherries, nectarines, peaches, raspberries, sylvan berries
  372 Main Street (Avenue of Honour), Bacchus Marsh, VIC 03340. Phone: (03) 5367 2548. Email: info@paynesorchards.com.au. Open: Daily in fruit season Stone fruit December -Mar, Apples Feb - April - June. Click here for a map and directions.
  Paynes Orchards Facebook page.
• Pennyroyal Raspberry Farm - blackberries, boysenberries, other berries, raspberries, strawberries, potatoes, jostaberries (gooseberry/blackcurrant cross) marionberries and mulberries.
  115 Division Road, Murroon via Birregurra, VIC 03242. Phone: . Email: mkjuleff@pennyroyal.com.au. Open: December - early January from 10 am to 5 pm, daily except Xmas day Ring for availability Directions: SW of Geelong drive to Winchelsea south to Deans Marsh follow signs from General store . Directions: SW of Geelong drive to Winchelsea south to Deans Marsh follow signs from General store . We are . Click here for a map and directions. . December - early January from 10 am to 5 pm, daily except Xmas day Ring for availability open January, December. Tea House open for refreshments, light lunch, berry treats other fresh picks - potatoes, jostaberries (gooseberry/blackcurrant cross) marionberries, mulberriesFacebook page. Pick your own organically grown berries during the summer season; and sample our award winning ciders and delicious berry gins. B&B accommodation year-round. Contact us to book accommodation or to find out if we are open for picking. (UPDATED: March 9, 2021 JBS)
• Rayners Orchard - apricots, blackberries, broccoli, currants (red and black), figs, gooseberries, grapefruit, lemons, nectarines, oranges, citrus, other citrus, peas, peaches, persimmons, plums, rhubarb, tomatoes, Other fruit or veg, farm market, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, birthday parties, school tours, group reservations
  60 Schoolhouse Rd, Woori Yallock, VIC 03139. Phone: 359647654. Email: len@raynersorchard.com.au. Open: every day 9am to 4pm Closed Christmas day U Pick most of the year Minimum of 8 varieties of fruit every day of the year; Fruit tasting adventures run every day except Christmas day; Over 450 varieties of fruit. Directions: For a map to our farm, . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . every day 9am to 4pm (Closed Christmas day) U Pick most of the year Minimum of 8 varieties of fruit every day of the year; Fruit tasting adventures run every day except Christmas day; Over 450 varieties of fruit Stonefruit available November to April Citrus and tamarillos available May to November Kiwi fruit,May to September persimmons, pomegranates, figs, guavas April to JuneFruit every day of the year. Feijoas are available May 1 to May 30.(UPDATED: June 24, 2018, JBS) (UPDATED: October 29, 2016)
• Sunny Creek Organic Fruit and Berry Farm - Raspberries (Red, Yellow, Purple, Black), Strawberries, Red and White Currents, Logan Berries, Boysenberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Applies, Chestnuts.
  69 Tudor Road, Childers, VIC 03824. Phone: +61 3 5634 7526. Email: sunnycrk@dcsi.net.au. Open: November to June, on Monday to Friday, from 8. Click here for a map and directions.
  Sunny Creek Organic Fruit and Berry Farm Facebook page.
• The Bramble Farm - Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Youngberries, Jostaberries, Red Currants
  25 Lyppards Road, Langwarrin, VIC . Phone: 9776 7018. Email: brambleb@bigpond.com. Open: All year round; 7 days a week from 9am to 5pm. Directions: See their website for directions. Payment: Cash, only. No chemicals used on farm. Frozen and fresh ready picked or pick your own when in season. Chutneys, jams, sauces, juices. Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries. Brambleberries and Raspberries available for picking Nov ~ May, with frozen sales available all year round. We also collect our own Honey and have that as well as a huge variety of products made on the farm. The Bramble Farm is a working farm which uses Integrated Pest Management. N - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.
• Waterwheel Orchards - blueberries, raspberries, tayberries, blackberries,
  Fishers Rd, Boolarra, VIC 03869. Phone: (03) 5169 6622. Email: waterwheelorchards@gmail.com. Open: Call for hours, the season is usually from late November to early January. Click here for a map and directions.
• Yileen Berry Farm - follow organic practices,blackberries, boysenberries, currants (red and black), raspberries, Other fruit or veg,
  1345 Leongatha Yarragon Road, Hallston, VIC 03953. Phone: (03) 5668 5268. Email: yileenberryfarm@optusnet.com.au. Open: 8 am to 6 pm or by appointment; Call 03 5668 5268 to confirm times or berry availability. Directions: Travel 5km out of Leongatha along the Strezlecki highway Turn Left into Leongath Yarragon Road. Yileen Berry Farm is 15 minutes from this point. Follow Our \Berry signs to Yileen. See you there. ". Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.

 

Blackberry

Blackberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Blackberries typically peak during June in the South of the U.S., and in July in the north and in Canada. Crops are ready at various times of the month depending on which part of the state you are located. In order to produce good local Blackberries, producers depend on ideal spring and early summer weather conditions. See this page for a list of blackberry festivals around the U.S.

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!
2. Leave early.  On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
    
3. Most growers furnish picking containers designed for Blackberries, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring containers.
   If you use your own containers, remember that heaping Blackberries more than 5 inches deep will bruise the lower berries. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers. I like the Glad storage containers like the one at right.
4. Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.

Tips on How to Pick Blackberries

1. There are two types of blackberries to know about: thorny and thornless! Obviously, the thornless are easier to pick, but some people claim the thorny varieties are sweeter. With the thorny plants, you want to reach into the plant in the gaps, so you don't need to touch anything but the berry you're after, avoiding the thorns.
2. A ripe blackberry is deep black with a plump, full feel. It will pull free from the plant with only a slight tug.  If the berry is red or purple, it's not ripe yet.
3. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. Unlike strawberries, blackberries are usually pretty tough, I dump mine into the bucket. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
4. Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.

General Picking Tips

Whether you pick Blackberries from your garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Pick only the berries that are fully black. Reach in between the stems to grab for hidden berries ready for harvest. Bend down and look up into the plant and you will find loads of berries that other people missed!
2. Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunlight any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Blackberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.

When you get home

1. DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them or freeze them.  Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
2. Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries
3. Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash  off the others, drain them and freeze them up! (Unless you're going to make jam right away) Blackberries are less perishable than blueberries or strawberries, but refrigerate them as soon as possible after picking. Temperatures between 34 F and 38 F are best, but, be careful not to freeze the blackberries (while they are in the fridge)!
4. Even under ideal conditions blackberries will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase

Blackberry Recipes, Freezing and Jam directions

1. How to make Blackberry jam - It is VERY easy - especially with our free Blackberry jam directions - very easy!
2. How to make Blackberry jelly
3. How to freeze berries
4. Blackberry syrup, make and can it! 
5. Seedless blackberry pie!
6. Blackberry Festivals: Where, When and More to Find an Blackberry Festival Near You this year:

Blackberry Facts and Tips

• Black Raspberries, also known as "black caps" are a very healthy food; packed with anthocyanins!
• The USDA says 1 cup of blackberries has about 62 calories.
• 1 cup of blackberries, not packed down weighs about 140 grams.
• Select plump, firm, fully blackberries. Unripe berries will not ripen once picked.
• Ohio State University's Article Regarding Their Prevention of Cancer
• Oregon Berry Black Raspberry Brochure
• Blackberry tea was said to be a cure for dysentery during the Civil War. During outbreaks of dysentery, temporary truces were declared to allow both Union and Confederate soldiers to "go blackberrying" to forage for blackberries to ward off the disease.
• Blackberries were enjoyed by the ancient Greeks, who believed them to be a cure for diseases of the mouth and throat, as well as a preventative against many ailments, including gout.
• The blackberry leaf was also used as an early hair dye, having been recommended by Culpeper, the English herbalist, to be boiled in a lye solution in order to "maketh the hair black".
• Guide to blackberry varieties
• Researchers have known for quite some time that berries contain antioxidants which help to fight cancer causing free radicals.  A study at the University of Ohio has found that blackberries are the most potent cancer fighting berries of them all, by nearly 40 percent!
• U-pick Blackberry farms typically sell berries by the pound. A quart equals 1 and 1/2 pounds of fresh berries.
• Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase as Blackberries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a couple of days in the refrigerator.
• You can easily freeze berries that you cannot use right away - just wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible.  Those vacuum food sealers REALLY do a good job of this! The berries will keep for many months frozen without air.
• Want to go to a blackberry festival? See this page for a list!

 

 

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