2024 The San Francisco / San Mateo County area of California Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in The San Francisco / San Mateo County area of California 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 any state, nor even every 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.

San Mateo County

• Coastways Ranch Inc (aka Swanton Berry Farm) - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, blackberries, olallieberries, strawberries, restrooms, picnic area, school tours
  640 Cabrillo Highway (Highway 1), Pescadero, CA 94060. Phone: 831-469-8804. Email: mail@swantonberryfarm.com. Open: The Organic Strawberry U-pick is open on weekends from 10am-5pm; but call to check availability before you come; This location is only open on weekends; Strawberries begin in April, Olallieberries begin in June; Blackberries come in season in July; The u - pick usually ends in late August; The ranch is open seven days a week; Kiwi u - pick begins in December and ends in January; The ranch is open for Kiwi u - pick Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Directions: Swanton Coastways Ranch is located 28 miles South of Half Moon Bay, CA and 20.5 miles North of Santa Cruz on Highway 1. It is about a quarter mile south of Ano Nuevo State Park and a quarter mile north of Waddell Beach. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, WIC Vouchers. . We are certified organic for all crops! There are many attractive areas for relaxing after gathering your fill of berries or kiwis, so bring a picnic and spend the day. We provide boxes and baskets and recommend wearing layers. May 2017: We are now open on weekends for Organic Strawberry U-PICK. The organic strawberries are $4.50/lb for 1-10lbs. if you pick 10 or more pounds they are $3.50/lb. We recommend wearing farm appropriate footwear and layers as it has been windy and cool in the afternoons. (UPDATED: May 28, 2018, JBS)
  Comments from a visitor on June 27, 2009: " Since I wrote to complain about one farm, I should follow up with some real praise for the Swanton Berry Farm operation. On Fathers Day, 2009, after we left Pescadero, we drove south down Highway 1 and visited Swanton's Coastways Ranch U-Pick strawberry fields overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We had researched this farm on their website, and if anything they had understated the beauty and quality of the place. A beautiful location (admittedly on a beautiful day) with friendly, helpful people at the field, and some beautiful fruit. My wife and I and our 7-year-old twins picked two flats in under 20 minutes, paying $2.50 per pound. We enjoyed some wonderful fresh fruit and made some beautiful strawberry jam the next day."
• R and R Fresh Farms - blackberries, raspberries and olallieberries, farm market
  2310 Pescadero Creek Road, Pescadero, CA . Phone: 650-954-0055. Email: info@rnrfresh.com. Open: Daily 10 am to 6 pm. Directions: From Hwy 1, turn East onto Pescadero Creek Road and travel 2.5 miles to the farm. We are located on the right side of the road, shortly after passing Stage Road. Parking is available outside of the farm stand. Join us daily for u-pick harvesting of CCOF certified organic raspberries, blackberries, and olallieberries. We provide baskets to harvest in to and plastic bags to bring your berries home in. Visit us inside the farm-stand before heading out in to the fields to pick up a basket and get details on the best areas for picking each day. The farm also sells the herb Rosemary retail and wholesale. They also have fresh duck eggs, chayote, tamarind and plump, green tomatillos, dried red chiles, fruits preserved in syrup and many dried beans. And they have a bakery. . Click here for a map and directions.
  R and R Fresh Farms Facebook page. . Open Driving R&R Fresh Farms Facebook page.
• Webb Ranch - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, blackberries, boysenberries, loganberries, Marionberries, Olallieberries, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (yellow), tomatoes, porta-potties are available, restrooms, picnic area you may bring your own food, birthday parties, school tours, group reservations
  2720 Alpine Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028. Phone: 650-854-6334. Email: Deano@webbranchinc.com. Open: BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, CLICK HERE TO MAKE APPOINTMENT, APPOINTMENTS LIKELY FULL but more will be added as more berries ripen, Check back for availability. Directions: We are located off of Hwy 280 and Alpine rd east in Menlo Park. We are 15 mile south of San Francisco, and 15 miles north of San Jose, 300 feet right off of Hwy 280. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: cash, check, credit and debit.
  Webb Ranch Facebook page. . All berries are certified organic by CCOF. The 2020 cost of U-Pick is as follows: $4 for entry (0-4 and 65+ are free) and $5.50 per pound of berries. We grow varieties of blackberries and raspberries. Please remember, the field has a limited amount of ripe berries on any given day. The earlier you show up, the better the selection. For 2020, we planted cherry tomatoes inside the U-Pick field on the raspberry side. Call the produce hotline to check for availability from early June. Click here for current dates and hours. We are certified organic for all crops! Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. is located in Portola Valley, just outside Palo Alto. Family Owned and Operated since 1922. All of our Farming is CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmer)the only thing we spray on our Crops is H2O!! :).Webb Ranch is following all water conservation rules for 2015. We are cutting back per guidelines, but this will not affect the berries. The weather is the biggest factor, and too much heat is the most harmful. The weather has been great and the berries are tasty, so come out to the U-Pick. All berries are CCOF. Use our baskets (no personal containers allowed). Lawn area available, bring blanket & lunch. No reservations necessary. PETS AND SMOKING ARE PROHIBITED. ALWAYS SUBJECT TO WEATHER/HEAT. . Also see our choose and cut Christmas tree farm and U-Pick Pumpkins. New this year to the U-Pick will be cherry tomatoes (multiple varieties). The season for the cherry tomatoes usually begins in mid July. Entrance is $4 a person. Kids 4 & under and adults 65 & over enjoy free entry. Picking baskets are provided with your entry fee and eating while picking is OK :) *We are CCOF certified organic. All berries are weighed at $5/lb. We also have a kids jumpy house operating every day we are open. (UPDATED: July 16, 2020 JBS)

 

Blackberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

In the U.S. Blackberries typically peak during June in the South, and in July in the North. 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 forgage 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