2024 Southwest New Jersey Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in Southwest New Jersey 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.

Burlington County

• Riverside Homestead Farm (aka, Taylor's Riverside Farm) - ORGANIC, Pick Your Own: Raspberries; tomatoes; peppers; eggplant; blackberries; pears; pumpkins
  7 Taylor Lane, Cinnaminson, NJ . Phone: (856) 829-4992. Email: ktmizuro7@gmail.com. Open: June - October, Monday to Saturday 9 am to 6 PM. Directions: at the Delaware River, From Route 130 take Taylors Lane Northwest, across Route 543 onto farm road and follow signs to stand. We also have a roadside market farm stand with Peas; cherries; green beans; tomatoes; bell peppers; eggplant; corn; blackberries; raspberries; gooseberries; pears; pumpkins. We also have By order - pole limas. Limited volume; all organic. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Riverside Homestead Farm (aka, Taylor's Riverside Farm) Facebook page. . at the Delaware River, From Route 130 take Taylors Lane Northwest, across Route 543 onto farm road and follow signs to stand. We also have a roadside market / farm stand with Peas; cherries; green beans; tomatoes; bell peppers; eggplant; corn; blackberries; raspberries; gooseberries; pears; pumpkins. We also have By order - pole limas. Limited volume; all organic. Also called "Taylor's River Side Farm". Our apple varieties are Stayman Winesap, Liberty, Red and Yellow Delicious.

Gloucester County

• Mood's Farm Market - Pick Your Own: Apples, blackberries, blueberries, pears, raspberries, cherries (sweet, pie), plums, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pumpkins
  901 Bridgeton Pike (Route 77), Mullica Hill, NJ . Phone: (856) 478-2500. Open: June - Thanksgiving, closed Sundays, Summer: 8 am to 8 pm; Fall: 8 am to 5 pm. Directions: Route 77 5 miles S of Mullica Hill on Route 77; 3 miles N of Route 40. We also have a roadside market farm stand with Apples; pumpkins; all vegetables. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Empire, Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious. We also have Apple cider; apple cider donuts; fall hay rides; WIC and Senior FMNP checks accepted. We specialize in pick your own fruit starting with sweet cherries in June and finishing with pumpkins in October. We make apple cider donuts fresh daily \(Mon-Sat\), and we press our own apple cider in the fall. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Mood's Farm Market Facebook page. . See this page for Pick your own updates. Route 77 5 miles S of Mullica Hill on Route 77; 3 miles N of Route 40. We also have a roadside market / farm stand with Apples; pumpkins; all vegetables. Our apple varieties are Cortland, Empire, Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious. We also have Apple cider; apple cider donuts; fall hay rides; WIC and Senior FMNP checks accepted. We specialize in pick your own fruit starting with sweet cherries in June and finishing with pumpkins in October. We make apple cider donuts fresh daily (Mon-Sat), and we press our own apple cider in the fall. Facebook page. We have apple picking hayrides in September and pumpkin picking hayrides in October. We take pride in selling quality produce, and giving you a fun experience on our farm. A visitor writes on September 05, 2013: "Just wanted to say how great this pick-your-own farm is. We picked delicious peaches and sweet-tart blackberries today (Sept. 5, 2013), at an excellent price. The young ladies at the farm stand were polite and helpful, and the orchards were easily accessible and still laden with fruit. Highly recommended!"
  Comments from a visitor on October 11, 2010: "Just returned from a trip to Mood's to pick my own apples. My 13 year old son and I had a wonderful time, walking through the orchards and picking out just the apples that we needed. It is really nice to be able to pick different varieties that you want, unlike some of the other "big" pick-your-own farms in the area that only allow you to pick one variety of apple. Prices were reasonable, and we also left with a dozen warm apple cider donuts that were delicious! Highly recommend this farm. "
  Comments from a visitor on September 25, 2010: "My daughters and I had a wonderful time picking apples. They were plentiful and the directions we had to follow were very simple for picking, and paying. We will certainly be back."
  Comments from a visitor on July 20, 2009: "What a great experience my three children (9, 7, and 4) and I had today. Moods Farm has a friendly atmosphere. Cute Farm stand that includes veggies, fruits, jams and YUMMY homemade apple cider donuts. We traveled from Maryland for the second year and the donuts, especially if you get them warm are the best. The picking procedure is simple. They weigh your bucket that you bring or you can buy little cardboard buckets for 25 cents. We picked blackberries, blueberries and white peaches that were all delicious and very inexpensive. The blueberries were $1.15 a pound, blackberries were$1.40 and the peaches were 85 cents. I had a ton of fruit all for about $6. They have a great picnic area too. We will be back again soon. Great find and I found it on this website. Thank You. "

 

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