2024 Western New York State Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in Western New York State 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.

Chautauqua County

• Abers Acres - follow organic methods - follow organic methods, U Pick red and black raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, peas and fava beans, beans, flowers, pumpkins, blueberries
  884 Route 394, Kennedy, NY 14747. Phone: 716-267-2431. Email: info@abersacres.com. Open: Strawberries start in late June. Click here for a map and directions. . . All of our home grown crops are grown chemical free using organic practices. For a memorable family day in the country or as a cost saving way to fill your freezer, you cant beat picking your own fresh produce at Abers Acres. Please be sure to review our picking procedures. All crops available for pick-your-own are also available to purchase fresh picked. (UPDATED: July 18, 2019, JBS)

Erie County

• Awald's Berry Farm - Blueberries, Raspberries, pumpkins, strawberries, Blackberries, Currants
  Gurney Avenue, North Collins, NY 14111. Phone: 716-337-2997. Email: AwaldsFarm@aol.com. Open: May, June, July, August, September, October. Directions: The farm is located about 32 miles southwest of Buffalo, NY and 14 miles from Hamburg, NY. Please click on the interactive map icon on the Awald website to get detailed directions. . Click here for a map and directions. . . Click here for a map to our farm. We are open Our hours are: Please call for more information Strawberries: end of May through mid-June Raspberries: Red Raspberries, Purple Raspberries, Golden Raspberries, Black Raspberriesbeginning second week of July Blueberries: begin July 4th through late August Blackberries: mid-July through beginning of August Pumpkins: seasonal A visit to our Pumpkin Patch has become a family tradition for many people in our local communities. In fact, several folks who visited our Pumpkin Patch as kids now bring their own children! Our U-Pick Farm serves as a stress free environment for a wholesome, enjoyable family outing in a country setting. Check out our seasonal information and get a jump on planning your next family outing! We also offer Pre-Pickedblueberries and raspberries for individuals, church groups, restaurants and caterers. Please call ahead to place your order! A visit to the Giant Pumpkin Patchto pick out that perfect Halloween Pumpkin is a tradition for many in our local community. In fact, many customers who visited our Giant Pumpkin Patch as kids now bring their own children, a tradition we are especially proud to be a part of.
• Greg's U-Pick - strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, pumpkins, corn maze
  9270 Lapp Road, Clarence Center, NY 14032. Phone: 716-741-4239. Email: gregsupick@gmail.com. Open: see their website for current hours. Directions: Easily located off Transit Rd. in Clarence Center; . Click here for a map and directions. . click here for a map to the farm. U-Pick or Already Picked Strawberries are available Daily. (orders taken for large quantities) U-Pick Blueberries (mid July to late August), Call for Daily Picking Conditions. A family owned farm featuring over 12 acres of u-pick strawberries, 8 acres of u-pick blueberries, 1/2 acre blackberries and 2 acres of red raspberries. Our fall harvest includes a u-pick pumpkin patch and a corn "maize". Unlike many u-pick fruit operations, we WELCOME and ENCOURAGE children of ALL ages to come and experience the fun of u-pick!
• Paul's Organic Farm - Registered naturally grown, apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, nectarines, other berries, pears, peaches, plums, raspberries (red), raspberries (yellow), strawberries, Other fruit or veg, Honey from hives on the farm, picnic area, picnic area you may bring your own food, school tours
  8213 Center Road, Holland, NY 14080. Phone: 786-348-8600. Open: July 1 to September 31, from 12 pm to 6, Friday 12 pm to 6, Saturday 8 am to 6, Sunday 12 pm to 6. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. . Alternate Phone: 716-941-6905. We are registered naturally grown for all crops. Western New York's Only Sustainable Wind-Powered Organic Farm At in Colden, NY, you can Pick organic berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and black berries), Pick organic fruit (apples, pears, peaches, plums, plum-cots, nectarines, apricots, paw-paw, cherries) Book an Educational Tour for your group, Read organic farming and aquaponics articles by Pauland even book a stay in our Guesthouse via Airbnb. (UPDATED: July 18, 2019, JBS) (ADDED: April 06, 2015)

Niagara County

• Price Family Farm - Uses integrated pest management practices, blueberries, blackberries, U-pick and already picked, restrooms
  4598 Porter Center Road, Lewiston, NY 14092. Phone: 716-830-1418. Email: loarfo@gmail.com. Email: ttprice@roadrunner.com. Open: Call for appointment. Directions: call for directions. Click here for a map and directions. my blueberry harvest is mid July thru the end of August. We use integrated pest management practices. Payment: Cash, only. The ONLY pyo crops offered are blueberries, blackberries.  (ADDED: June 20, 2023)

 

 

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