2024 Cincinnati, Dayton and southwestern Ohio Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in Cincinnati, Dayton and southwestern Ohio 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.

Adams County

• B and D Berry Farm - Uses natural growing practices, blackberries, blueberries, U-pick and already picked, school tours, group reservations
  1042 Inlow Avenue, Peebles, OH 45660. Phone: (937) 509-1327. Email: bdberryfarm@gmail.com. Open: Monday to Saturday, from 10 am to 6 pm; Sunday, from 11 am to 5 pm, July to August; Please see our Facebook page for current updates and information. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover. . Alternate Phone: (937) 509-0072. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. From State Route 32, turn onto Route 41 into Peebles. Turn at the red light in the center of town onto Vine Street (Old State Route 32). About one half mile from town, turn left on Inlow Avenue. We are about a mile down Inlow Avenue. Blackberries are usually ripe from mid-July to mid-August; Please see our Facebook page for current updates;. We use natural practices, but are not yet certified Organic. Please phone ahead to order pre-picked blackberries, for same-day pick-up. Our blueberry plants are still quite young, so please call to check availability of blueberries. Thank you!. (UPDATED: April 01, 2018) (ADDED: June 24, 2016)

Butler County

• Indian Springs Berry Farm - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, blackberries, U-pick and already picked, pumpkins
  2840 Tylersville Rd, Indian Springs, OH 45015. Phone: (513) 463-PICK. Email: info@indianspringsberryfarm.com. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, AmEx.
  Indian Springs Berry Farm Facebook page. . . Blackberries: July to August. Organic Blackberries: Everything we do at complies with USDA regulations governing organic food production. Everything we apply to the plants and ground is natural and organic! Just come to the farm and we have everything you need! We will provide you with a basket and guide you to the best rows to pick from. Pick all you want then bring your blackberries back to the register. We will weigh what you've picked and you will be on your way. You can bring your own basket if you'd like. Make sure to get it weighed before you start picking! We take all forms of payment: cash, credit cards, Apple Pay, Android Pay, etc. (ADDED: June 21, 2017)

Clermont County

• Simmons Farm - No pesticides are used, corn (sweet), mulberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, flowers, pumpkins, Fresh eggs, U-pick and already picked, picnic area, school tours
  3020 Schaller Road, Bethel, OH 45106. Phone: 513-734-3117. Email: simmonsupickfarms@gmail.com. Open: hours, days and dates. Directions: see thier wbesite. We do not use pesticides on the . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.
  Simmons Farm Facebook page. . . Our farm is our home; We are open for business on weekends and some evenings during harvet times; Please check our website and/or call ahead for harvesting information; Due to weather, crops are ready at different times and some years produce better crops than others; We are willing to sell our evergreen trees year - round for landscaping; Don't forget to come back to our farm after the Thanksgiving season for pumpkin chunking!. Click here for current open Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. crops. s is a family property located in Bethel, Ohio. Our passions lie in family time and sharing God's creations with others. We raise crops we enjoy growing with our children and genuinely hope others enjoy their moments picking with their loved ones too. Facebook page. We offer the sale of sunflowers (September-November), berries (mulberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries), corn (NO SPRAYs used), pumpkins (September-November), hay, eggs, jams, syrups, vegetables, and honey (all year). Don't forget to stop by this fall to pick your own pumpkins and try your hand at Pumpkin Chunking with our trebuchet!.

Greene County

• Berryhill Farm - Minimizes chemical and pesticide use, blackberries, blueberries, flowers, raspberries (red), raspberries (Autumn, red),
  330 E. Krepps Rd, Xenia, OH 45385. Phone: 937-374-8747. Email: Berryhill10@yahoo.com. Open: hours vary based on available fruit; Closed for all business on Sundays. Directions: Located between US 42 and 68 off of State highway 380. Fields at two location on E. Krepps Road Watch for signs posted during season. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . . Call, Email or check the web site for updates through the season. We minimize use of pesticides and other chemicals. We provide buckets and bags, but feel free to bring your own containers. We will tare the weight for you before picking. All P-Y-O berries are sold by the pound, which we will weigh for you after picking. Please see our U-pick page for all details. Red raspberries and blackberries will come in season the beginning of August and run at least through labor day. Blueberries are done by the second week of August. We have drive up sales for pre picked berries every day 830am - 6pm at our 127 E Krepps address. No sales on Sundays. Call for orders and to make sure berries are available.
  Comments from a visitor on August 11, 2010: "The blackberries that I picked yesterday on August 10th were absolutely delicious at this farm on Krepps Rd. off of route 42 at this farm near Xenia, Ohio. They were so big and juicy as well as fun and easy to pick and everyone at the farm was polite and respectful."
  Comments from a visitor on June 28, 2010: "We loved this farm and the people who owned it. they were so hospitable and gracious. It was a quiet and beautiful farm. They allowed us to pick the nite before their opening day. They accommodated our diet beautifully. We actually made plans to run around town a bit and decided to hang out at the farm in the hammock and sky chair and enjoy the peace for a few hours instead. You will enjoy it! "

Montgomery County

• Pudgy Cardinal Farm - apples, asparagus, beans, beets, blackberries, carrots, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplant, melons, onions, pears, peas, peppers, pumpkins, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, walnuts, Fresh eggs, farm animals
  10424 Frederick Pike, Vandalia, OH 45377. Phone: 937-387-6240. Email: pudgycardinalfarm@yahoo.com. Open: See our website for current hours. Directions: Take I-70 to the Dayton International Airport Access Road, Exit 32, toward Vandalia. Then take the first exit off the Access Road, US 40 to EnglewoodVandalia. Turn left onto 40W, National Road. Proceed to Frederick Pike and turn right. You will see our barn on the right after the big curve. The driveway is just past the barn on the right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard. Pudgy Cardinal Farm . Take I-70 to the Dayton International Airport Access Road, Exit 32, toward Vandalia. Then take the first exit off the Access Road, US 40 to Englewood/Vandalia. Turn left onto 40W, National Road. Proceed to Frederick Pike and turn right. You will see our barn on the right after the big curve. The driveway is just past the barn on the right.

Preble County

• Wesler Orchards and Farm Market - apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes, raspberries (black), strawberries, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), porta-potties are available, picnic area, farm animals, school tours
  9319 Wesler Road, New Paris, OH 45347. Phone: 937-437-8921. Email: jrwslr@yahoo.com. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
  Wesler Orchards and Farm Market Facebook page. . . Facebook page. A visitor writes on March 05, 2016: "love it ! Weslers make the best cider !!!! " A visitor writes on September 19, 2011: "Amazing orchard. This isn't one of those stands that sells trinkets and country themed home decorations and happens to have a bit of over priced fruit. They have a wide variety of high quality, reasonably priced apples as well as pairs and other fruit. The cider is better than any grocery store brand. It reminds me of the type of orchard we went to as kids and not what fruits stands have morphed into the last few years."A visitor writes on July 26, 2009: "I have loved it since i was a child. They are all about the Apples. Apple dummplings- Cider-Yum!! Every year there is a Apple fest in the town of New Paris. You can find it on the web. In tha summer they do tractor tours around the City Of New Paris. Every October they have a haunted chicken coop. You can also buy pumpkins. They used to sell fresh eggs and milk but no longer do. They also sell country store items, such as chairs, candles, exc. It's been there a long time. I use to collect eggs for them when i was a child now I'm thirty some thing."

 

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