2024 central Virginia, Charlottesville, etc. Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in central Virginia, Charlottesville, etc. 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.

Madison County

• Sunrise Gardens - No pesticides are used blackberries, blueberries, tomatoes,
  1168 Spring Branch Road, Brightwood, VA 22715. Phone: (540) 407-1424. Email: marghut41@gmail.com. Open: Mid June to August. Directions: On Spring Branch Road between Thoroughfare and Lester Utz road. Across from a house with solar panels. Look for pavilion and park near it. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, PayPal. . We do not use pesticides on the crops. Blueberry season typically mid May to third week June; Blackberry season typically mid June through July; Tomatoes July through September. We strive to grow healthy produce to help you eat healthier. . (UPDATED: June 10, 2021)A visitor writes on July 14, 2014: "We visited Sunrise Garden in Madison VA on 7/12/2014 and were very pleased by the blueberries (some were the size of quarters or larger). Very neat, well maintained farm. Saturday was honor system/self serve. We had no problems picking 4 quarts of great blueberries. Price on this date was $5.50 per pound. Blackberries were just coming into season- they were HUGE (thumb size) and delicious!! We would definitely go again. One note re if you use a GPS, it will tell you to turn on Sunrise Lane- we missed the turn and stumbled on the patch- it is actually just beyond (East) this lane on the main road and has a large sign to grab your attention."

Nelson County

• Critzer Family Farm - Uses natural growing practices, apples, blackberries, nectarines, peaches, plums, pumpkins, strawberries, Fresh eggs, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), restrooms
  9388 Critzer Shop Road, Route 151, Afton, VA . Phone: (540) 241-3305. Email: critzerfamilyfarm@gmail.com. Open: May through October; Call or see their website for current hours. Directions: 250 west 16 miles to foot of Afton Mountain. Left on Route 151, 1 mile on right. From Waynesboro, 250 east, 7 miles to foot of Afton Mountain. Right on Route 151, 1 mile on right. From Wintergreen, 10 miles north on 151. From Charlottesville: 64 West to Exit 107; West on Rt. 250 for 4.5 miles: South on Rt. 151 for 1.3 miles; look for our sign on the right.Also pre-picked berries and other vegetables. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Critzer Family Farm Facebook page. . . Click here for their Facebook page. In the farm shop, they have Peach cobbler, peach smoothies, peach lemonade, peach salsa, peach jam. So many reasons to get yourself some peaches. White, yellow and donut varieties are ready for the pick. . (UPDATED: April 19, 2021)
  Comments from a visitor on May 12, 2009: "Strawberries are $1.50 per pound including their container. You can bring your own containers, but they need to be weighed beforehand. Cash or Check only. Very neat and clean farm"
  Comments from a visitor on August 18, 2008: "Loved it!"
• Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery - blackberries, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area
  2800 Berry Hill Road, Nellysford, VA 22938. Phone: 434-361-1266. Email: hilltop1@ntelos.net. Open: Wednesday to Saturday 11am to 5pm Sunday 1pm to 5pm Extended hours in blackberry season. Directions: Convenient to Charlottesville, Staunton, and Lynchburg; see website for detailed directions and map . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard. . Fax:. . Crops are usually available in July, August. Vineyard and Winery; Free Wine Tastings Indoor and Outdoor Meeting Facility Specialty Events & Weddings. PICK YOUR OWN BLACKBERRIES in July and early August we extend our hours to 9am to 5pm daily for blackberry season. Bring the kids and come fill up as many quarts as you can carry! Perfect berries for eating, baking, and preserving. U-Pick only. We provide the quart containers. In 2016, Blackberries were just $4.75 per level quart. Our blackberries have no thorns, no weeds and no sprays. (UPDATED: September 16, 2018, JBS)

Orange County

• Inn on Poplar Hill - Uses natural growing practices, blackberries, flowers, Other fruit or veg, Christmas wreaths and boughs, gift shop
  2278 Caroline Street, Orange, VA 22960. Phone: 540-672-6840. Email: stay@innonpoplarhill.com. Open: By appointment please call 540-672-6840, for crop availability. Directions: Route 15 South, Just 50 feet south of the intersection of Route 15 & RT20 in the Historic Town of Orange, Virginia . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard. . /. Click here for picking updates. Crops are usually available in June, July, August, September, October, November, December. As availability varies please call us to find out what is in bloom. Wild "thorned" Blackberries & Wildflowers; Sweet Pea, Black eyed susan, daisy, butterfly bush, Queen Anne's Lace, Poppies, Yuka, to name just a few. Available for harvest June 1 to September 30 Cut boxwoods available for holiday December oration, November to December. We use natural practices, but are not yet certified Organic.
  Comments from a visitor on May 26, 2010: "The is just starting to get blackberries. They should open up in a week or two. Reminder - they're wild on the vine, so dress in long sleeves and pants!"
• The Market at Grelen - Uses integrated pest management practices, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries (red), raspberries (yellow), raspberries (black), gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours
  15111 Yager Road, Somerset, VA 22972. Phone: 540-672-7268. Email: info@themarketatgrelen.com. Open: June thru September, Tuesday thru Sunday, 9am to 4pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, AmEx.
  The Market at Grelen Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 540-672-5462. . Be sure to see their page for updates and changes. Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. We use integrated pest management practices. ​Pick-Your-Own options vary by season. Starting with blueberries, the berry picking starts late May/early June and typically goes thru September. Peaches ripen in early June & Apples are in the Fall (Sept-Nov). To stay up-to-date on what is ripe for picking, please join our email list to receive our e-newsletters. You can also follow us on Facebook. is a year-round destination farm market and garden shop on a 600-acre tree nursery in Somerset, VA (Grelen Nursery, Inc). In addition to produce, honey, flowers, plants, shrubs, we carry high-quality gardening gifts and supplies. Grelen Nursery offers superior landscaping, hardscaping, planting, and maintenance services. For more information, please email us. Available also are herbs, flowering perennials and a variety of trees and shrubs. Pre-picked produce includes Freestone Peaches, Apples, Asian Pears, Log Grown Shiitake and Oyster Mushrooms, and a variety of Seasonal Vegetables. We will be hosting berry picking field trips this summer for preschools, private and public schools, home schools, and other organizations. For more info on group outings, please email us.

 

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