2024 Southeastern Virginia, Virginia Beach Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in Southeastern Virginia, Virginia Beach 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 a 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.

New! As inflation remains high, see this page for reliable (tested) brands of generic canning lids at lower costs, and cost-saving measures for getting fruit and vegetables and home canning.
 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

New! Road tripping and camping is a great way to have a fun, safe and inexpensive family trip. The national and state parks and monuments are open, and campgrounds usually cost between $10 and $40 per night. September to November is the best camping weather.  See our new website Road Tripping and Camping.com for tips, tricks, guides, checklists and info about parks, monuments and other places to visit.

New! We just went live with our latest website, FunFactoryTours.com - As they name implies, you can find a fun factory tour, including chocolate, automobiles, historical forts and sites, famous buildings, Active Federal facilities even fun geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

Chesapeake City

• Greenbrier Farms - Uses natural growing practices, apples, asparagus, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplants, flowers, nectarines, peaches, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, inflatables or bounce houses, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, group reservations
  225 Sign Pine Rd, Chesapeake, VA 23322. Phone: (757) 421-2141. Email: torib@greenbrierfarms.info. Open: Times change seasonally Call for Details. Directions: Take exit 8A from VA-168 South. Take Hillcrest Parkway to Edinburg Parkway. Turn left on Street Brides Road, then turn left on Sign Pine Road. Greenbrier Farms is at the end of Sign Pine Road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Greenbrier Farms Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: (757) 421-4550We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certificationis a working farm with more than 300 acres of plants, trees, fruits and vegetables. Our popuar pick-your-own strawberry field is a favorite for families throughout the Hampton Roads and Northeast North Carolina area. We have great fields, with plenty of berries to pick from! While you're here, the kids can play on the playground, visit our animal petting area, see ducks, chickens and Millie the pig, see antique tractors and generally enjoy running around the farm. (UPDATED: March 25, 2019)
• Mount Pleasant Farms - beans, blackberries, cucumbers, eggplants, peaches, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, Fresh eggs, gift shop, porta-potties, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  2201 Mount Pleasant Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322. Phone: (757) 482-0739. Email: info@mountpleasantfarms.com. Open: U - pick Season: Monday through Saturday 8 am to 6 pm, Sundays 8 am to 5 pm; Fall: Monday through Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Sundays 12 pm to 5 pm; Off Season: Wednesdays 3 pm to 6 pm, Fridays 10 am to 6 pm, Saturdays 10 am to 5 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Mount Pleasant Farms Facebook page. We use integrated pest management practices (IPM)(UPDATED: May 17, 2018) A visitor writes on May 24, 2013: "You can feed the chickens. there is talk of having soap making classes. The people are friendly and their apples are great. PEACH season is almost here! "

James City County

• Millfarm Christmas Trees & Berry farm - Uses natural growing practices, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries,
  4900 Fenton Mill Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23188. Phone: 757-566-2035. Open: May Tuesday to Sunday 8am to 7pm for Strawberries July Tuesday to Sunday 8am to 7pm for Blueberries and Blackberries. Directions: I-64 east or west take exit 231 B Croaker exits Turn right onto Fenton Mill rd, Williamsburg VA 23188 Farm is 1.5 miles on the left. We use natural practices, but are not yet certified Organic. Payment: Cash, Check. Can come tag . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Alternate Phone: 757-879-4666 Christmas trees starting on October 31st. Bring something with you to use as a tag. Open every weekend from Thanksgiving to Christmas, for cutting trees. Pick Your Own.. Strawberries (May) Blueberries (June & July) Blackberries (July)Fresh picked Peaches July & August (ADDED: July 10, 2015)

Surry County

• Drewry Farms - blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, organically grown strawberries, Galloway Grass Fed Beef, Mangalitsa Pork, Produce, Turkeys
  541 Strawberry Lane, Wakefield, VA 23888. Phone: (757) 899-3636. Email: michael_drewry@yahoo.com. Open: 7 am to until dark, Tuesday to Sunday; closed on Monday, approximately June 30-August 31. Directions: Located approximately 3.5 miles north of Wakefield on Route 31. Look for farm sign. 3 miles North of Wakefield, Virginia on Route 31. The blueberry picking season kicks off at our Blueberry Jam Festival in late June. We have been growing blueberries for over 20 years and thought is was time to evolve. In addition to our classic berries, we have many exciting new additions! Literally, Drewry Farms is growing by leaps and bounds. Last fall we planted 12,000 strawberry plants. We picked our first c - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Drewry Farms Facebook page. Fax: (757) 899-8175 Located approximately 3.5 miles north of Wakefield on Route 31. Look for farm sign. 3 miles North of Wakefield, Virginia on Route 31. The blueberry picking season kicks off at our Blueberry Jam Festival in late June. We have been growing blueberries for over 20 years and thought is was time to evolve. In addition to our classic berries, we have many exciting new additions! Literally, is growing by leaps and bounds. Last fall we planted 12,000 strawberry plants. We picked our first crop April 18 and sold them at the Smithfield Farmer's Market. Additionally, we have added hundreds of blackberry and raspberry vines for our u-pick operation. Click here for our Facebook page.

Virginia Beach City

• Henley Farm and Henley Farm Market - Strawberries, blackberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, kale, potatoes, beans, pumpkins, collards, Christmas trees.
  3513 Charity Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456. Phone: (757) 426-7501. Email: barbarahenley@cox.net. Open: see their website for current hours. Directions: East on Indian River Road to Muddy Creek Road. Turn left, go 14 mile, turn right on Charity Neck Road. Farm 1 mile. 7 am to 7 pm, daily, spring and summer; 9 am to 5 pm, daily fall and winter. All of our small fruits \(strawberries, blackberries, etc.\) and vegetables \(cabbage, broccoli, pumpkins, etc.\) are available on a "Pick Your Own" basis. Remember to bring your own buckets! Pick your own at our farm or buy already picked at our market in downtown Pungo. Hayrides, too! For o - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions. Henley Farm and Henley Farm Market Phone: ; FAX (757) 426-0072 East on Indian River Road to Muddy Creek Road. Turn left, go 1/4 mile, turn right on Charity Neck Road. Farm 1 mile. 7 am to 7 pm, daily, spring and summer; 9 am to 5 pm, daily fall and winter. All of our small fruits (strawberries, blackberries, etc.) and vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, pumpkins, etc.) are available on a "Pick Your Own" basis. Remember to bring your own buckets! Pick your own at our farm or buy already picked at our market in downtown Pungo. Hayrides, too! For over fifty years, Henley Farm has been providing fresh 'pick-your-own' fruits and vegetables at fair prices in the Pungo section of Virginia Beach, VA. Henley Farm is truly a family farm, not only for our family but also for the many families who have enjoyed the farm. Many of our customers were children when they visited Henley Farm with their parents, and now bring their children to enjoy the experience of picking their own berries and vegetables. `d, you can 'pick your own' fruits and vegetables, or even select your own Christmas tree. We also have a farm market located on the farm, so you have the option of picking your own or buying your fruits and vegetables already picked
  Comments from a visitor on July 09, 2011: "Tons of huge, sweet, thornless blackberries. Corn, oh yeah! Good times, good people."
  Comments from a visitor on June 26, 2011: ""This place also has u-pick broccoli, cabbage, May peas, Romaine lettuce too. Great place, couldn't say enough about them and the availability of picking
  Comments from a visitor on May 10, 2009: "I have been going to Henleys for 20 years and it is a family run farm and they are all very friendly and caring and if you ever get the opportunity to meet any of them you will know what I mean especially the older Mrs. Henley very sweet old lady just like her husband not saying that Stormy isn't sweet but Mrs Henley has a few years on her. LOL. Make sure you go all the way down to the farm and not just to the farm stand Not saying the farm stand isn't good but the extra mile is well worth the trip for the harvest. All year long if they have a growing season for something they have it growing. Hours are always subject to change to call first. They take most form of payment including credit cards. They have portajohns for those emergency stops. In the fall they have a hayride to the pumpkin patch and on mother's day they have hanging flowers at reasonable prices for gifts. You can also buy some bedding plants or veggie plants for your own garden. "

 

Blackberry

Blackberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Blackberries typically peak during June in the South of the U.S., and in July in the north and in Canada. 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 forage 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