Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Western Nova Scotia, Canada in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for blueberries that we know of in this area. Not all areas of any state, nor even every state, have blueberries 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

Annapolis

• Chipman Farms Ltd. - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pears
  Street unknown, Tupperville, NS . Phone: 902-665-2374. Click here for a map and directions. . Call for directions. (UPDATED: July 30, 2014, by a visitor)
• Dempsey Corner Orchards - apples, beans, beets, blueberries, carrots, cherries, corn (sweet), onions, pears, peaches, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (red), strawberries, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, petting zoo, farm animals, school tours, events at your location (call for info)
  2717 Route 221, Aylesford, NS B0P 1C0. Phone: 902-847-1855. Email: dempseycornerorchards@ns.aliantzinc.ca. Open: 7 days a week from 10 until 5 yes, that includes Sunday. Directions: Just North of Exit 16 in the Annapolis Valley and follow the signs. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Cheque, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. . . Pick Fruits and VegetablesWe have 12 different varieties and flavours of cherries.Come pick a peach off the tree. There are 57 varieties of apples to try. Plums come in different colours and sizes, but they all grow on trees and we will let you pick them all.Dig your own potatoes, carrots, onions, and beets. Table grapes and Wine grapes. Pumpkins from the field are way more fun than pumpkins from a shelf at the grocery store. (UPDATED: March 1, 2021 JBS)
• Halliday Blueberry U Pick Farm - No pesticides are used blueberries,
  4839 Granville Road, Rr #2, Granville Ferry, NS B0S1K0. Phone: 902-532-5379. Open: 7 days a week, from 09 am to 7 pm, August to September. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. .
• Spurr Brothers Farms Ltd - blackberries, blueberries, raspberries (red), strawberries,
  144 Bridge Street, Kingston, NS B0P 1R0. Phone: (902) 765-4300. Email: katie@spurrbros.ns.ca. Open: Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm; Saturday, from 8 am to 12 pm. Directions: Head West on Highway 1 from Kingston towards Middleton for about 5km. Turn right onto Stronach Mountain Road and head North going over the overpass for about 2km. Turn left onto Bridge Street and head west a short ways and we are on the left hand side of the street. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards. . Fax: (902) 765-0970. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. (UPDATED: March 1, 2021 JBS)

Kings

• Blueberry Acres - high-bush blueberries, raspberries, tomatoes
  1225 Middle Dyke Road, Sheffield Mills, NS . Phone: 902-582-1482. Email: novaagri@mycountrymagic.com. Open: Our raspberry and grape tomato u-pick season begins in mid-July and runs through to Thanksgiving. Directions: Take exit 12 off 101, head North, straight through 3 sets of lights and 2 stop signs. At second stop sign turn left, take a quick right. Located on left hand side. restaurant, scenic patio overlooking a panorama of colorful blueberry bushes, local giftware, fish pond, picnic area. At Between the Bushes restaurant enjoy the view and be delighted by our chef\'s culinary skills using local ingredients. Restaurant phone 902-582-3648, U-Pick 902-582-1482. . Click here for a map and directions. . Fax: 902-582-3676. . Take exit 12 off 101, head North, straight through 3 sets of lights and 2 stop signs. At second stop sign turn left, take a quick right. Located on left hand side. restaurant, scenic patio overlooking a panorama of colorful blueberry bushes, local giftware, fish pond, picnic area. At Between the Bushes restaurant enjoy the view and be delighted by our chef's culinary skills using local ingredients. Restaurant phone 902-582-3648, U-Pick. Please join us at our Vital Berry tunnels for a fun time u-picking in the beautiful Annapolis Valley. If you have any questions while here, our friendly u-pick staff is available to help you.(UPDATED: June 15, 2020 JBS)
• Elderkin's Farm Market and U-Pick - strawberries, apples, pears, pumpkins, cherries, blueberries, raspberries and gooseberries, Trout
  #10362 Hwy #1, Greenwich., NS . Phone: 902-542-7198. Email: elderkinsapples@gmail.com. Open: U-Pick Hours are Monday - Saturday: 8 am to 9 pm and Sunday: 9 am to 9 pm. Click here for a map and directions. . Fax: 902-542-3842. . Take exit 11 off Hwy 101, keep right to wolfville. full line farm market, Scotsburn ice cream, sweet & hard cider, bakery items made from scratch with no additives or preservatives, crafts, gifts, fruit trees, perennials and shrubs for sale, adopt-a -tree. Facilities/attractions: blossom tours, wagon rides, fish pond, farm animals, picnic tables and the best view in the Valley with a pleasant walk. Contact: Peter Elderkin, Elderkin's U-Pick offers the following seasonal varieties: Strawberries, Gooseberries, Cherries, Blueberries, Apples (Jersey Mac, Viking, Bough Sweet), Peaches, Blackberries, Pears. (UPDATED: March 1, 2021 JBS)
• Perfect Berries Farm Limited - U-Pick - U-Pick - blueberries,
  1177 New Road, Aylesford, NS B0P 1C0. Phone: 902-538-8502. Open: We are in the field at 9:30 am to 6 pm, unless it is raining or wet; Picking season is from late - July until late - September. Directions: . Payment: Cash, only. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Cranberry Acres is a 1,000-acre farm of which 90 acres are planted and producing cranberries. The farm is diversified growing corn, wheat, and other crops. Cranberry Acres is a subsidiary of Perfect Berries, which also grows and markets high bush blueberries. Our focus however is in the production and marketing of quality frozen cranberries. (UPDATED: March 1, 2021 JBS)
• Reimer Gardens - raspberries, Blueberries
  2121 Black Rock Road, Waterville, NS B0P 1V0. Phone: 902-538-9319. Email: reimergardens@gmail.com. Open: Late July to Mid August, on Monday to Friday from 8 am to 8 pm; and on Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . The ONLY pyo crops offered are . From Halifax: Exit 14 off Hwy 101, west on Hwy #1, proceed to Waterville. Turn right on Black Rock Road. Proceed 3 km north. From Yarmouth: Exit 15 off Hwy 101, through Town of Berwick to Hwy #1. East on Hwy #1 to Waterville. Turn left on Black Rock Road. Proceed 3 km north. We also sell Rose plants. (UPDATED: July 09, 2021)

Lunenburg

• Lunenburg County Winery aka Hackmatack Farm Blueberry U-Pick - blueberries, Maple Syrup & Christmas Trees
  Newburne, RR#3, Mahone Bay, NS . Phone: 902-644-2415. Email: info@canada-wine.com. Open: May 1 to October 1st from 9 am to 6 pm daily and October 1 to January 1st from 9 am to 5 pm on Monday to Friday; closed Saturday and Sunday; closed January 1 to May 1. Click here for a map and directions. . Fax: 902-644-3614. . Facilities/attractions: winery tours of Lunenburg County Winery. (UPDATED: July 7, 2015, JBS)

Yarmouth

• Wood Berries Inc. - blueberries, strawberries,
  747 Raynardton Road, Tusket, NS B0W 3M0. Phone: (902) 648-2333. Open: Hours will vary depending on crop availability and weather. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Strawberry U-Pick (June and July) and High Bush Blueberry U-Pick (August and September). Note that the strawberries and blueberries are at two different addresses: Strawberries are at 747 Raynardton Road, Tusket, NS and Blueberries are at 983 Raynardton Road, Tusket, NS Be sure to check out our Wood Berries Facebook page for U-Pick updates as well as the U-Pick hotline at 902-648-2333. Our strawberry season will start in late June and our high-bush blueberry season will follow in late July/early August so stay tuned! Our berries will be for sale at our road side stand at 747 Raynardton Road and Carl's Store.

 

Blueberry

Blueberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Blueberries are one of the easiest fruit to prepare and serve. There's no peeling, pitting, coring or cutting. They have few natural pests, (other than birds), so pesticides are generally unnecessary! This year's crop is fantastic (see related news story), thanks both to the weather and to more farms planting more blueberry bushes due to increased consumer demand over the past few years as more studies proclaim the anti-oxidant and other health properties of blueberries.

Click here to find a local Blueberry Festival (usually held between April and July).

If you are looking for information about a similar berry, the saskatoon (also called the June berry or Serviceberry) see this page about saskatoons.

Picking tips:

Select plump, full blueberries with a light gray-blue color. A berry with any hint of red isn't fully ripened.

Ripening AFTER picking?

First, it is key to know that once picked, blueberries will NOT become any sweeter, nor will the flavor improve. The only change that occurs is the color. They will APPEAR to ripen, but it is only a color change, from white to green to rose to red to pale blue to fully blue. So, white and green colored blueberries will not "ripen" after they are picked; while blueberries that have already turned purple, red or blue-ish usually DO change color after they are picked (if they are kept at room temperature to "ripen").

As the blueberries ripen ON THE BUSH, the flavor goes from tastless to bitter to tasteless tart to tart blueberry flavor to sweet blueberry flavor.

Grocery stores sell blueberries that are tart, not sweet because they had them picked unripe by machine so they are very firm and can handled being bumped around in shipping. They may look good, but are not as tasty as those picked when actually ripe.

So, the key is, PICK ONLY RIPE BERRIES!

How to pick blueberries

Since blueberries hang on the bushes in bunches a but like grapes do, the easiest and fastest way to pick them is hold your bucket under them in one hand and with your other hand, cup a ripe bunch and gently rub them with your fingers. The ripe berries will drop into your bucket, while the unripe ones will remain attached to the bush.

When the bushes are at peak, I can easily pick 2 gallons per hour (if I'm not being distracted by the kids and the sun isn't too hot!). A newbie might do 1 gallon per hour.and at the beginning or end of the season it takes more time as the berries are not as plentiful nor concentrated in clusters.

Tips for storing blueberries after harvesting:

• Once picked, don't place the berries, still warm from the sun, in a closed bag or container. Leave the container open so moisture doesn't form in the container.
• Don't wash berries until just before using, to prevent berries from becoming mushy.
• Chill berries soon after picking to increase shelf life. Store your fresh blueberries in the refrigerator as soon as you get them home, without washing them, in a covered bowl or storage container. If refrigerated, fresh-picked blueberries will keep 10 to 14 days.
• Freeze berries in freezer containers without washing to keep the skins from toughening. Place berries one layer deep. Freeze, then pour the frozen berries into freezer containers. Because unwashed blueberries freeze individually, they can be easily poured from containers in desired amounts. Remember both frozen and fresh berries should be rinsed and drained just before serving. Just before using, wash the berries in cold water.

Blueberry Measurements and Conversions

Keep in mind that blueberries vary considerably in density and moisture content, so these ranges are approximates.

• 1 gallon of blueberries weighs about 7.5 lbs or (4 liters of blueberries is about 3.5 kg)

• 1 pint of fresh blueberries weights about 3/4 of a pound. (1 liter of blueberries is about 700 grams)

• 1 pound of fresh blueberries is usually between about 2 and 3 cups of berries.

• It takes about 4 cups (about of blueberries to make a blueberry pie (see this fantastic and easy blueberry pie recipe)

• A normal batch of blueberry preserves, jam or jelly requires 5 pints of berries.

• Blueberries do come in a variety of sizes from small (190-250 berries per cup) to extra large (<90 berries per cup).

Blueberry Recipes, Canning and Freezing Blueberries

Recipes

• The world's best Blueberry pie, recipe and directions and illustrated!
• Blueberry buckle coffee cake: illustrated directions for this great crumb-topping blueberry coffee cake
• Other easy directions to make blueberry desserts: cobblers, etc.

Canning, freezing and other blueberry recipes:

• How to Freeze Blueberries
• How to Can Blueberries
• How to Make Homemade Blueberry Jam
• How to make blueberry jelly
• How to make and can blueberry syrup (it works for strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, too)
• blueberry pie filling to use later,
• blueberry butter

Baking tips

If you have trouble with blueberries settling to the bottom of muffins and blueberry breads, try one or more of these tips:

• Coat them with flour before adding to the batter. Just gently shake the blueberries in a bag (plastic or paper) with 1/2 cup of flour, then dump them mix in a sieve to remove excess flour.
• It may just be that your batter is too thin. try making the batter a little thicker!
• Fill the muffin cups or baking pan up to 1/4 full with batter (which hasn't had blueberries added to it yet); then stir the blueberries into the remaining batter, and continue to fill the muffin cups or bread pan. The blueberries will start off higher in the mix!

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