Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Hernando County, west Florida 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.

Hernando County

• Butch's Blueberries - No pesticides are used, blueberries, porta-potties are available
  5361 White Road, Brooksville, FL 34602. Phone: (352) 238-3060. Email: butchsblueberries@aol.com. Open: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday 9 am to 7 pm. Directions: From I-75: Take exit #301 \(Highway 50\) and go west approximately 2.5 miles. Turn left onto White Road. Follow White Road until you see sign on right hand side. Follow driveway to parking. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.
  Butch's Blueberries Facebook page. . From I-75: Take exit #301 (Highway 50) and go west approximately 2.5 miles. Turn left onto White Road. Follow White Road until you see sign on right hand side. Follow driveway to parking. April 24th thru the end of May. We do not use pesticides on the crops. Buckets available for picking. You can bring your own containers to take blueberries home in or we provide plastic handle bags. We are all natural blueberries, no pesticides or herbicides. Please remember the blueberry bushes are in full sun. Don't forget to bring a hat and wear some sunscreen. You should also wear close toed shoes. Despite our best efforts there are still some pesky ant hills in the field. Please remember we can have no dogs in the field.June 9, 2008: A visitor comments: "The blueberries were scrumptious and they are very nice!"
• D&S Blueberries Upicktopia - No pesticides are used pumpkins, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, we also have pie pumpkins, beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, herbs or spices, onions, peaches, peppers, pumpkins, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, U-pick and already picked, porta-potties are available
  19125 Phillips Rd, Masaryktown, FL 34604. Phone: 352-308-0110. Email: danebbecke@bellsouth.net. Open: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 9 am to 5. Directions: one mile down Phillips road off Ayers rd. Go east 1.7 miles on Ayers Road to Phillips Road. One mile down Phillips on left at the end of the chain link fence. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.
  D&S Blueberries Upicktopia Facebook page. . We are a blueberry and u pick farm with over 56 acres of land to grow delicious fruits and vegetables. We started in 1996 as a commercial blueberry farm but we are now morphing into a u pick operation that will have as many different types of fruits and vegetable imaginable. We are building a boutique winery on the farm where our fresh fruit is transformed into wonderful tasting wines. We do not spray pesticides without reason and use the softest thing possible to avoid damage to our bee hives and the environment. We use Integrated Pest Management. We do not use neonics or GMO's on our farm.
• Ergle Farm - blackberries, blueberries, cucumbers, eggplant, onions, peas, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, picnic area, farm animals, school tours
  3325 Treiman Boulevard, Dade City, FL 33523. Phone: (352) 583-3647. Email: ergletrees@gmail.com. Open: every day from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Directions: Ergle\'s is located 8 miles north of Dade City, Florida directly on U.S. highway 301. From I-75, take exit number 301 at Highway 50. Drive East on Highway 50 for 5 miles and turn South on Highway 301 and drive two miles. The farm is located on directly on Highway 301 on the West side of 301 \(farm is 2 miles south of the Highway 301 and Highway 50 intersection on Highway 301\). . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. . Fax: (352) 583-0591. . info@ergletrees.com. Ergle's is located 8 miles north of Dade City, Florida directly on U.S. highway 301. From I-75, take exit number 301 at Highway 50. Drive East on Highway 50 for 5 miles and turn South on Highway 301 and drive two miles. The farm is located on directly on Highway 301 on the West side of 301 (farm is 2 miles south of the Highway 301 and Highway 50 intersection on Highway 301). PYO is available only when in season; Blueberries in May, Strawberries grown in hydroponic stackers are avabile in November, Thornless Blackberries in June, Pumpkins in October, Christmas trees are sold from the Saturday before Thanksgiving through December 23rd; See our website for additional information. We also have fruit trees for sale. All varieties are self pollinating, require low chill hours, and are freeze resistant. Beverly Hills Apple Dorsett Golden Apple Gala Apple Gordon Apple 3 n 1 Fruit Salad Spice Zee Nectaplum Eva's Pride Peach Flordaking Peach Flordaprince Peach May Pride Peach Bella Gold Peacturn Weeping Santa Rosa Plum Shinseiki Asian Pear Giant Fuyu Persimmon. We provide what is needed to pick the berries, but please bring your own bags to take these delicious berries home in. There is never an entry fee at Ergle Tree Farm and parking is plentiful. Always call our Berry hotline to check the status of the fields at or (352) 346-2745.
• Hidden Haven Blueberries - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, blueberries,
  3460 Goldsmith Rd, Brooksville, FL 34602. Phone: . Open: The farm has been sold; does anyone know if the new owners are open and having PYO?. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check.
• Margo's Blueberry Farm - blueberries, U-pick and already picked, porta-potties are available
  15056 Eckerley Dr., Brooksville, FL 34614. Phone: 352-232-3775. Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30am to Sunset; Our blueberries season runs April - May; Be sure to check back for updates or sign up below to receive emails from us. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Alternate Phone: 352-596-0439. You can call us (352) 596-0439 to get picking information. Days we are open and prices are open to change. We provide buckets for picking and bags for taking home. Children must be supervised by parents at all times.
• Patriot Acres Blueberry Farm - blueberries
  3441 Treiman Blvd., Ridge Manor, FL 33523. Phone: 813-843-4030. Email: patriotbul@aol.com. Open: UPDATE for 2021, Their website and Facebook pages are gone; Does anyone have current information, are they still offering pick your own or are even open? If so, please write me, their last reported hours were Monday, Wednesday, Saturday of May, 9am to 1PM; Blueberries will be open for U-Pick the first week of May as a general rule. Directions: We are located on Hwy. 301, 1 12 miles south of Hwy. 50. If you are using I-75, use Exit 301 and head east to Hwy 301. Turn south for 1 12 miles. Farm will be on the west side of the road. If coming from Dade City using Hwy. 301, we are just north of the Withlacochee River on the left just past Ergle\'s . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Patriot Acres Blueberry Farm Fax: 813-973-1861. . We are located on Hwy. 301, 1 1/2 miles south of Hwy. 50. If you are using I-75, use Exit 301 and head east to Hwy 301. Turn south for 1 1/2 miles. Farm will be on the west side of the road. If coming from Dade City using Hwy. 301, we are just north of the Withlacochee River on the left just past Ergle's Christmas Tree Farm. Crops are usually available in May. Buckets for picking are provided. If you don't bring a container to take your home in, we will have grocery type bags for that purpose. We advise bringing fresh water to drink since May can become very warm and recommend that you wear good shoes instead of sandals or flipflops.
  Comments from a visitor on May 17, 2010: "Visited on 5/15 (first day of u-pick). The owner was very friendly and helpful. They had awesome berries, and we had a great time with our family."
• Spring Lake Blueberry Farm - Minimizes chemical and pesticide use, blackberries, blueberries, U-pick and already picked, porta-potties
  25688 Powell Road, Brooksville, FL 34602. Phone: (352) 754-1700. Email: springlake.blueberry@yahoo.com. Open: Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 6 pm, Closed Mondays, From April 10 to May 20. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover. . Alternate Phone: (352) 232-0428. Fax: 3525441176. . Blueberries typically available in April and May, Blackberries typically available in May. We minimize use of pesticides and other chemicals. In 2021, prices are Upick blueberries are $3.75 per pound, already picked $6.00 per pound. . Please wear closed shoes, socks recommended and protect yourself from the sun.(UPDATED: April 10, 2018)
  Comments from a visitor on May 26, 2012: "This is one of the very few blueberry farms that is still open for the 2012 season as of 5/27/2012. The owner told us they got a second crop and will be open for a few more weeks. After making dozens of phone calls, we finally found this place that was still open for u-pick - the warm weather this year has sped the season up. There were still plenty of really nice, really big berries. We also picked goji berries which were a steal at $3.50 lb (about 1/4 of the price for dried berries in the store). I have never seen fresh goji berries anywhere else and it was an exciting opportunity to pick them. The owner was very friendly and helpful. "
• Upicktopia - strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, pumpkins, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, we also have pie pumpkins, U-pick and already picked, porta-potties
  19125 Phillips Road, Masaryktown, FL 34604. Phone: 352-308-0110. Email: danebbecke@bellsouth.net. Open: Friday to Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm. Directions: From US 41 take Ayers Road 1.7 miles east. Turn right on Phillips Road. We are 1 mile down Phillips Road on the left. We are in a bend in the road but there is a sign at the gate. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.
  Upicktopia Facebook page. . Pumpkin patch u pick pumpkins is open October 9 to October 31 Strawberries start November 1 to April 15 Blueberries start April 1 to May 15 Blackberries start May 1 to June 1. /Masaryk winery is a place where you can get the freshest local produce possible, enjoy a glass of local wine and chill in a park like atmosphere. We grow strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, a large assortment of vegetables and more. We are now open 9 am to 5 pm Friday Through Sunday for u pick and 10am to 8 pm for the winery. later hours for events (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Above is the2020 version ofthe Ball Blue Book This page was updated on Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Want to make a donation? pickyourown.org does not charge either farmers or consumers! I do all of the programming, web design and updates myself. If you'd like to make a donation to help me pay to keep the website going, please make a donation to me at Benivia through our secure donation processor. Just click the button below and follow the instructions: All images and text © Copyright Benivia, LLC 2004-2022 Disclaimer and Privacy Policy. Permission is given to link to any page on www.pickyourown.org but NOT to copy content and republish it. Those copying content from this website and publishing it will be vigorously legally prosecuted. Sitemap var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www."); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-4978365-6"); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {} (function(){var js = "window['__CF$cv$params']={r:'750efff4cae8531f',m:'hs3oOBqBfIIVyGvaKzUMsa4njIRVSO9F87A.KoqdIA4-1664226768-0-AXw05i/2zMvlU4JVYAvsMgTEM9B2HQdSJRqLa0Ujw9X6+2XBt1s3MH2FDL/VZTsTiUM0ZTzqkbO0ZjFO05IuWliwCkjNMQ0K9EtAN/y/wrSVDc8/CSRBHYtM9H+iM1/R9hSjKy2+/oruD1zX6iJ8LV0=',s:[0x401e2d5472,0x8aaf465ef4],u:'/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/h/g'};var now=Date.now()/1000,offset=14400,ts=''+(Math.floor(now)-Math.floor(now%offset)),_cpo=document.createElement('script');_cpo.nonce='',_cpo.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/h/g/scripts/alpha/invisible.js?ts='+ts,document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(_cpo);";var _0xh = document.createElement('iframe');_0xh.height = 1;_0xh.width = 1;_0xh.style.position = 'absolute';_0xh.style.top = 0;_0xh.style.left = 0;_0xh.style.border = 'none';_0xh.style.visibility = 'hidden';document.body.appendChild(_0xh);function handler() {var _0xi = _0xh.contentDocument || _0xh.contentWindow.document;if (_0xi) {var _0xj = _0xi.createElement('script');_0xj.nonce = '';_0xj.innerHTML = js;_0xi.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(_0xj);}}if (document.readyState !== 'loading') {handler();} else if (window.addEventListener) {document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', handler);} else {var prev = document.onreadystatechange || function () {};document.onreadystatechange = function (e) {prev(e);if (document.readyState !== 'loading') {document.onreadystatechange = prev;handler();}};}})();

 

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