2024 Sumter County, Florida Blueberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
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Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Sumter County, 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.
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Sumter County
Back Road Berries - blackberries strawberries, peaches, blueberries, U-pick and already picked, bakery 13578 Cr 103, Oxford, FL 34484. Phone: 352-303-3213. Open: Hours change throughout the season, See our website for current hours; typically they are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Saturday from 8:30 am to 1 pm and Closed on Sunday, Monday and Friday. Directions: From the intersection of US highway 301 and CR 466 in Oxford, go east on CR 466 approximately 12 mile to CR 103, go north on CR 103 approximately 2 miles, our blackberry field will be on your left. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, credit cards. Back Road Berries Facebook page. . From the intersection of US highway 301 and CR 466 in Oxford, go east on CR 466 approximately 1/2 mile to CR 103, go north on CR 103 approximately 2 miles, our blackberry field will be on your left. Our Blackberries are Thornless. is a family owned and operated you-pick berry farm. We grow three types of berries: strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Facebook Page. Strawberry harvesting begins in December and continues into March. Blueberry picking begins in April and ends in May. Our Thorn-less Blackberries ripen the latter part of May and pick through June. Harvest times may vary slightly from year to year due to Mother Nature. During our picking season we send out email alerts to notify our customers of available picking times. due to GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) pets are not allowed. When picking, we suggest wearing closed toed shoes. There is no need to bring your own picking container. We supply you with a bag lined picking bucket. For those of you who are unable to pick or prefer not to pick, pre-picked berries are available. U-Pick strawberry, Blueberry, Peach & Thornless Blackberry. (UPDATED: May 12, 2021, by a customer)
Center Hill Berry Patch - blueberries, 8142 Cr 702, Center Hill, FL 33514. Phone: 352-568-8154. Email: vencisfl@aol.com. Open: UPDATE for 2021, Their website says they closed until next year 2022. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . . UPDATE for 2021, Their website says they closed until next year (2022). Wednesday to Tuesday from, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, April 15 until Mid to late May. Call about our thornless blackberry patch. Prepicked Hydroponic Strawberries are available from December thru April. Please call to confirm for availability and picking hours. NOTE: As of April 2021 (and since April 2018), their website says "We will not be open for a blueberry u-pick this season. We are in the process of replanting and refreshing the blueberry patch. Stay Tuned for updates as next year approaches."
Fussell'sBlueberries - blueberries 11669 County Road 727, Webster, FL 33597. Phone: (352) 303-5073. Click here for a map and directions. . Note: I found this one on a county tourism website, but not been able to confirm it yet. Has anyone been by there?
Lone Oak Nursery - blueberries, 7015 State Road 471, Bushnell, FL 33513. Phone: 352-793-6733. Email: loneoaknursery@wildblue.net. Open: Opening some time mid to late April Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 3:30 pm times and dates may change. Directions: Located at the intersection of SR 471 and CR 48 \(Bevilles Corner\),on the north east side. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . . Located at the intersection of SR 471 and CR 48 (Bevilles Corner),on the north east side.
Mills Ranch and Berry Farm - blueberries 105 County Road 722, Webster, FL 33597. Phone: (352) 568-8424. Open: call them - they have no presense online at allso phone is the only method to confirm if and when they are open to pick. Click here for a map and directions. . call them - they have no presense online (at all)so phone is the only method to confirm if and when they are open to pick.
Nature Coast farms - blueberries UPDATE for 2021, The owner tells me they are permanently closed. 6250 E Cr 478, Center Hill, FL 33514. Phone: 352-568-0651. Email: natcstfrms@sum.net. Open: permanently closed. Directions: From Webster take CR 478 approximately 3 mi. east around the first curve the farm is on the left, from Center hill take CR 478 about 2.6 mi. around two curves and the farm is on the right. Look for the signs. . Click here for a map and directions.
Payment: Cash, only. . Alternate Phone: 352-303-6636. . Friday, mid April through mid May Friday, Saturday and Monday 8am to 4 pm. Price $3.00 a pound,
plenty of big ripe berries right now.
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.
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.
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!