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Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Northern Minneapolis and Northern Suburbs, Minnesota 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.

Anoka County

  • Roselawn Heritage Farms - blueberries, Honey from hives on the farm, Maple Syrup from trees on the farm, Fresh eggs, school tours
    24069 Rum River Blvd., St. Francis, MN 55070. Phone: 763-753-5517. Email: p_karpe@msn.com. Open: UPDATE for 2021, Their website is gone; and their Facebook page has not had any activity since May 2020. Directions: 1 12 miles north of the Saint Francis High School, located on County Road #72. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.
    Roselawn Heritage Farms Facebook page. . It may be temporary; they are normally open July 1 to 15; If you have any current information, please write me, Please Call for times. 1 1/2 miles north of the Saint Francis High School, located on County Road #72.

Isanti County

Sherburne County

  • Grayson's Berryland - strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
    , Clear Lake, MN . Phone: 320-743-3384. Open: 8am - 6pm Monday to Friday, 8am - 3pm Sat, 8am - 1pm Sun. Directions: Located 45 minutes north of Twin Cities on I-94. Click here for a map of the area.
    Grayson's Berryland Facebook page. . Open 8am - 6pm (Monday to Friday), 8am - 3pm (Sat), 8am - 1pm (Sun). . Take Clearwater exit and travel north on Hwy 24 to County Road 8. Pick-your-own or already picked Containers are provided.

Stearns County

  • Blue Acres - Uses natural growing practices, blueberries, Honey from hives on the farm, U-pick and already picked, porta-potties are available, picnic area
    21979 Franklin Road, Clearwater, MN 55320. Phone: 320-558-2718. Email: blueberries@blueacresmn.com. Open: See our website for current hours. Directions: From Twin Cities via I-94 W take the MN-24 exit, EXIT 178, toward AnnandaleClearwater. Turn right onto MN-24. Turn left onto CR-75. Proceed approximately 3 miles. Farm is on right. Watch for signs. From Street Cloud via I-94 E take Opportunity Drive exit, EXIT 173. Turn left onto CR-75 SOpportunity Drive. Proceed approximately 2.5 miles. Farm is on left. Watch for signs. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard. . Alternate . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. From Twin Cities via I-94 W take the MN-24 exit, EXIT 178, toward Annandale/Clearwater. Turn right onto MN-24. Turn left onto CR-75. Proceed approximately 3 miles. Farm is on right. Watch for signs. From Street Cloud via I-94 E take Opportunity Drive exit, EXIT 173. Turn left onto CR-75 S/Opportunity Drive. Proceed approximately 2.5 miles. Farm is on left. Watch for signs. We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification.

Wright County

  • The Strawberry Basket - Strawberries, Blueberries, raspberries
    12591 Aetna Ave NE, Monticello, MN 55362. Phone: 763-878-2875. Email: strawberrybasket@mycitescape.com. Open: We anticipate the strawberry picking season to last from June 1 to July 7; hours are from 7 am to 7 pm every day, so come on out at any time - there is plenty of fruit for all. Click here for a map and directions.
    The Strawberry Basket Facebook page. . We reserve the right to suspend operations due to threatening weather (such as thunder and lightening). BLUEBERRY picking will not begin until around July 4th.
    Comments from a visitor on June 26, 2009: "Well organized, clean, reasonable prices, great berries!"

 

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

Canning, freezing and other blueberry recipes:

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)