2024 Northern Minneapolis and Northern Suburbs, Minnesota Blueberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
Find a pick-your-own farm near you! Then learn to can and freeze! Since 2002! We update continuously; Beware the copycat websites!
Search pickyourown.org
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.
Search pickyourown.org
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
Dew Fresh Produce - blueberries, currants (red and black), pumpkins, raspberries, rhubarb, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, Garlic 404 375thAvenue, Stanchfield, MN 55080. Phone: 763-689-2282. Email: DewFreshProduce@msn.com. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Dew Fresh Produce .
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.
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!