2024 Eastern Connecticut Raspberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Raspberry U-Pick Orchards in Eastern Connecticut in 2024, by county

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

• Avery's Tree Farm - PYO red raspberries
  28 Ward Lane, North Franklin, CT 6254. Phone: (860) 642-6844. Email: avegtng@aol.com. Open: Late August through October from 7am to 7pm. Directions: From Route 32 in Franklin, turn onto Pleasure Hill then left onto Ward Lane. . Click here for a map and directions. . We supply containers! Call starting August 1st for picking conditions. A visitor writes the following update on September 4, 2008: "Yes, we will be open starting this Friday 9/5. every day 7-dark, pints are $2.50, we supply the containers,. We work on the honor system. Take rte 32 to Pleasure Hill Rd to Ward Lane in Franklin. "
• Grant's Berry Patch - Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, corn maze, pumpkin patch
  188 Mell Road, Lisbon, CT 6351. Phone: 860-376-5625. Email: grantsberrypatch@att.net. Open: call for hours. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: cash or check.
  Grant's Berry Patch Facebook page. . is a family farm located in Lisbon, Connecticut that specializes in Pick-Your-Own Strawberries, Blueberries, and Raspberries, along with tomatoes and other seasonable vegetables and what our customers refer to as "the best sweet corn there is". Facebook page. Chris started in 1997 with just 1 acre of Strawberries, then over the years added Blueberries, raspberries, and pumpkins for PYO. There is also a large variety of Summer and Fall vegetables including but not limited to, two of his most sought after crops, Sweet Corn and tomatoes.
• Holmberg Orchards - apples, pears, pumpkins, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, Farm market, winery
  12 Orchard Drive, Route 12, Gales Ferry, CT 6335. Phone: (860) 464-7107. Email: holmorch@aol.com. Open: daily. Click here for a map and directions.
  Holmberg Orchards Facebook page. . holmorch@aol. We begin our picking season with blueberries in early July, Call for seasonal hours, Farm Market open daily 9 am to 6 pm year-round, featuring our native fruits, vegetables, cider, pies, flowers, plants & seasonal items. and Winery Facebook page. PYO apples, peaches, pears, blueberries, raspberries, pumpkins, cut flowers. Bakery & farm winery on site. We also offer peaches, raspberries, and grape tomatoes beginning around the 1st of August. Summer apples and pears are just around the corner, opening in mid-August. By late August, we've added sun-kissed nectarines as well. Don't forget the pumpkins in late September, and our multitude of fall's bounties, including squash, gourds, Indian corn, hay bales, cornstalks and mums.' offers our customers a gourmet, specialty food shop that retains its agricultural roots and charm locally in Gales Ferry, CT. We are stocked fresh daily with the best fruits and vegetables that modern agriculture has to offer and our bakers toil early each morning at our in-house bakery to provide the freshest baked goods.
• Scott's Yankee Farmer - Apples, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Peaches, Nectarines, Blackberries, Pumpkins, corn maze, farm market, porta-potties are available, restrooms, school tours
  436 Boston Post Road Route 1, East Lyme, CT 6333. Phone: 860-739-5209. Email: info@scottsyankeefarmer.net. Open: late August to November 2. Directions: From Interstate 95 going North, take exit 71, Four Mile River Road. At the end of ramp, go right. Follow Four Mile River Road to the end. Take a right onto Boston Post Road. We are located 1 12 miles on the right. From Interstate 95 going South, take exit 75, Route 1. Continue straight off the exit to the first traffic light. Continue straight through the traffic light and go 2 12 miles. We are located on the left. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  Scott's Yankee Farmer Facebook page. . Store Hours: Everyday 9am-6pm, Pick Your Own Hours: Weekends+Holidays: 10am-5pm Weekdays: 11am-5pm, Our pick your own will be closed until labor day weekend, reservations will be required. From Interstate 95 going North, take exit 71, Four Mile River Road. At the end of ramp, go right. Follow Four Mile River Road to the end. Take a right onto Boston Post Road. We are located 1 1/2 miles on the right. From Interstate 95 going South, take exit 75, Route 1. Continue straight off the exit to the first traffic light. Continue straight through the traffic light and go 2 1/2 miles. We are located on the left. No pets allowed in Pick Your Own area Farm grown fruits and vegetables, jams, honey, apple cider, Indian corn, gourds, mums Corn Maze open Strawberries 6/10-7/4, Raspberries 7/4-7/25, Blueberries 7/10-8/20, Peaches & Nectarines 8/5-9/10, Blackberries Mid August-Mid September, Apples Labor Day Weekend - 10/25, Pumpkins 9/20-10/28. We also have both kinds of pumpkin patches corn maze wagon rides. Donuts on weekends from June-November. Farm stand open April- December 31 9-5:30 with pumpkins, jams, local honey, indian corn, gourds, mums and apple cider.

Windham County

• Horse Listeners Orchard - apples, beets, blackberries, blueberries, cucumbers, eggplant, flowers, olallieberries, onions, peaches, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (Autumn, red), summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, Fresh eggs
  317 Bebbington Rd, Ashford, CT 6278. Phone: (860) 429-5336. Email: matthewcouzens@sbcglobal.net. Open: during store hours. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards.
  Horse Listeners Orchard Facebook page. . There are plenty of fun times at the Orchard with free train rides, free apple cider donuts, and fresh hot apple cider to quench your thirst after pickin your own apples. Please call to make an appointment for your group to enjoy a walk around the orchard and have lunch overlooking the pond at our picnic tables. (UPDATED: June 22, 2016, JBS)
  Comments from a visitor on September 12, 2010: "We LOVE this orchard! Picking apples, blueberries, peaches, visiting the horses, pony rides, hay rides, etc."
• Palazzi Orchard - pumpkins, apples, Peaches, vegetables, flowers, raspberries and grapes, hayrides
  1393 North Road, East Killingly, CT 6243. Phone: (860) 774-4363. Open: 7 days all Fall, daily 9:30am to 5:30pm. Click here for a map and directions. 40">Palazzi Orchard Bring your family to one of Connecticut's highest hills. Spectacular four state view. 20 varieties of PYO apples. Free weekend hayrides. Peaches in August.
• Raspberry Knoll Farm - Uses integrated pest management practices, blueberries, raspberries (red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (Autumn, yellow), strawberries, U-pick and already picked, farm market, porta-potties are available
  163 North Windham Rd, North Windham, CT 6256. Phone: 860-786-7486. Open: June 1 to September 11, 2016 Tuesday and Wednesday 9 am to 5 pm; Thursday 9 am to 6 pm; Friday 9 am to 5 pm; Saturday 8:30 to 5 pm; Sunday 9 am to 5 pm; Closed Monday. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.
  Raspberry Knoll Farm Facebook page. . Strawberry season is the month of June, Raspberries July to September 11, Blueberries July to mid-August. We use integrated pest management practices. (UPDATED: June 20, 2016)

 

Raspberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Raspberries can produce an early summer crop or  a late summer and Fall crop. In the U.S. Spring / Summer raspberries (called florocanes) typically peak during June in the South, and in July in the North. The primocane varieties, which produce raspberries on shoots that come up each Spring are typically read from August until frost.

In addition to the variety a farm plants, the berries are ready at various times depending the local climate, such as which part of the state you are located. See this page for a list of raspberry festivals around the U.S.

And for those of you from the upper midwest through the west and up to Canada, if you are interested in Thimbleberries, see this page.

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!
2. Leave early.  On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!  
3. Most growers furnish picking containers designed for raspberries, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring containers.
   If you use your own containers, remember that heaping raspberries more than 5 inches deep will bruise the lower berries. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers. I like the Glad storage containers like the one at right.
4. Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.

Tips on how to pick raspberries

1. Raspberry bushes don't have thorns, but they are a pick prickly, so if you want to hold the stem while picking, a pair of lightweight gloves is helpful.

   Raspberries Nutritional Data
   (fresh)

   Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
   Energy	220 kJ (53 kcal)
   Carbohydrates	11.94 g
   Sugars	4.42 g
   Dietary fiber	6.5 g
   Fat	0.65 g
   Protein	1.2 g
   Vitamins
   Thiamine	(3%) 0.032 mg
   Riboflavin2	(3%) 0.038 mg
   Niacin3	(4%) 0.598 mg
   Pantothenic acid5	(7%) 0.329 mg
   Vitamin B6	(4%) 0.055 mg
   Folate9	(5%) 21 μg
   Choline	(3%) 12.3 mg
   Vitamin C	(32%) 26.2 mg
   Vitamin E	(6%) 0.87 mg
   Vitamin K	(7%) 7.8 μg
   Minerals
   Calcium	(3%) 25 mg
   Iron	(5%) 0.69 mg
   Magnesium	(6%) 22 mg
   Manganese	(32%) 0.67 mg
   Phosphorus	(4%) 29 mg
   Potassium	(3%) 151 mg
   Zinc	(4%) 0.42 mg
   Other constituents
   Water	85.8 g
   Units μg = micrograms � mg = milligrams IU = International units
   Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source:

   
   
2. A ripe raspberry is deep color with a plump, soft but firm feel. It will pull free from the plant with only a slight tug. The center will remain on the plant. Keep in mind, raspberries come in many colors: red, yellow, black, purple, so you want to pick the darker shade of whichever it is.
3. Pick only the berries that are fully ripe. Reach in between the stems to grab for hidden berries ready for harvest. Bend down and look up into the plant and you will find loads of berries that other people missed!
4. I find it helps to hold the stem with one hand, while picking with the other.
5. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
6. Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down. Ideally, the collection containers should be wide so the pberries aren't more than a few deep.
7. Pick berries into a shallow container. If they get piled too deep they will crush each other.
8. Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunlight any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking.

When you get home

1. DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them or freeze them.  Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
2. DO refrigerate! Right after picking, place raspberries in the fridge. If your fridge tends to dry out produce, lightly cover the container.
3. Raspberries don't store for very long, usually just a few days. The reason the ones from the grocery store last longer is they are covered with fungicides!
4. Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries
5. Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash  off the others, drain them and freeze them up! (Unless you're going to make jam right away) raspberries are less perishable than blueberries or strawberries, but refrigerate them as soon as possible after picking. Temperatures between 34 F and 38 F are best, but, be careful not to freeze the raspberries (while they are in the fridge)!
6. Even under ideal conditions raspberries will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase
7. See this page for illustrated freezing instructions.

Raspberry Recipes

1. Now, get ready to make raspberry jam - It is VERY easy - especially with our free
   raspberry jam directions - very easy! or for a jam with a little kick, try raspberry chipotle jam
2. And if you want to freeze them to use later, see my How to freeze berries page.
3. You can also make your own raspberry vinaigrette,
4. See this page for an easy recipe to make raspberry chipotle sauce

 

Raspberry Facts

• Raspberries are a very healthy food; packed with anthocyanins!
• Raspberries contain more vitamin C than oranges, are super high in fibre, lhave a good amount of folic acid, are high in potassium, vitamin A and calcium.
• The USDA says 1 cup of raspberries has about 62 calories.
• 11 cup of raspberries, not packed down weighs about 140 grams.
• An average raspberry has 100 to 120 seeds.
• Select plump, firm, fully raspberries. Unripe berries will not ripen once picked.
• Raspberries belong to a large group of fruits known as brambles, such as blackberries, in the plant genus Rubus.
• Raspberries come in red, yellow, orange, purple and black colors.
• Yellow raspberries are red raspberries that don't make red pigment.)
• In most areas, raspberries begin to bloom in late May or early June.
• Bumblebees, honeybees, and other wild bees love to visit brambles.
• 60-70 pints of fruits can be harvested from 100 feet row.
  Raspberries can be harvested from early summer through fall, usually right up until a freeze
• The United States is the world's third-largest producer of raspberries (FAOSTAT, 2013).
• Production occurs across much of the country, although most of it is concentrated in California, Oregon and Washington. California leads the nation in both black and red raspberry production (NASS, 2015).
• According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, the United States has 8,052 raspberry farms totaling 23,104 acres (Census of Ag, USDA, 2012).
• U-pick raspberry farms typically sell berries by the pound. A quart equals 1 and 1/4 pounds of fresh berries.
• Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase as raspberries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a couple of days in the refrigerator.
• You can easily freeze berries that you cannot use right away - just wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible.  Those vacuum food sealers REALLY do a good job of this! The berries will keep for many months frozen without air.
• Want to go to a raspberry festival? See this page for a list!

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