Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Southeast Arkansas 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.

Calhoun County

• Suzanne's Fruit Farm - blackberries, blueberries, flowers, Muscadines, grapes, scuppernongs grapes, other berries, peaches, plums, pumpkins, Other fruit or veg, and prepicked produce, school tours
  500 Peach Road, Hampton, AR 71744. Phone: 870-798-4975. Email: SylviaAndDavid@SuzannesFruitFarm.com. Open: Hours vary due to availability of fruit. Directions: 5 Miles NE of Hampton, AR on TinsmanFordyce Hwy. 274. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Fax: 870-798-4123. . 5 Miles NE of Hampton, AR on Tinsman/Fordyce Hwy. 274. Crops are usually available in June, July, August, September, October. For 'Fall Fun in the Country', call ahead for reservations for individuals and/or groups. They also have their own label jams, jellies, fruit spreads, preserves, syrups, fruit butters , and hand-crafted baskets of all types. The orchards, berry patches, and vineyards are open during the months of June, July, August, and September for pick your own tree-ripened and vine-ripened fruit. AND, don't forget to experience old-fashioned family fun at our fall festival in late September through October 31, which includes hayrides, John Deere train rides, pumpkins, ferry rides, hay climbs, a corn maze, horse trainer rides, zip lines, a miniature barn, nature trails, slides, photo ops, authentic Indian tipis, pirate rope climb, an authentic pirate ship, and more! We hope you will make the farm where you and your family can enjoy a relaxing, memorable day in the country. Typical harvest dates are: June - Peaches, Blackberries, Plums, Blueberries;July - Peaches, Blackberries, Plums, Blueberries; Aug. - Peaches, Muscadines, Scuppernongs; September - Peaches, Muscadines, Scuppernongs, PumpkinsOctober - Pumpkins. U-pick or we pick with 24 hour notice. Call ahead for 24 hour recorded fruit availability and hours--updated each night at 7 pm. They will ship fresh peaches nationwide in special made gift boxes. Handcrafted baskets filled with jams, jellies, syrups, fruit spreads and MORE can be shipped nationwide. In business since 1975. A visitor writes on August 13, 2014: "This farm is in SE Arkansas - Hampton area - they have peaches, blueberries, blackberries, plums, scuppernogs, and pumpkins. It's a great PYO farm and I think they will be a Century Farm this year. "

Chicot County

• Atkins Farms - Blackberries, Blueberries,
  253 Atkins Lane, Eudora, AR 71640. Phone: (870) 355-2211. Open: Seasonal - From Last Week In May to First Week In July approximately. Click here for a map and directions. . Seasonal - From Last Week In May to First Week In July (approximately). U-Pick For Rabbit-Eye Blueberries and Cheyenne Tame Blackberries. Plus already picked Cucumbers, Eggplant, Peppers , Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Field Corn, Greens, String Bean

Cleveland County

• Parker Farms - blackberries, blueberries, tomatoes,
  23210 US Highway 63 N., Warren, AR 71671. Phone: 870-357-2748. Email: hailcallfeedcall@yahoo.com. Open: 7 days a week; Hours open from 6 am to 7 pm. Directions: Approximately 14 mile north of highway 35 east intersection on US Highway 63. Approximately 35 miles south of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Approximately 1/4 mile north of highway 35 east intersection on US Highway 63. Approximately 35 miles south of Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

Desha County

• Esau Farms - blackberries, blueberries, muscadine grapes, Honey from hives on the farm
  307 State Police Road, Dumas, AR 71639. Phone: (870) 382-5738. Email: esausweetcor@gmail.com. Open: Blueberries start about June 8 through the end of June Blackberries start about June 15 and end about July 10 Muscadines begin about August 12 and end about September 30. Directions: 4 miles north of Dumas on highway 65. 1 mile west on State Police Road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover. . Alternate Phone: (870) 382-2623. . (ADDED: August 29, 2020)

Lincoln County

• Frank Gibson - Blueberries, Rabbiteye Blueberries, Blackberries.
  34 Country Maple Lane, Star City, AR 71667. Phone: 870-628-3608. Open: 9 am to 6 p. Directions: 3 miles from Star City on Hwy 425. From Star City turn left off 425 at Country Village. \(Call for directions.\) Comments from a visitor on August 14, 2010: \I recently moved from Lincoln Co Arkansas and frequented Gibson Farms every summer. My daughter and I loved to pick berries there. Ms. Gibson is VERY sweet! Here berries are absolutely delicious and she told me she uses no pesticides or herbicides on here ". Click here for a map and directions. . m. Call for availability. No Containers. 3 miles from Star City on Hwy 425. From Star City turn left off 425 at Country Village. (Call for directions.)
  Comments from a visitor on August 14, 2010: "I recently moved from Lincoln Co Arkansas and frequented Gibson Farms every summer. My daughter and I loved to pick berries there. Ms. Gibson is VERY sweet! Here berries are absolutely delicious and she told me she uses no pesticides or herbicides on here crops. Her blackberries are amazing but the crop is much smaller than her blueberries and are no longer available to the public. Her blueberries are worth the drive. You can pick your own or buy them already picked. Her prices are excellent given the quality of her berries. Call ahead so she knows you are coming as they do not have regular hours! "

 

Blueberry

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