2024 Desoto and Hardee counties, west Florida Blueberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
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Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Desoto and Hardee counties, west 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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Desoto County
A.L.L. Blueberries, LLC - blueberries, porta-potties are available 3151 Sw Gator Trail, Arcadia, FL 34266. Phone: (863) 993-3686. Email: allblueberries2012@yahoo.com. Open: During the off - season, we open our field as the blueberries are become ready; Please see our Facebook page for more details; Our regular harvest time is mid - April through the end of May. Directions: Hwy 72 to Gator Trail. Two miles to field on right. For a map to our farm, . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. . Alternate Phone: (863) 990-1739. . (UPDATED: October 05, 2016) (UPDATED: May 30, 2016)(UPDATED: April 28, 2016) (ADDED: April 26, 2015)
Circle C Farm - blueberries, 880 North Johnson Ave, Arcadia, FL 34266. Phone: 239-908-8589. Email: karenknotek@att.net. Open: 8am till 4pm, Monday thru Sunday, Usually weekends from late though mid-May. Directions: cross street highway 17 and west Gibson, Arcadia FL. For a map to our farm, . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Alternate Phone: 239-248-9254. . (UPDATED: May 27, 2016) (ADDED: May 14, 2016)
English Lake Farm - May, June; Blueberries - April, May, June; Persimmons - July, August; Citrus - November, December, Jan., Feb; Honeybells, Meyer Lemons,Ruby Red Grapefruit, Tangerines, Tangelos; Avocados - July, August. 7288 South West Lime Drive, Fort Ogden, FL 34267. Phone: 863-990-6164. Email: Englishlakefarm@aol.com. Open: Monday to Thursday, from 9am to 5pm; Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 8am to 5pm. Directions: Call for detailed directions to the farm. Off of Highway 17, halfway between Punta Gorda and Arcadia; located in SW Florida in Ft. Ogden, off of Highway 17, halfway between Arcadia and Punta Gorda. Look for the little Post Office. For a map to our farm, . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Alternate Phone: 863-494-0911. . Blueberries are available March 15th until June. It looks like this year's crop will be a great one and the peaches are also on the way to getting ripe. Come on out while the weather is still not too hot. We're looking forward to seeing all our old friends and to making a lot more! We also have a limited supply of raw Orange Blossom Honey as well as a selection of jams and jellies. We have for U-Pick: Peaches Comments from a visitor on September 16, 2010: "I went there this summer on several occasions and even brought along a gaggle of friends, to pick the most delicious and BIG blueberries!! Farmer Walter and his lovely wife are still there. Additional veggies available in smaller quantities, just call and ask. SPOKE WITH WALTER TODAY: The next crop will be CITRUS (HONEYBELLS, MYER LEMONS, ETC) starting Dec.2010. Walter also grows lots of fun things like apples, watermelons, avocado, persimmon, peaches and sells trees too, during the season. Very close to Punta Gorda / Pt Charlotte. "
Ryder Berries, LLC - blueberries, U-pick and already picked 2490 Sw Gator Trail, Arcadia, FL 34266. Phone: (863) 990-7671. Email: ryderberries@comcast.net. Open: Saturday and Sunday, from 8 am to 8 pm beginning May 6, 2017 until the end of the season. Directions: From Arcadia: Highway 72 W to Horse Creek Bridge. Turn left on Gator Trail and go 1 12 miles to 2490 SW Gator Trail, Arcadia, FL. From Pt. Charlotte: Kings Highway to highway 72, turn left, then turn left on Gator Trail and go 1 12 miles to 2490 SW Gator Trail, Arcadia. From Sarasota: Highway 72 \(Clarke Road\) to three miles inside Desoto County Line. Just before Horse Creek bridge, turn right on Gator Trail and go 1 12 miles to 2490 SW Gator Trail, Arcadia. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. . Alternate Phone: (863) 990-1586. Fax: 9412967877. . From Arcadia: Highway 72 W to Horse Creek Bridge. Turn left on Gator Trail and go 1 1/2 miles to 2490 SW Gator Trail, Arcadia, FL. From Pt. Charlotte: Kings Highway to highway 72, turn left, then turn left on Gator Trail and go 1 1/2 miles to 2490 SW Gator Trail, Arcadia. From Sarasota: Highway 72 (Clarke Road) to three miles inside Desoto County Line. Just before Horse Creek bridge, turn right on Gator Trail and go 1 1/2 miles to 2490 SW Gator Trail, Arcadia. (ADDED: May 05, 2016)
Hardee County
Jack Green Farms - blueberries 1250 Broadus Williams Road, Zolfo Springs, FL 33890. Phone: (863) 375-4901. Open: Monday to Sunday, 7 am to 7 pm Payment: Cash, Check. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Click here for a map to our farm. Crops are usually available in May. (UPDATED: April 20, 2015, JBSFDACS)
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!