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

Raspberry U-Pick Orchards in Hartford and Surrounding 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.

Hartford County

• 4-H Center at Auer Farm - Blueberries and raspberries
  158 Auer Farm Road, Bloomfield, CT 6002. Phone: (860) 242-7144. Email: 4hcenter@comcast.net. Open: CALL. Click here for a map and directions. . Fax: (860) 243-0005. . The 4-H Education Center is a non-profit corporation with a mission to teach the science of agriculture. PYO support our mission.
• Appleberry Farm - PYO apples, peaches, pears, pumpkins, raspberries.
  749 North Stone Street, West Suffield, CT 6093. Phone: (860) 668-7252. Open: 1 - 5 pm. Click here for a map and directions. . Fax: (860) 668-7013. UPDATE for 2021, They must have closed; I cannot find anything current about them except of the copycat website who copy my work and then never update their pages (like the copycatters at .farm) Does anyone have current information, are they still offering pick your own or are even open? If so, please write me, their last reported hours were Call for availability. Salesroom open Seasonal.
• Bushy Hill Orchard at Clark Farms - apples, raspberries, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), prepicked produce, snacks and refreshment stand, school tours
  29 Bushy Hill Road, Granby, CT 6035. Phone: 860-653-4022. Email: clarkfarm29@att.net.. Open: Blueberries and peaches picking times are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check.
  Bushy Hill Orchard at Clark Farms Facebook page. . m. to 4 p.m. Apple picking hours to be announced, but season starts in late August. Check conditions on the 24-hour information line or email questions. Crops are usually available in September, October. Over twenty different and unusual apple varieties on trellised trees (easy to reach, lots of fruit). Also have blueberries for sale in July and delicious, juicy old peach varieties in August and September. Clark Farms at Bushy Hill Orchard Facebook page. U-Pick raspberries in September. Fresh cider. Amazing cider doughnuts. Bakery with fresh made pies and tea breads. Open from August through end of November.
• Dondero Orchards, LLC - Rhubarb, apples, peaches, plums, blueberries, black raspberries & strawberries, pears, flowers, pumpkins, tomatoes & lettuce.
  529 Woodland Street, South Glastonbury, CT 6073. Phone: (860) 659-0294. Email: DonderoOrchards@cox.net. Open: see their website for dates, hours and availability. Click here for a map and directions.
  Dondero Orchards, LLC Facebook page. . Alternate phone: (860) 633-2375. . Dondero Orchards Facebook page. During the season, we offer pick your own Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Peaches, Apples, Pears, Plums, Lettuce, Peas and more! We also grow more fruit, vegetables & herbs. Their bakery was voted BEST in CT for our Arugula Pesto, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Bread and Butter Pickles, Green Tomato Relish! CT Specialty Food Association held the competition. We're celebrating 101 years! Follow us for more info about our farm dinners in the summer and family events throughout the year, plus specials on our produce and products.
• Dondero Orchards, LLC Mountain View Farms - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, apples, pears, peppers, eggplant and tomatoes
  3582 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury, CT 6033. Phone: 860-430-2122. Email: DonderoOrchards@cox.net. Open: see their website for dates, hours and availability. Click here for a map and directions.
  Dondero Orchards, LLC Mountain View Farms Facebook page. . We also grow more fruit, vegetables & herbs. Hebron Avenue farm is 3 years strong this year and growing in leaps and bounds! Dondero Orchards Facebook page. During the season, we will offer pick your own strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, MacIntosh, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Macoun and Cortland Apples, Bartlett and Bosc Pears, Peppers, Egg Plant and Tomatoes.
• Draghi Farm - PYO peaches, plums, nectarines, apples, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, vegetables, Farm stand
  379 Scantic Road, East Windsor, CT 6088. Phone: 860-282-9063. Open: July thru October from 8 am to 6 pm daily. Click here for a map and directions. fresh picked available at our farm stand. Homemade pies, local honey.
• Easy Pickin's Orchard - PYO Apples, peaches, plums, raspberries, blueberries, vegetables, flowers & pumpkins. Wagon rides
  46 Bailey Road, Enfield, CT 6082. Phone: (860) 763-FARM. Email: farmerb@easypickinsorchard.com. Open: Mid-July thru October: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9am to 12noon; Friday thru Sunday 9am to 5pm; Closed Tuesdays; Labor Day and Columbus Day: 9am to 5pm ; For "off season" hours, see our website. Directions: See their website for directions. EASY PICKIN\'s is a unique farm in a quiet corner of Enfield, Connecticut. Not only do we grow over 100 different varieties of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs, we offer you the opportunity to pick these treasures from our gardens and groves. The kids will enjoy an outing at the farm with all the sites and activities, but don't miss the chance to teach them about the garden. Easy Pickin\'s has expanded its operations to include apples, peaches, plums, pears, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, vegetables, flowers, herbs, and much, much more. Our goal is to provide fresh produce to our customers while providing them with an enjoyable experience. Customers can simply come and enjoy the outdoors or they can participate in the other activities we offer such as wagon rides, scarecrow making, and our very popular annual Gourd Hunt. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Easy Pickin's Orchard Facebook page. /763-3276. . See their website for directions. EASY PICKIN's is a unique farm in a quiet corner of Enfield, Connecticut. Not only do we grow over 100 different varieties of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs, we offer you the opportunity to pick these treasures from our gardens and groves. The kids will enjoy an outing at the farm with all the sites and activities, but don't miss the chance to teach them about the garden. Easy Pickin's has expanded its operations to include apples, peaches, plums, pears, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, vegetables, flowers, herbs, and much, much more. Our goal is to provide fresh produce to our customers while providing them with an enjoyable experience. Customers can simply come and enjoy the outdoors or they can participate in the other activities we offer such as wagon rides, scarecrow making, and our very popular annual Gourd Hunt. We also have a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program; see the details on our website.
  Comments from a visitor on September 20, 2010: "A friend had a birthday party there for her son and now I am a regular, great place"
• Kuras Farms - PYO blueberries, raspberries, tomatoes
  1901 Mountain Road, West Suffield, CT 6093. Phone: (860) 668-2942. Email: kurascs@cox.net. Click here for a map and directions. . July 5th - September 1st. Raspberries July 5th - 20th and September 1st - October 15th. Retail farm stand. All home grown. July 5th - October 15th vegetables and specialties. (UPDATED: May 31, 2014, from the CT website)
• Rose's Berry Farm LLC - Uses integrated pest management practices, apples, blackberries, blueberries, pears, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (Autumn, yellow), strawberries, U-pick and already picked, farm market, gift shop, picnic area, school tours, Christmas Trees
  295 Matson Hill Rd, S. Glastonbury, CT 6073. Phone: 860-633-7467. Email: rosesblues@cox.net. Open: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays 8 am to 5 pm, Thursdays 8 am to 8 pm and Sundays 9 am to 5 pm; Breakfast with a View on Sundays only 8:30 am to 1 pm, hours of operation are ALWAYS subject to change due to weather conditions and crop availability. Directions: From Route 2 East take exit 7. This is Route 17 South. Follow 17S for 4 miles. At the third light take a left. Follow Hopewell Rd for about a mile till the road forks. Bear Right onto Matson Hill Road. The farm is on the left at the top of the hill. Directions from other areas available on our website . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Rose's Berry Farm LLC Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 860-657-3119. Fax: 860-657-3062. . . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. We use integrated pest management practices. Pick-Your-Own Blueberries- (July-August)Pick-Your-Own Raspberries- (1st Season June-July) (2nd Season Mid August- Mid September)Apples- (September-October).
• Udderly Woolly Farm - ORGANIC, raspberries
  581 Thompson Street, Glastonbury, CT 6033. Phone: (860) 633-4503. Email: t-jkemble@cox.net. Open: July & early August. Click here for a map and directions. . Fresh picked vegetables are also for sale. An organic farm with a PYO y patch.

Tolland County

• Hurst Farm - UPDATE for 2019, The owner tells me they no longer have Pick-Your-Own, but they still have a farm stand and sell already picked strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, local honey
  746 East Street, Andover, CT 6232. Phone: (860) 646-6536. Email: Hurstfarm@sbcglobal.net. Click here for a map and directions. . . Prepicked strawberries, raspberries, blueberries available. We don't use any insecticides & use our team of oxen instead of tractors most of the time. Hayrides in the fall. Country store open daily!
• Hydeville Farm - red raspberries, black raspberries
  202 Hydeville Road, Stafford Springs, CT 6076. Phone: (860) 684-2335. Email: jnjfpac@aol.com. Open: Pick-your-own black and red raspberries daily 10 a. Click here for a map and directions. . . m. 'til dusk from early July to August (date varies so check their Facebook page),. Containers are provided.
• Wright's Orchard and Dried Flower Farm - No pesticides are used, blueberries, raspberries, apples, pumpkins, vegetables, flowers
  271 South River Road, Tolland, CT 6084. Phone: (860) 872-1665. Email: wtjwright@sbcglobal.net. Open: August 1 - Dec. Click here for a map and directions. . PYO blueberries, raspberries, apples, pumpkins, mums and dried flowers. Open 24, Thurs. - Tuesday from 1 pm to 5:30 pm. Closed Wednesday. Visit our 19th century basket and flower barn.

 

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