2024 Toledo area of Ohio Raspberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Raspberry U-Pick Orchards in Toledo area of Ohio 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.

Fulton County

• Hoen's Orchard - apples, blueberries, currants (red and black), gooseberries, raspberries, prepicked produce
  12540 County Road 7-2, Delta, OH 43515. Phone: (419) 822-4080. Email: mikewh49@windstream.net. Open: June through November 7 days a week from 9 am to 5 pm. Directions: Coming From Toledo \(I-475\) or Central Avenue I-475Central Avenue Exit 13 Travel about 16 miles west on US Route 20 South on County Road 7-2, 1.5 miles. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, SFMNP Vouchers.
  Hoen's Orchard Facebook page. . Click here for picking updates. Coming From Toledo (I-475) or Central Avenue I-475/Central Avenue Exit 13 Travel about 16 miles west on US Route 20 South on County Road 7-2, 1.5 miles. Crops are usually available in June, July, August, September, October. The ONLY pyo crops offered are Raspberries, Blueberries, Currants, Gooseberries, Apples. . (UPDATED: July 20, 2022)
• Johnston Fruit Farms - apples, blueberries, pumpkins, raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (black), peaches, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  2790 Airport Highway, Swanton, OH 43558. Phone: (419) 826-1453. Email: mora73105@embarqmail.com. Open: Please call ahead for U - Pick dates and times. Directions: From Toledo: We are on Airport Highway, one mile west of Swanton. From points west of Delta: We are on Airport Highway \(also called Route 2\) 5 miles East of Delta. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, WIC Vouchers, SFMNP Vouchers.
  Johnston Fruit Farms Facebook page. . From Toledo: We are on Airport Highway, one mile west of Swanton. From points west of Delta: We are on Airport Highway (also called Route 2) 5 miles East of Delta. Join us the last Saturday in September for our annual "Apples for Everyone" each year we donate over 20,000 pounds of apples to local food banks on this day; Food, music, and fun for all ages. The season begins around June 1 and ends after Christmas. Strawberries typically begin around June 1, PYO usually around June 15 with the season ending by June 30 or so; PYO blueberries ripen around July 15 and run 2 to 3 weeks, peaches are plentiful in August and apples begin to ripen in September, but PYO apples are certain weekends in September and October Call for details on all crops. We are probably the only place in the area where you can still get fresh, unpasteurized cider, made daily at our own state inspected cider mill! Taste why we are famous for our cider - made the way it should be. Facebook page. Typical harvest dates are July - Blueberries, Aug/Sept - Sunflowers, Sept/Oct - Apples, Sept/Oct - Pumpkins; Please check back for current times and availability for all U-Pick crops.. They have MANY Apple Varieties: Lodi, Pristine, Paula Red, Chenango Strawberry, Gravenstien, Sansa, Akane (Tokyo Rose), Mollies Delicious, Wealthy, Zestar, Ginger Gold, Gala, McIntosh, Honey Crisp, Sweet Sixteen, Cortland, Snow Sweet, Pink Pearl, Cox Orange Pippin, Bramley's Seedling, Belle de Boscoop, Jonathan, Hudsons Golden Gem, King of Thompkins Co, Ashmeads Kernel, Snow, Pink Pearl, Opalescent, Mother, Grimes Golden, Rubinette, Orleans Reinette, Empire, Northern Spy, Candy Crisp, Pixie Crunch, Red Delicious, Holiday, Baldwin, Blue Pearmain, Erwin Bauer, Wolf River, Macoun, Freyburg, Calville Blanc, Lady, Golden Delicious, Crimson Topaz, Spitzenberg, Sun Crisp, Ida Red, Ever Crisp, Wickson, Melrose, Brock, Winesap, Fuji, Gold Rush, Arkansas Black, Cameo, Granny Smith, Mutsu, ​Golden Russet, Roxbury Russet, Harrison (cider variety)
  Comments from a visitor on October 05, 2010: "This is a great U Pick apple farm, as well as strawberry, raspberry, pumpkin, and other things. There are a good selection of apple varieties, and enough of each variety, there was no problem picking a couple of bushels. Highly recommended in NW Ohio, there aren't alot of U Picks around any more."
  Comments from a visitor on October 27, 2009: "I LOVE Johnston's! The kids like to play at the petting zoo and you can shop while they do. Their products are fresh and wonderful, their service is amazing. They give samples and have excellent seconds. From the start of Strawberry season until the last of their cold storage apples are sold. There is a wonderful picnic area and petting zoo. The foods are wonderful, they sell locally made baked goods, jams and candles. They grow and sell Honey Crisp apples which I hold as the best apples ever. There is pick your own seasonal fruits all year."
• Warncke Berry Farm - blackberries, cherries, chestnuts, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (black), raspberries (Spring, black), strawberries, walnuts, U-pick and already picked
  8718 County Road 11, Delta, OH 43515. Phone: 419-822-5252. Email: warnckeberryfarm@gmail.com. Open: call ahead for picking info and if berries are ready. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Warncke Berry Farm .

Lucas County

• Johnston Fruit Farms - apples, blueberries, pumpkins, raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (black), peaches, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  2790 Airport Highway, Swanton, OH 43558. Phone: (419) 826-1453. Email: mora73105@embarqmail.com. Open: Please call ahead for U - Pick dates and times. Directions: From Toledo: We are on Airport Highway, one mile west of Swanton. From points west of Delta: We are on Airport Highway \(also called Route 2\) 5 miles East of Delta. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, WIC Vouchers, SFMNP Vouchers. . From Toledo: We are on Airport Highway, one mile west of Swanton. From points west of Delta: We are on Airport Highway (also called Route 2) 5 miles East of Delta. Join us the last Saturday in September for our annual "Apples for Everyone" each year we donate over 20,000 pounds of apples to local food banks on this day; Food, music, and fun for all ages. The season begins around June 1 and ends after Christmas. Strawberries typically begin around June 1, PYO usually around June 15 with the season ending by June 30 or so; PYO blueberries ripen around July 15 and run 2 to 3 weeks, peaches are plentiful in August and apples begin to ripen in September, but PYO apples are certain weekends in September and October Call for details on all crops. We are probably the only place in the area where you can still get fresh, unpasteurized cider, made daily at our own state inspected cider mill! Taste why we are famous for our cider - made the way it should be.
  Comments from a visitor on October 05, 2010: "This is a great U Pick apple farm, as well as strawberry, raspberry, pumpkin, and other things. There are a good selection of apple varieties, and enough of each variety, there was no problem picking a couple of bushels. Highly recommended in NW Ohio, there aren't alot of U Picks around any more."
  Comments from a visitor on October 27, 2009: "I LOVE Johnston's! The kids like to play at the petting zoo and you can shop while they do. Their products are fresh and wonderful, their service is amazing. They give samples and have excellent seconds. From the start of Strawberry season until the last of their cold storage apples are sold. There is a wonderful picnic area and petting zoo. The foods are wonderful, they sell locally made baked goods, jams and candles. They grow and sell Honey Crisp apples which I hold as the best apples ever. There is pick your own seasonal fruits all year."
• Meiring Farm - Uses natural growing practices, beans, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplant, melons, pumpkins, raspberries (red), summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, U-pick and already picked
  11610 Waterville-swanton, Whitehouse, OH 43571. Phone: 419-877-5802. Email: Leanne.meiring@gmail.com. Open: 7 days a week, Sunday up to Sunday down. Directions: Located on State Route 64. Just East of 295!. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Alternate Phone: 419-345-2651. . We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification.

Seneca County

• Barb and Dicks Berryfarm - raspberries (black), strawberries,
  1823 West Township Road 120, Tiffin, OH 44883. Phone: (419) 447-7616. Email: berryfarm1823@gmail.com. Open: call for times and dates. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . . We use integrated pest management practices (IPM). (ADDED: June 10, 2019)

Wood County

• Pullins Raspberries - raspberries (red), raspberries (black),
  20780 Liberty Hi Road, Haskins, OH 43525. Phone: 419-823-3024. Email: apullins1@verizon.net. Open: Monday to Saturday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and Sunday noon to 6:00 pm. Directions: located in Haskins, Ohio, on Liberty Hi Road, 14 mile south of State Route 582. Our mailing address is Bowling Green, OH 43402. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . . located in Haskins, Ohio, on Liberty Hi Road, 1/4 mile south of State Route 582. Our mailing address is Bowling Green, OH 43402. We typically open late June through mid-July; we typically start picking June 30; The picking season can last 3 pm to 6 weeks so please call before you come.
  Comments from a visitor on June 30, 2011: "I live in Lucas, but traveled to Pullins in Wood County last year to verify this out. This farm near Bowling Green is fantastic. I picked both black and red raspberries, and the quality is unbelievable. You can buy both pre-picked and PYO. Rows are well maintained, and the golf cart comes around frequently to pick you up. I highly suggest you check out Pullins to any PYO's. I am going back again this year. Thank you."

 

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