2024 Columbia County in Southeast NY Blueberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
Find a pick-your-own farm near you! Then learn to can and freeze! Since 2002! We update continuously; Beware the copycat websites!
Search pickyourown.org
Blueberry U-Pick Orchards in Columbia County in Southeast NY in 2024, by county
Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for blueberriesthat 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 theadd a farmform!
Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email themif 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 infousing the "Report Corrections" form below.
Search pickyourown.org
Columbia County
Love Apple Farm- Uses integrated pest management practices, apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, currants (red), gooseberries, peaches, raspberries (red), strawberries, farm market, gift shop, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, events at your location (call for info) 1421 State Route 9h, Ghent, NY 12075. Phone: (518) 828-5048. Email:info@loveapplefarm.com. Open: Orchard opens from 8am to 5pm; availability of crops varies; please call for current availability. Directions: .Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. Love Apple Farm Facebook page. . . We use integrated pest management practices. 's Typical U-Pick Calendar: Actual dates will vary due to weather conditions and other factors. Please call us at to verify the status of the product you are interested in: Fruit Early Most Active Late Apples July 15 Sept. 1-Oct. 25 Oct. 31 Blackberries July 10 July 15-July 30 August 10 Blueberries July 15 August 1-Sept. 10 Oct. 15 Cherries, sour June 10 July 1-31 August 10 Cherries, sweet June 10 July 1-31 August 10 Gooseberries June and July Peaches July 15 July 20-Sept. 1 Sept. 15 Plums July and August Raspberries August 1 June 15-20 July 10 (UPDATED: June 27, 2019) (ADDED: November 30, 2016)
Samascott Orchards- apples, beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, cherries, chestnuts, cucumbers, currants (red and black), gooseberries, table grapes (with seeds), nectarines, onions, other berries, pears, peas, peaches, peppers, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (yellow), raspberries (Spring, yellow), raspberries (Autumn, yellow), raspberries (black), raspberries (Spring, black), raspberries (Autumn, black), rhubarb, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, Fresh eggs, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), porta-potties are available, restrooms, picnic area you may bring your own food, jumping pillow, farm animals, school tours 5 Sunset Avenue, Kinderhook, NY 12106. Phone: (518) 758-7224. Email:info@samascott.com. Open: daily 8 am to 6 pm; See website for seasonal opening date: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: .Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. Samascott Orchards Facebook page. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Corn maze open Saturdays in September and October at Samascott's Garden Market;. New in 2017 is a children's playground and jumping pillow, plus wagon rides around the Orchard. The entrance to the U-pick closes at 5:45 pm. We require a minimum purchase of $5.00 per person for PYO guests. All vehicles will be manually inspected upon checkout. All PYO produce is priced per pound. Prices may fluctuate throughout the season. You will be charged up to $10/lb for any produce you pick that is not listed as available on the harvest map OR produce that is not brought out of your vehicle to be weighed. No pets. Please see their website for all of their rules and specifications.
The Chatham Berry Farm LLC- No pesticides are used, blackberries, blueberries, currants (red and black), raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (yellow), raspberries (Autumn, yellow), raspberries (black), raspberries (Autumn, black), strawberries, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, restrooms, picnic area you may bring your own food, school tours 2309 Route 203, Chatham, NY 12037. Phone: 518-392-4609. Email:thechathamberryfarm@gmail.com. Open: Be sure to call before you go; they did not have U-pick in 2020; Sunday to Saturday, from 8 am to 5 pm, open 364 days a year Closed Christmas Day December 25th. Directions: .Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, AmEx. The Chatham Berry Farm LLC Facebook page. . Be sure to call before you go; they did not have U-pick in 2020; Sunday to Saturday, from 8 am to 5 pm, open 364 days a year (Closed Christmas Day December 25th). We do not use pesticides on the crops. During the last week of November and the first week of December, we offer multiple holiday wreath and bow making classes. Light refreshments provided. U-Pick Black and Red Raspberries and U-Pick Blueberries All of our berries are pesticide-free! U-Pick closes at 5 pm, which is 1 hour before the farm store, to ensure that everyone has returned to the farm store with their berries & paid. U-Pick is weather dependent, please call ahead for picking conditions & availability. (UPDATED: June 26, 2020 JBS) (ADDED: March 09, 2016)
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 tomore farms planting more blueberry bushesdue 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 untiljust before using, to prevent berries from
becoming mushy.
Chill berries soonafter 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 berriesin freezer containerswithout washingto 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!