2024 East Midlands Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in East Midlands in 2024, by county

Below are the PYO orchards and farms for blackberries and other brambles that we know of in this area. Not all areas have blackberries and other brambles orchards or farms 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.

Derbyshire

• Scaddows Farm - Strawberries, Raspberries, gooseberries, red currants, black currants.
  Derby, Ticknall, Derbyshire, DE73 7JP. Phone: 01332 694523. Open: PYO Fruit daily from 9.30am to 7.30pm; Farm Shop and Cafe daily from 9.30am to 5.30pm; We expect to open Mid/End June, keep an eye on Facebook for updates, Please Note from 27 July, the Opening Times will change to: Farm Shop and PYO from 9.30am to 5.30pm. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Containers are available. Free parking. Click here for a link to our Facebook page. Scaddows Farm PYO has been a family business for over 30 years. Opening each season come rain or shine we produce exceptional soft fruit including our famous strawberries, Raspberries, blackcurrant, redcurrants and gooseberries. Set in the beautiful rolling hills of South Derbyshire, PYO fruit is not only a great activity for all the family but a beautiful spot to come and soak up some sun and scenery. Our seasonal Farm Shop opens in May / June, sourcing high quality products from Derbyshire, Leicestershire and the Mid- lands with the finest possible value, together with a friendly, personal service. How It works… You arrive on your chosen day and follow the signs to our ample PYO car parking area. No entry fee is required on arrival. Just Pick (Containers are available on entry for a small charge. If you bring your own container please show it on entry for it to be weighed before you pick.) Weigh and then pay. Once you have paid for your fruit and container they are yours to keep and enjoy! Please note all fruit picked must be paid for so don’t pick more that you want!Remember strict rule of NO DOGs allowed in the fruit field at all. If you do bring one it must stay in or near your car and cannot be walked around the site. With all this hot weather we would highly recommend you leave the dogs at home, somewhere cool with plenty of water to drink! (UPDATED: 10 June 2019, JBS) (UPDATED: June 22, 2014)
  A visitor writes on August 08, 2015: "Absolutely brilliant experience. Well organised cafe and PYO. However need better signage so located more easily. Lots of selection of different soft fruits. Good to see young children getting involved."

Leicestershire

• Grange Farm Soft Fruit - strawberries, Raspberries, Green and Red Gooseberries, Red and Blackcurrants, Blueberries, Blackberries, Broadbeans
  Copston Magna, near Wolvey, Hinckley, LE10 3HE. Phone: 1455 220572. Email: enquiries@grangefarmcopston.co.uk. Open: Tuesday to Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm, Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. Directions: We are situated in the peaceful village of Copston Magna off the A5 not far from Nuneaton, Hinckley and Lutterworth. Grange Farm Soft Fruit is only 5 minutes from the M69 and 3 minutes from the A5. We are situated in the small village of Copston Magna near Wolvey within easy reach of Nuneaton, Hinckley, Lutterworth, Rugby, Coventry (all about 15 to 20 minutes drive) and Leicester (30 minutes from the centre). For SAT NAV users our postcode is LE10 3HE. From M69 Junction1 Roundabout: Either: -- Take the A5 towards Lutterworth and at the top of the hill (High Cross) turn right and immediate right again into Copston Magna and follow our signs or -- Take the B4109 towards Wolvey, then the first left towards Lutterworth, straight over the roundabout following our directional signs*. Half a mile on the left hand side is the sign for Grange Farm and the turning for Copston Magna. Please drive carefully as you approach the village. Our typical season is: Strawberries and Gooseberries - mid-June to beg August. The family started growing soft fruit in the 1970s and we are now the third generation to carry on this tradition. You can come and enjoy picking your own Strawberries, Raspberries, Green and Red Gooseberries, Redcurrants and Blackcurrants, Blueberries, Blackberries and Broad Beans. Surrounded by beautiful countryside many customers remark that they find their visit extremely relaxing and therapeutic. Our Strawberries are grown on tabletops under cover to protect the crop from adverse weather which provides high quality fruit and all weather picking. With our tabletop system there is no bending and fruit is easy to pick and accessible for all in any weather.
  Blackcurrants and Redcurrants - end of June to mid July
  Raspberries - end of June to mid August
  Blueberries and Blackberries - mid July to mid August
  The season is dependent on the weather and some years we are open as early as the begining of June. (UPDATED: 04 October 2019, JBS)(ADDED: July 9, 2015, JBS)
• Heather Cattows PYO Fruit Farm - Strawberries, Raspberries, Gooseberries, Red, White and Black Currants, pumpkins, Broad beans and sunflowers
  The Cattows Farm Shop, Cattows Farm, Swepstone Road, Heather, Leicestershire LE67 2RF. Phone: (01530) 264200. Email: james@cattowsfarm.co.uk. Open: Daily during the season, Mid June to August, PICK YOUR OWN - FREE ENTRY
  Monday to Friday and Sunday from 9am to 5 pm, Saturday from 9am to 6pm. Directions: On the main Measham to Heather Road, 10 mins from M (A) 42. Also, prepicked Broad Beans, New Potatoes. Asparagus cut to order April to June.We now grow 10 acres of traditionally grown strawberries (8 different varieties), 3 acres of raspberries along with gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and blackberries. Broad beans and sunflowers are also available for pick your own. Pumpkins are available for pick your own from the beginning of October.. A.k.a, Cattows Farm Shop. (UPDATED: 04 October 2019, JBS)
• Hollytree Farm - strawberries
  699 Broad Gate, Weston Hills, Spalding, PE12 6DP, UK. Open: They may have closed; Does anyone have current information, are they still offering pick your own or are even open? If so, please write me,Yes, they are listed on the copycat websites that copy from us, but that doesn't mean anything (they don't actually verify anything, just copy from here!) . Directions: click here for directions and a map. (ADDED: July 7, 2015, JBS)
• Mill House - strawberries
  Leicester Road Melton Mowbray, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE13 0DB. Phone: 01664c 500601. Fax: 01664 500601. Email: millhouse01@btinternet.com. Open:  UPDATE for 2018 Their website is gone; 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 all year. PYO thru late Spring and Summer, May, June, July, August, 10am to 2pm Tuesday to Sunday inclusive; Often open until 5pm, call to enquire. Directions: A607 Leicester Road. Leicester Bound. 400 yards past the Focus do it All roundabout. Turn right on the apex of the first sharp left hand bend.Home Grown strawberries. GM free Free Range Pork. Free-Range Eggs. Plants, Reclamation, Livery, Haylage, Timber, Railway Sleepers, Reclaimed Bricks and Tiles, Doors, Hay & Straw. Hens also available for sale. (UPDATED: 04 April 2016, JBS)
• Rutland water golf course - asparagus, Raspberries, strawberries
  Lodge Farm, Oakham, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE15 8HB. Phone: +44 (0) 15727. Directions: The course is situated between Edith Weston and Manton along the southern shores of Rutland Water. We are open May, June, July. Our hours are: 9 am to 6pm, 7 days a week. May: Asparagus.  15th June: Strawberries. 25th June: Raspberries. We are located at the same place as the golf course.
• Seldom Seen Farm - strawberries, Tayberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries, worcesterberries,
  Billesdon, Leicestershire LE7 9FA. Phone: (0)1162 596742. Open: Call for current hours and availability. On our secluded 207 acre mixed farm, set in glorious countryside, we grow over 20 acres of fruit and vegetables for pick-you-own or sold ready-picked from the farm-shop. The shop opens for 2 seasons in the year: for the summer's soft fruit; and for the whole of December leading up to Christmas. In the summer season we grow 5 acres of strawberries, all on table tops so no bending - easy picking. There are 5 acres planted with several varieties of raspberries to take you right through the season, ending with Autumn Bliss. We also grow Tayberries, a hybrid berry bred from a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry; blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries, worcesterberries, a cross between gooseberries and blackcurrants, with soft juicy centres, that are splendid for jam-making or as a filling for a summer fruit pie. We also grow early- and main- crop potatoes, as well as broad beans. From our shop we sell our honey. Jams, chutneys and pickles made by a local friend, include well-fruited blackberry and raspberry vinegars. After picking you can always tuck into the various cakes and biscuits that we bake to serve in the tearoom. At Christmas we also sell own grown Norfolk Bronze turkeys, pheasant and partridge. Brussels sprouts on the stalk (so they remain fresh and firm throughout the holiday), as well as mince pies, sausage rolls, cakes and a large range of Christmas goodies. (UPDATED: June 21, 2018, JBS)
• Whetstone Pastures Farm - blackberries, currants (red and black), gooseberries, Raspberries, strawberries, snacks and refreshment stand, picnic area, birthday parties, school tours
  Whetstone Gorse Lane Whetstone, Leicester , LE8 6LX. Phone: 0116 2774 627. Email: sandra@whetstonepasturesfarm.com. Open: Tuesday - Sunday 10 am to 5:50 pm.Directions: between Junctions 20 21 of M1 Motorway Just off A426 2 miles south Blaby. Payment: Cash, Check. Arts and crafts activities with HANDCRAFTED creative arts linked in with farm food and environment. Suit groups, schools Special activities during season including African weekends, bird watching. CEVAS accredited for school visits. Farm with Pick Your Own Fruit, Children’s Play Barn, Pizza Oven (for special occasions) and Strawberry Cottage Tea Room in a traditional rural setting. STRAWBERRY picking; Our strawberries are grown in the ground - no tables or poly tunnels! Enjoy the fresh air the birds singing and the pleasure of freshly picked fruit. Let nature feed your senses! Open for Party / Group bookings and school visits. See contact page for directions to farm. We are 2 miles from Blaby on A426.(UPDATED: May 14, 2019, JBS) (ADDED: May 14, 2008)
• Wymeswold Fruit Farm - Strawberries, Raspberries, Gooseberries, Red, White and Black Currants, blackberries, pumpkins
  Wide Lane, Wymeswold, Leicestershire LE12 6SE. Phone: 01 509 880 230. Alternate Phone: 01 509 881 885. Email: info@wymeswoldfruitfarm.co.uk. Open: every day during the season 10am to 7pm. Wymeswold Fruit Farm, our traditional family run farm, spanning three generations., located on the outskirts of Wymeswold. Enjoy picking a wide selection of delicious seasonal fruits, including strawberries, Raspberries, blackcurrants, rhubarb and more. Come and enjoy a day out with the family and pick your own seasonal fruit in Wymeswold. We grow an abundance of delicious fruit throughout the summer months, including strawberries, Raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and more. Click here for our Facebook page. (UPDATED: 25 September 2023, JBS) (UPDATED: July 12, 2015, JBS)

Lincolnshire

• Galley Hill Farm - Strawberries, Gooseberries, Raspberries, Tayberries, Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, blackberries, Apples and Pears
  Saleby, Alford, Lincolnshire LN13 ODY. Phone: 01507450399. Email: info@galleyhillfarm.co.uk. This is a family run PYO soft fruit farm & orchard. They also have a 5 van caravan site. British apples in season! Varieties include Bramleys, Fiesta, Falstaff, James Grieve, Jonogold Red, Katy, Russet Meridian, Sunset and Pears (Conference and Comice) Apples and pears start in September.  Click here for a link to our Facebook page
• Top Farm, formerly J. N. Downend - asparagus, currants (red and black), gooseberries, potatoes, raspberries (red), rhubarb, strawberries, Tayberries,
  Top Farm, Lissington, Lincoln, LN3 5AF. Phone: 01673 885351. Email: downend@btinternet.com. Open: 1st June to end of July; 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, Sunday 10am to 4pm. Directions: We are situated on the main road between Market Rasen and Wragby, near the village of Lissington and hamlet of Bleasby Moor. During our open season there will be signs on the main road for the farm. Click here for a map and directions. Strawberries: early June to late July, Raspberries: late June to late July, Gooseberries: early June to early July, Red Currants: early June to late July. Payment: Cash, Cheque. We take ready picked orders as well as providing PYO. Before you come to pick we suggest you call us to check which fruit is available.
  UPDATE May 2022: J Downend is under new ownership and now called Top Farm Enterprises. We plan to re-open with limited availability on tummelberries, rhubarb, gooseberries, and redcurrants in 2022 and more fully from 2023 to include Strawberries and top fruits with new opening hours. In the meantime, find out more at Top Farm Enterprises on Facebook.
  (UPDATED: May 23, 2022) (UPDATED: 03 April 2015, JBS) (ADDED: March 04, 2011)
• Peaks Top Farm - Strawberries, gooseberries, blueberry juke, apples, blackberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, plums, rhubarb
  Hewitt's Ave, new waltham, grimsby, DN36 4RS. Phone: 01472 812941. Email: info@peakstopfarm.com. Open: 10am-5pm daily; Our fruit season usually starts mid June until late July depending on the weather. Strawberries and gooseberries begin the season, with the Raspberries, red and blackcurrants towards the end of June through July.. Directions: See their website for directions. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.. Eggs, summer fair, vegetables, fishing ponds, fruit wines We have been growing soft fruit for sale on the farm for the past 30 years. The soft fruit at Peaks Top Farm includes over 2 hectares of strawberries, a ‘table-top’ strawberry growing system, 5 poly-tunnels plus outdoor bush and cane fruit such as Raspberries, black and redcurrants along with 3 varieties of gooseberries. New for 2016 we have planted a variety of blueberries called Juke. We welcome all members of the public to come to the farm and ‘pick your own’ fruit. At a little extra cost we have a ready picked service for all our fruit if you don’t have the time to pick your own. Our blackberries come into fruit later in the year; generally around August. Once October arrives we move into our orchard to begin picking apples and plums. We grow 4 varieties of apples (Scrumptious, Russet and Falstaff eaters and Bramley cooking apples). The 2 varieties of plums are Victoria and Czar. Depending on yield we also aim to have rhubarb available in season. (UPDATED: June 21, 2018, JBS) (ADDED: July 11, 2017, Suggested by a visitor)
  A visitor writes on July 11, 2017: "I've not been but driven past and wished i had and thought it was a shame it was missing from your list."
• Spinney Farm - raspberries (Autumn, black), strawberries,
  Carr Lane, Doddington, Lincoln, lN6 4RY. Phone: 01522 703865. Open: see our website for updates; Monday - Thursday 9am until 5pm; Friday and Saturday 9am unil 6pm; Sunday 10am until 4pm; Bank holiday's (Sunday hours); Christmas Eve & New Years Eve early closing, normally 2PM; Closed Easter Sunday, Christmas day, Boxing day & New Years day. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. on the b1190 between Doddington and the A57. Payment: Cash, only. Strawberries and Raspberries PYO From June to September Spinney Farm opens up its fields exclusively for PYO (Pick Your Own) harvesting in Lincoln. We have a choice of our famous strawberries and raspberries which can be picked throughout the warmer months. Perfect for any occasion for immediate consumption, baking or fill the freezer with quantities of family favourites. With Spinney Farms Pick Your Own fruit you have the guarantee it’s totally fresh and full of good vitamin content plus you’ll make a substantial saving on shop brought produce. Our strawberries are grown in troughs which means they are very easy to pick, no bending down needed Click here for a link to our Facebook page. (UPDATED: June 21, 2018, JBS) (ADDED: July 29, 2014)
• Willows Farm Fruit - blackberries, blueberries, currants (red and black), gooseberries, Loganberries, plums, pumpkins, Raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tayberries,
  A52 Chapel St Leonards, Skegness, Lincolnshire, PE24 5UB. Phone: 07771 696001. Email: david@willows-farm.com. Open: June, July, August;: 7 Days a week, 9 am to 6 pm. Directions: From Skegness take the A52 north towards Mablethorpe. We are situated approximately 1 mile north of Ingoldmells just before reaching Chapel St Leonards. As well as PYO crops we always have ready picked fruit available. We welcome orders for large quantities or special occasions. In the farm shop we also sell our own grown new potatoes, cauliflowers, cabbage, beetroot, carrots, peas, broad beans, sweetcorn and salads and pumpkins (October time). Our farm shop will be open from early June when we will have our first strawberries available along with the new potatoes and fresh vegetables. Raspberries and currants follow in early July. Our Sunday Car Boot Sales start in June and if you want to come and stay at Willows Farm we now have a small caravan site. We grow several different varieties of strawberries, Raspberries, red, black and white currants, Tayberries, blackberries and gooseberries, and now plums and cherries. Sample one as you Pick Your Own, or buy them freshly picked at our farm shop. Field grown and 'table-top' production - no bending, and wheelchair friendly! We also offer camping facilities along with a farm shop.  (UPDATED: May 14, 2019, JBS)

Northamptonshire

• Dovecote Farm - 2024 no longer doing PYO
  Dovecote Farm Newton, Kettering, nn14 1bw. Phone: 01536 742227. Email: info@dovecotefarm.co.uk. Open: UPDATE for 2024, Their website/Facebook page says they no longer offer Pick-your-own  I presume they still sell already picked produce in their farmshop, but call first. . Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard. Click here for our Facebook page. Due to the nature of the English climate, it is impossible to accurately detail when each fruit season starts and finishes. Please call us to check availability. Dovecote Farm offers a range of services including a restaurant, tea room and function rooms for business and private hire. We grow seasonal soft fruit and retail through our farm shop selling fresh local produce and specialty food products. Dovecote Farm is located near Kettering, in the Northamptonshire countryside.
  Asparagus Late April to June
  Strawberries Early June to Late July
  Gooseberries June to July
  Raspberries Late June to Late October
  Redcurrants Mid June to Mid July
  Blackcurrants July to Late August
  Blackberries August to September. (UPDATED: 23 June 2024, JBS) (ADDED: 10 July 2012)
• Harpole Grange Farm - Strawberries, Raspberries, gooseberries, blackberries, asparagus, maize maze
  Upper High Street, Harpole, Northampton, UK NN7 4DJ. Phone: 1604 830276. The maze is open in August, then weekends only and close on the 20th September. (ADDED: 31 August 2020 JBS)

Nottinghamshire

• Brooke Farm -  No longer offers PYO
  Brooke Farm, Main Street, Linby, Nottinghamshire, NG15 8AE. Phone: 0115 963 2638. Email: brookefarm@nottscc.gov.uk. Open: UPDATE for 2024, Their website/Facebook page says they no longer offer Pick-your-own, Monday to Thursday from 8 am to 3:45pm; Friday: 8 am to 3:15 pm; Saturday: 8 am to 3 pm. Any soft fruit left over at the end of the season is turned into home-made jams and preserves for sale in the farm shop. Our 350 chickens are free to roam in our orchard, producing fresh free range eggs throughout the year for competitive prices. All our Christmas trees are grown by our teams at other sites in Nottinghamshire. We sell Nordman Firs and Spruces from our farm shop from early December. (tsrawberries, raspberries and plums) (UPDATED: June 11, 2024, JBS) (ADDED: 04 April 2016, JBS)
• Goacher's Farm Shop - Uses integrated pest management practices, Apples, blackberries, cherries, currants (red and black), gooseberries, other berries, pears, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (red), rhubarb, strawberries, Tayberries,
  Greenacres, Wood Lane North Wheatley, Retford, DN22 9BG. Phone: 014278 880341. Email: info@goforgoachers.co.uk. Open: See our website for current hours. Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: On A620 Gainsborough to Retford road at North Wheatley. Do not turn into the village we are on the opposite side of the dual carriageway on Wood Lane. We use integrated pest management practices. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard. Pick Your Own strawberries are available form mid June through until early August. Pick-your -own apples from September. Pears start in September. We grow several delicious varieties of cherries, mainly black with just a few white. In July (weather permitting) you can even pick your own cherries. We have a eight varieties of pick your own Raspberries available from late June until mid September (depending on the weather!) All freeze exceptionally well. Our pick your own Black and Redcurrants are available from July; all are excellent modern varieties such as Ben Lomond & Ben More. Worcesterberries look like large blackcurrants on gooseberry bushes. they are aAvailable July and have a more gentle flavour than blackcurrants and are excellent in summer puddings, pies and jam. They need to be very dark to be fully ripe. When ripe and ready you can pick your own Worcesterberries. Pick your own Blackberries are available from mid August to the end of Sept. They freeze well and taste wonderful in pies, jams etc especially when mixed with our apples. Pumpkins are available from Early October until mid November, especially good for Halloween & Bonfire Night. Also make good pies, soups etc. Our Honey comes straight from the bees used to pollinate our fruit in the orchard. Our home reared turkeys are available oven ready for Christmas. These need to be ordered in advance and a deposit paid.
   (UPDATED: June 19, 2018, JBS) (UPDATED: May 12, 2014) (ADDED: November 10, 2009)
• Hills Farm Shop - currants (red and black), Raspberries, strawberries
  Kirklington Village, near Newark, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG22 8BU. Phone: 7388 827863. Alternate Phone: 01623 882664. Email: info@hillspickyourown.co.uk. Open: June, July; Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Directions: 617 between Mansfield and Newark. also Farm Shop at Edingley selling fresh home grown produce and plants.  (UPDATED: June 20, 2018, JBS)
• Retford Strawberries - Pick your own Strawberries and Raspberries,
  Welham Road, Welham, East Retford DN22 6UG. Phone: +44 7444 128773. Open: in season (typically June and July) on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10.30 am to 5.30pm or 6:30 pm; hours and days vary, so check with their Facebook page. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.. (ADDED: April 25, 2019, Suggested by a visitor)

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Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

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Farmer's Markets, Farm Stands and Roadside Stands, Etc. (NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

Click here for farmshops in this area.

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Community food festivals:

Lincolnshire

• Whitton Apple Fest - apples, asparagus, produce for sale, parking provide free, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, Held indoors in bad weather, Tents or other provisions are made for bad weather, FREE admission,
  Whitton Village Hall Church Hill, Whitton, Scunthorpe, DN159LH. Phone: +44 7704 310764. Email: applefest@whittonvillagehall.co.uk. Open: Sunday October 18th from 1pm to 9pm. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Welcome to Whitton's first annual 'Apple Fest' a celebration of all things 'apple' we hope to see you on the day and enjoy visiting our website to view the many activities we have in store. (ADDED: September 11, 2015)

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Wholesale Foods

Nottinghamshire

• Goacher's Farm Shop - Local sales at our farm, Local delivery, Preserves, jams, jellies, apples, blackberries, cherries, currants (red and black), gooseberries, other berries, pears, raspberries (red), strawberries, Tayberries, Turkeys, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, restrooms, picnic area (bring your own food)
  Greenacres, Wood Lane North Wheatley, Retford, DN22 9BG. Phone: 014278 880341. Email: info@goforgoachers.co.uk. Open: See our website for current hours. Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: On A620 Gainsborough to Retford road at North Wheatley. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard. (UPDATED: May 12, 2014)

Brambleberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

If you are getting ready to pick some brambles, either at a farm or along the roadside, you might want some useful information first! Brambles are both wild and domestic blackberries as well as similar sprawling berries, which typically includes the various hybrids like Loganberries, Tayberries, Boysenberries, and raspberries. Brambles typically peak during July, but it can range from early June through October, especially since new everbearing varieties like the American PrimeArk blackberries have been commercialized.

Varieties of Brambleberries, Blackberries, Raspberries and Hybrids

There almost countless variants of brambles. See this page for detailed descriptions of many bramble varieties found at British farms and orchards.

 

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 Blackberries, 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 Blackberries 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 plastic storage containers.
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 Bramble berries

1. There are two types of brambles to know about: thorny and thornless! Obviously, the thornless are easier to pick, but some people claim the thorny varieties are sweeter. With the thorny plants, you want to reach into the plant in the gaps, so you don't need to touch anything but the berry you're after, avoiding the thorns.
2. A ripe blackberry is deep black with a plump, full feel. It will pull free from the plant with only a slight tug. If the berry is red or purple, it's not ripe yet.
3. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. Unlike strawberries, blackberries are usually pretty tough, I dump mine into the bucket. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
4. Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.

General Picking Tips

Whether you pick brambles or blackberries from your garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Pick only the berries that are fully black, or a purple. Of course, there are a few varieties that are yellow orange or red when ripe, too. Typically, the should feel firm and plump and readily separate from the plant with a gentle tug. .
2.  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!
3. 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. Blackberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.

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. Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries
3. 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) Blackberries 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 blackberries (while they are in the fridge)!
4. Even under ideal conditions blackberries will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase

Blackberry Recipes, Freezing and Jam directions

1. How to make Blackberry jam - It is VERY easy - especially with our free Blackberry jam directions - very easy!
2. How to make Blackberry jelly
3. How to freeze berries
4. Blackberry syrup, make and can it!
5. Seedless blackberry pie!
6. Blackberry Festivals: Where, When and More to Find an Blackberry Festival Near You this year:

Blackberry Facts and Tips

• Black Raspberries, also known as "black caps" are a very healthy food; packed with anthocyanins!
• The USDA says 1 cup (228 ml) of blackberries has about 62 calories.
• 1 cup of blackberries, not packed down weighs about 140 grams.
• Select plump, firm, fully blackberries. Unripe berries will not ripen once picked.
• Ohio State University's Article Regarding Their Prevention of Cancer
• Oregon Berry Black Raspberry Brochure
• Blackberry tea was said to be a cure for dysentery during the Civil War. During outbreaks of dysentery, temporary truces were declared to allow both Union and Confederate soldiers to "go blackberrying" to forgage for blackberries to ward off the disease.
• Blackberries were enjoyed by the ancient Greeks, who believed them to be a cure for diseases of the mouth and throat, as well as a preventative against many ailments, including gout.
• The blackberry leaf was also used as an early hair dye, having been recommended by Culpeper, the English herbalist, to be boiled in a lye solution in order to "maketh the hair black".
• Guide to blackberry varieties
• Researchers have known for quite some time that berries contain antioxidants which help to fight cancer causing free radicals. A study at the University of Ohio has found that blackberries are the most potent cancer fighting berries of them all, by nearly 40 percent!
• U-pick Blackberry farms typically sell berries by the pound. A quart equals 1 and 1/2 pounds of fresh berries.
• Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase as Blackberries 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 blackberry festival? See this page for a list!

  Meats, Milk and Eggs:

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  Farm Venues for Weddings, Events, Activities, Parties and Meetings:

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  Horse Rides and More:

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  Farm Bed And Breakfasts

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  Maple Syrup Farms and Sugarworks:

   

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