Home / U-Pick Blueberries
Season starts July 14

U-Pick
Blueberries.

Grab a bucket. Bring the family. Take home as many berries as your arms can carry. Six weeks every summer, on the back forty.

Season
Jul 14 – Aug 31
2026 dates
U-Pick
$3.50 / lb
Pre-picked $5/lb
Hours
7am – 12pm
Mon–Sat
Varieties
Three heritage
Duke · Bluecrop · Elliott
📷 Photo: Family picking blueberries
at golden-hour July morning
Opens in 54 days · First-Saturday-of-season opening at 7am · Coffee on the house for the early crowd

Just show up.

No reservations. No app. No check-in. Pull up to the back-forty gate, find a row, get to picking.

1
🚙

Drive in

Take the gravel drive past the main nursery to the back-forty parking. Sam (or one of the kids) is at the weigh station.

2
🪣

Grab a bucket

Pick up an empty 5lb bucket (free to use) or bring your own. We'll point you to whichever variety is ripest that morning.

3
🫐

Pick to your heart's content

Take your time. Snack as you go (it's allowed — encouraged, even). The good fruit is on the underside of the branches.

4
⚖️

Weigh and pay

Drop your bucket at the weigh station on the way out. $3.50 per pound. Cash, card, or Venmo all welcome.

Three berries. Three weeks each.

Carol planted Duke and Bluecrop in 1985. Elliott went in twenty years later. They ripen in sequence — which is exactly why the season lasts six weeks.

🫐Photo: Duke berries on the branch
Early · Jul 14 – Jul 28

Duke

Vaccinium corymbosum 'Duke'

The first to ripen. Firm, sweet-tart, perfectly round. Carol's favorite for baking — they hold their shape in muffins and pancakes.

Sweet-tart Firm Best baked
🫐Photo: Bluecrop cluster
Mid · Jul 28 – Aug 14

Bluecrop

Vaccinium corymbosum 'Bluecrop'

The all-rounder. Big berries, classic blueberry flavor, perfect for fresh eating. This is the variety the kids fight over.

Classic Large fruit Snack berry
🫐Photo: Elliott late-season
Late · Aug 14 – Aug 31

Elliott

Vaccinium corymbosum 'Elliott'

The closer. Smaller, tarter, almost wine-like. Freezes beautifully — these are the berries that get you through January.

Tart Freezer-friendly Late season

What to bring, what to know.

🎒 Bring

  • Closed-toe shoes (the field is uneven; sandals are a bad idea)
  • Sun hat and sunscreen — the rows are exposed
  • Your own buckets or flats, if you want to take more than 10 lbs home
  • Cash, card, or Venmo for paying at the weigh station
  • Hungry kids (snacking in the field is allowed)
  • A water bottle — the well-water pump is at the entrance, free refills

🫐 Tips from Carol

  • Come early. The 7am crowd gets the easiest picking and the coolest weather.
  • Look underneath the branches — the sun-shaded berries are the sweetest.
  • A ripe blueberry falls into your hand with a gentle tug. If you have to pull, it's not ready.
  • Don't wash until you're ready to eat — the natural bloom protects them.
  • To freeze: lay flat on a sheet pan first, freeze for an hour, then bag. They won't clump.
  • Two adults can usually pick 10 lbs in under an hour. Plan accordingly.

Things people always ask.

Do I need to reserve a time?

Nope. Just drive in. We open at 7am Monday through Saturday during the season. Closed Sundays so the rows can rest (and so we can too).

The only exception is for groups of 10+ — please call ahead so we can route you to a longer row.

Are kids welcome?

Heartily. Kids are half the joy of U-Pick — and a snack berry or two never hurt anyone. We have small kid-sized buckets (free to use). Strollers work fine on the main aisles but the rows can be tight.

What if it's raining?

We're open rain or shine, but heavy rain makes the berries soft and the field muddy — not great for picking. We'll post a closure on our Instagram (@ridgelinegarden) by 6am if conditions are bad.

The shoulder times (just before and after a rain) are actually some of the best picking — fewer crowds, perfect berries.

Can I bring my dog?

Leashed dogs are welcome in the parking and weigh-station area, but not in the rows themselves — for the dog's safety and the berries'.

How much can I pick?

As much as you want. There's no minimum and no maximum. Just be honest at the weigh station.

For commercial volume (40 lbs+), please call ahead — we can sometimes route you to a freshly-rested row and we offer a small bulk discount.

Do you ship?

We don't ship fresh berries — they don't travel. We do sell frozen flats by the pound at the main nursery starting in September; call to check availability.

Can I buy pre-picked?

Yes, every morning during the season. Pre-picked is $5/lb (vs $3.50/lb U-Pick) and available at the main nursery counter until we sell out, usually by 11am.

See you in July.

Mark your calendar for opening Saturday. We'll have coffee, the kids will be at the weigh station, and the Dukes will be at peak.