My fridge is always stocked with an assortment of fresh, vibrant strawberries and blueberries. As someone with a sweet tooth, I love to indulge on nature’s very own candy. It makes the perfect, colorful addition to a bowl of oatmeal, a smoothie or salad. Or you can do what I do, which is eat them directly from the container. While you can always buy your berries from a store, to get a more intimate experience, you can pick them yourself. Picking berries is the perfect way to spend a day with your family. You also get the benefit of choosing fresh, locally-grown berries and supporting trustworthy farmers in the process. Are you wondering where you can go blueberry picking in Gainesville? Here is a list of nearby farms that offer this experience. Have fun pickin’ and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty!
Amber Brooke Farms Williston
3250 NE 140th Ave, Williston
Amber Brooke Farms is just one place to go blueberry picking near Gainesville. You can enjoy filling up a bucket of irresistible blueberries at a family-owned and operated farm. If you get hungry from pickin,’ you can grab a snack at their onsite café, where you can enjoy baked goods made from scratch, blueberry candy and explore the gift shop. The farm is open from select weekends in April and May – beginning this weekend! – where the blueberries are $4.95 per pound. Amber Brooke Farms will provide you with all the tools you need, a bucket, a harness to hold the bucket and a take-home container, to make the most out of your experience.
Amber Brooke Farms Blueberry Festival
3250 NE 140th Ave, Williston
The Amber Brooke Farms Blueberry Festival is April 20-21 and April 27-28! There will be blueberry u-pick, a blueberry pie eating contest, photo ops with the Blueberry Mascot, food items for purchase, a bubble barn, yard games, wagon rides and more! Plus, the archery range, gemstone mining, u-pick vegetables and u-pick sunflowers will be open! Find out more and purchase tickets here.
Mount Dora Blueberry Festival
539 N. Donnelly St Mount Dora, Mt. Dora
The 10th annual Mount Dora Blueberry Festival is April 27-28! There will be local Blueberry Farms selling freshly picked berries and blueberry products from their farms. There will also be other vendors, live music, a pancake breakfast, blueberry beer, wine and a blueberry pie eating contest! Check the event website for Blueberry farm picking tours, parking information and more.
Yancey’s Blueberry Farm
11821 SE 1st St Road, Silver Springs
Yancey’s Blueberry Farm is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for blueberry picking! You-pick berries are $4 per pound, and “we-pick” berries are $5 per pound. Don’t forget to bring your own containers and sunscreen.
Brown’s Farm
18120 NE State Road 26, Orange Heights
Take a short trip to Orange Heights, where you buy blueberries and more at a family-owned farm that has been serving their community since 1959. Brown’s Farm is from Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
Aunt Zelma’s Blueberries
21209 U.S. 301, Island Grove
Venture out to Island Grove and visit Aunt Zelma’s Blueberries, where you can pick from a variety of seven types of blueberries, located on the gorgeous property owned by the Hadley Family since the 1800s. Blueberry picking reopens April 12 for the season! They are open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Invite your whole family and enjoy a weekend stocking up on blueberries. Check their Facebook for updates about picking.
Santa Fe River Farms
8910 E County Road 225, Gainesville
Come pick fresh and organic blueberries at Santa Fe River Farms! After a busy weekend April 6-7, blueberry picking will reopen April 12 to give the blueberries some time to grow. The farm is open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and also offers bamboo and honey.
Straughn Farms
13000 SW 121st Ave, Archer
Open weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Straughn Farms offers u-pick blueberries for $5 per pound! They have “Blue Ribbon” blueberries that are available to pick. In addition to blueberries, the farm has u-pick raspberries for $6 per pound and some leftover strawberries for $4 per pound.
Sunset Hilltop Farm
12951 NW 60th Ave, Chiefland
Sunset Hilltop Farm is typically open daily for u-pick blueberries from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., no reservation required! Be sure to check their Facebook for updated daily hours.
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