Bring your little helpers to visit one of these Puget Sound area blueberry U-pick farms. Blueberries are an ideal U-pick crop for kids —you get to stand upright and there are no thorns! Not to mention they’re a “superfood” that both kids and adults will eagerly gobble up.
You can usually pick ripe blueberries from mid-July to early September, however, the season varies with climate conditions, and some farms open in late June. (Bryant Blueberry Farm in Arlington will open June 29th in 2023). Remember to always call first or check the farm website or Facebook to make sure the farm is open and there are berries for picking.
Here’s your all-you-need-to-know guide to the blueberry season: u-picks farms, how to spot ripe berries, and scrumptious recipes just in case you do not eat immediately everything you pick!
U-Pick Farm Tips
Some blueberry U-pick farms are cash or check only. Likewise, an increasing number of all types of businesses have gone cash-free.
Some farms are certified organic, some follow organic practices without being certified, and others take a conventional approach. If you want to know what a farm’s growing practices are, just ask.
Most farms do not allow dogs: if a farm does allow dogs they are not allowed in the berry-picking area.
You’ll be out in the sun, handling stain-inducing fruit, so dress everyone accordingly. Pack hats, sunscreen, wet wipes, snacks, and plenty of water. Consider bringing a change of clothes and shoes, and some mosquito repellant, too.
(Bonus: Before your farm visit, check out Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey and read for giggles.)
So, how do you pick out a good blueberry?
Ripe blueberries are a tiny bit soft and dark blue, rather than dusty looking. They need only a little tug to pick. If the twig bends, the berry wants to stay on a little longer.
Only pick ripe blueberries. They won’t get any riper once picked.
Not too squishy. If they are already too soft to eat, leave them there.
Refrigerate or freeze if you have no plans for them before bedtime.
Tips and recipes for blueberries from Greta Hardin, author of Cooking Your Local Produce.
1. Freeze ‘em. Blueberries are the easiest berries to freeze, hands down. Rinse them, drain them, pick out any straw flowers and stems, toss them in a zip-top bag and freeze. Done.
2. Queue up blueberry pancakes, waffles or muffins for the morning. Measure out all of the ingredients the night before, so all you have to do is mix ‘em up and cook them in the morning. This is a great way to get the kids involved in baking. If you do the measuring when no one is hungry or in a hurry you can take all the time you need. This is also a great “one kid is napping, one kid is awake” activity.
I have been using these two recipes for years, and highly recommend them. Use this pancake recipe from the Food Network and drop five-ish blueberries into each pancake as soon the batter is down. An easy waffle recipe can be found on Hardin’s Fresh Start Cooking blog.
3. Make blueberry syrup. For each ½ cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen), use 1 Tablespoon of sugar or syrup. Add the blueberries and sugar to a saucepan (and a splash of lemon juice if you have it). Smash the berries a bit with a fork. Stir over medium-high heat until things start to bubble. Drop the heat to low and simmer until the syrup is a bit thicker and makes you want to eat it with a spoon.
Use the syrup over yogurt or ice cream right away, or cool and store in the freezer in ½ cup amounts. Heat it up and use it at your leisure on pancakes and waffles.
More excellent blueberry recipes kids and grown-ups will love:
Blueberry Lemon Verbena Galette in Send the kids to summer pie school with two Kate Lebo recipes
Blueberry Lime Yogurt Pops – a delectable Rebeccca Mongrain summer treat in The Best, Fresh Summertime Meals for your Family.
Blueberry, Lemon and Lavender Entremet Cake – the 2021 Blueberry Recipe Kids Contest Winner!
U-PICK FARMS
Eastside
42930 SE 92nd St.North Bend, WA
425-888-5745 1800 Fall City-Carnation Road SE
Fall City, WA
and
32500 60th Street NE
Carnation, WA
206-605-4420 (weekdays), 206-605-4601 (weekends) Facebook page 700 148th Ave SE
Bellevue, WA
346-298-0193
Mercer Slough Blueberry Farm CLOSED
2380 Bellevue Way SE
Bellevue, WA 98004
Closed for construction of Sound Transit East Link
North
8628 Fobes Rd.Snohomish, WA
360-568-4713
15628 Bow Hill Rd.
Bow, WA 98232
Monroe, WA
360-794-8125 5628 Grandview Rd.
Arlington, WA
360-474-8424
20177 East Stackpole Road
Mount Vernon, WA 98274
360-941-9927
14355 Kelly Road NE
Duvall, WA 98019
Facebook
Snohomish, WA
360-668-3391 Facebook
South
Black River Blues Blueberry Farm
17132 Moon Rd SWRochester, WA
360-273-3489 Facebook Blue Dot Farm 21010 SE 416th St.
Enumclaw, WA
360-825-1623 17403 SE 244th Pl
Kent, WA 253-631-3428 Canter-Berry Farms 19102 SE Green Valley Rd
Auburn, WA
800-548-8418 1201 S Fruitland
Puyallup, WA 23206 SE 448th St.
Enumclaw, WA
253-405-2592 Facebook
Across the Sound
Bainbridge Island Blueberry Co.
11054 Madison Ave NEBainbridge Island, WA
206-673-7812 20211 Vashon Hwy SW
Vashon Island, WA
206-463-3655
Try out these tempting blueberry recipes:
Try making the blueberry lemon verbena gallette in Send the kids to summer pie school with two Kate Lebo recipes, or follow Rebecca Mongrain’s formula for blueberry lime yogurt pops in The Best, Fresh Summertime Meals for your Family.
Hoping to pick strawberries, raspberries, tayberries, and blackberries? Go HERE