Raspberry picking is friendly to all heights of pickers. In fact, a multi-height team is a plus. The raspberry canes do have prickles, but they are small and don’t cause problems unless someone falls into them. Best of all, unlike strawberries, you don’t have to bend over to pick them!
Raspberry picking usually starts in late-June and peaks in July – start checking the websites of the farms below in mid-June for the exact opening dates.
Blueberry picking tips:
Dress for the weather, and wear shoes that protect your feet from the prickers.
Bring sunscreen, water, and snacks.
Some of these farms take cash only and some will not take cash.
Eastside
Harvold Berry Farm, 5207 Carnation-Duvall Rd NE, Carnation. 425-333-4185.
Call or check website for updates.
Remlinger Farms, 32610 NE 32nd St, Carnation. 425-333-4135.
Call or check Facebook for updates.
North Sound
Bailey Family Farm, 12711 Springhetti Road, Snohomish. 360-568-8826.
Call or check website for hours.
Biringer Farm, 21412 59th Ave. NE, Arlington. 425-259-0255.
Call or check website for hours.
How do you pick out a good raspberry?
- Ripe raspberries are a little darker red than you think. Think raspberry red, not raspberry pink. Pick only ripe raspberries; they won’t get any riper once picked.
- Ready raspberries want to be picked. Pull on them and they almost fall into your hand, leaving a white core behind. If you bend the twig and the berry stays put, it’s not ready.
- Not too squishy. If they are already too soft to eat, leave them there.
- Refrigerate or freeze them if you have no plans for them before bedtime.
Didn’t eat all the berries you brought home?
Freshly picked sun-ripened raspberries are a sublime summer eating experience so it can be challenging to put more in your container than your mouth. However, most likely you’ll bring home more berries than you manage to eat on the day you pick so here are a few delicious ways to extend the exquisite taste of raspberries.
• Freeze ‘em. Raspberries are almost as easy to freeze as blueberries. Rinse them and drain them well, jiggling to drain the centers. Freeze them in a single layer on a flat pan so that they freeze whole and don’t squish. When solid, seal berries in a zip-top bag.
•Make Raspberry Yogurt Popsicles! All you will need is paper cups, popsicle sticks, vanilla yogurt, orange juice, and raspberries. The kids can do this for themselves. For each cup of vanilla yogurt, stir in ½ cup orange juice, and as many raspberries as will fit. Spoon into the paper cups and pop in a stick or spoon. Place in the freezer until solid. Peel off the paper cups and enjoy. Perfect for, “Mom, I’m hungry and it’s too hot!”
• Make a puree. Use a food mill to get an instant purée and without seeds. Or puree the berries in the blender and squish the blended berries through a sieve to remove seeds. Add sugar to taste and enjoy the gorgeous sauce mixed with yogurt, on top of ice cream, or mixed into bubbly water or lemonade for summer coolness.
• Make jam. Check out our recipe for Raspberry Orange-Flower Jelly Of this simple Raspberry Freezer Jam.
Looking for more kinds of berries to U-pick? Check out our Guide to Berry Picking.
Find more fun outdoor summer things to do.
