U-Pick blueberries?

9 years ago

So I used to hit up Bailey's Berry Patch down in Sadler, which was a little over an hour from Durant. The farm changed hands and under the new ownership, they have been open once in the last four years. I need a new - no-chemical- blueberry farm to go picking at. I tried googling and the websites that come up are pretty useless. Anyone know of someplace in OK or N. Texas that is worth hitting up?

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Comments (12)

sorie6 zone 6b
9 years ago
Check out my post on blueberries
kfrinkle
Original Author
9 years ago
Sorry about that, somehow I completely missed your post. :(
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shankins123
9 years ago
When we lived in Dallas we used to go to a place outside Bonham. In the early years and if you timed it just right, you could go down one side of the farm-to-market road and pick your own peaches/plums and stop at a veggie stand for fantastic ears of corn. Go down a little further and on the other side you'd find Walker's place for blueberries. Mrs. Walker was a sweet, sweet lady and my girls loved going to pick there. She has passed away (as the post indicates), but her family is keeping the fields open in her honor.

Walkers Blueberries - No pesticides are used, blueberries, porta-potties
2933 Fm 274, Ravenna, TX 75476. Phone: 903-505-0118 . Alternate Phone: 903-583-4739. Email: jalvizo1@yahoo.com. Open: 7 am until 12 noon, most Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays beginning after June 10, 2014, until approximately mid - July; Please call the day before your planned trip to hear an announcement about availability. Directions: From the Dallas area, take Highway 121 to Bonham, Texas. From Bonham, take Highway 78 North approximately 10 miles. Turn left (west) on Farm-to-Market Road South to Mulberry. Go about 2.5 miles and turn left at 2933 FM 274 where you see the white Walkers' Blueberries sign on the left in the fence row. The blueberry patch is about a quarter mile down the dirt road, on the left. Click here for a map and directions. We do not use pesticides on the crops. Payment: Cash, only. The family regrets to inform our long-time customers that Mrs. Walker has passed away. Her family is keeping the berry patch open in her honor. We may not be able to answer the phone, but if you email us or leave a phone message, we will get back to you. (UPDATED: May 23, 2014) (UPDATED: May 26, 2013) (UPDATED: June 12, 2013)

Here is a link that might be useful: Scroll down for Fannin County blueberries
kfrinkle
Original Author
9 years ago
Wow, thanks for that one! I am going to inquire into it!
BixbyM
9 years ago
I have a close friend here in Bixby that has more blueberries than he knows what to do with this year. He does "pick your own" but has never advertised. He is located 1.25 miles East of HW 75 on 231st Street S. of Bixby / Hectorville. I have picked berries there in the past and the quality is very good. I'm not sure about the rules and if I can list his info so you can email me if you need to. He opens only twice a week to the public. Wednesday evening 6pm till dark and Saturdays 6 am till noon. Ask for Joe Brown. Hope this helps.
BixbyM
9 years ago
Still learning on pictures.
BixbyM
9 years ago
Joe says the early berries are ready to pick and the other varieties will ripen during the next 3 weeks. I took these pictures two years ago but he says they are loaded this year also.
scottokla
9 years ago
I wonder what variety of berries those are. They don't look like any of the northern highbush varieties that I grow.

FYI, I don't know of anyone around here that sprays any pesticides on blueberries or has any reason to. My experience is that there is no need. Maybe for really large plantings that have been around a while, or in other parts of the country they need to.

Synthetic fertilizers are used by some though, including me.
BixbyM
9 years ago
Not sure what type these berries are. Until I went out to Joe's place I thought there was only one variety, "blue". I think he said he had 5 varieties. I only took pictures of the biggest, of course.
scottokla
9 years ago
I've got to get out there! That is an impressive planting and they look really healthy. I can send around a dozen people out to his place. People are asking me regularly where to get them.

My Duke, Bluecrop, and Blueray berries are all past 50% ripe, and the Drapers are at about 25% ripe. Only Elliot are not ripe yet, and they will be in 7-10 days. These are all northern highbush varieties. They ones in the close-up photo don't appear to have the same growth pattern as mine.

I am down to about 15 big plants and another 10 smaller out of the 60 I started with 7 years ago
kfrinkle
Original Author
9 years ago
Bixby, sent you a message, definitely interested.
PryorGal
9 years ago
My husband, daughter and I picked a huge bucket from a U-pick place near Pryor, OK within the first 2 weeks of June of this year.. We picked up a card while we were there. Info is: Outback Farm 4163 East 470 Road, Pryor, OK 74361 and www.outbackfarm.org and 918-519-2148 for Mike or 918-519-9235 for Lee.