Blueberry Picking

This week we went blueberry picking at Blu By U Blueberry Farm near Jacksonville Florida. The berries were so sweet and cheaper than those found in a grocery store. It was also a great way to show the kids where the food we eat comes from.

We have visited several pick your own farms to pick apples in Maryland and peaches in New Jersey. But this was our first time picking blueberries and we loved it! The Blu By U has other fun activities as well as berry picking.

Picking Blueberries

There is no admission cost to pick berries at the Blu By U blueberry farm all you pay for is the berries you pick.

After parking your car make your way to the blueberry field and get one of the provided buckets. It’s always a good idea to ask what the best blueberries are for eating fresh and baking so you know which kinds you want to pick. We picked a couple of different types of blueberries and they were all delicious.

We got 2 buckets so that each of the kids could pick their own blueberries. Our 4 year old quickly figured out that he was only supposed to pick the blue blueberries, but our 2 year old struggled with picking handfuls of berries most of them green.

Luckily after about an hour of picking we ended up with about 2 lbs of berries, mostly colored blue.

In the little shop, they clean the berries and weigh them before you pay for them. The berries were put in a nice big ziplock bag for us to easily take home.

The farm we visited accepts both cash and card. It’s a good idea to check before you visit the farm or play it safe and bring cash.

After picking our berries we enjoyed a picnic lunch with our friends in the covered play area. The kids spent some time playing in the sand and on the hammock and swings.

Then we were off to see the animals. We made a quick stop in the butterfly house. Only 1 butterfly had emerged from its chrysalis so it’s something we will have to check out next time we visit.

Related Post: Blueberry Sour Cream Pie

The animal area at the farm is fun to visit with a couple of donkey’s, chickens, goats, and pigs the kids will love it.

I loved the pallet washing station outside the animal area. I want to build one for my back yard. Wouldn’t it be a fun mud kitchen?

Tips for Blueberry Picking

Make Sure the Farm has Berries and Check Hours

Check to make sure the farm you are going to has blueberries. Sometime’s it’s as easy as checking their facebook page and other times it’s best to give them a call to make sure they still have berries.

Sunscreen and Hats

Since berries grow on bushes there typically isn’t a lot of shade when picking blueberries so make sure to protect yourself from getting a sunburn.

Wear Closed Toe Shoes

Most Blueberry fields are located on farms which means bugs, snacks and weeds. Wear closed toe shoes to protect your feet from getting hurt and to stay comfortable.

Bring Water

Summer days get hot in many parts of the country so make sure to stay hydrated while picking berries outside. At the Blu By U blueberry farm they actually had a water drinking area which made it so we could leave our waters in the cooler in the car.

You Might Want Bug Spray

When we visited the blueberry farm the bugs weren’t bad but we had bug spray with us because you never know when you will want it.

Consider Making a Day of It

Check with the farm you are visiting and see if they have other activities for you to do when you visit and if they have a picnic area.

Have you gone blueberry picking? What tips do you have?

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