U-Pick Blueberries 2016: How To Find Tampa Bay Locations

TAMPA BAY, FL — Tampa Bay area residents eager to pick their own fresh blueberries will find the season will soon come to a close. That doesn’t mean, however, that some local growers aren’t still offering fresh crops to the buying public.

Brooksville Ridge Blueberries, 1172 Hancock Lake Road, for example, plans to offer u-pick dates May 20-22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The berries cost $3 a pound if self-picked or $5 for pre-picked.

“We provide the picking buckets and bags, you will need to bring containers and coolers for the trip home,” the farm advises on its website.

Pickers are also warned that it can get pretty hot out in the fields

“Don’t forget your hat and sunscreen," the farm advises.

Sneakers are welcome, as are supervised kids, but pets must be left at home. Credit cards are not accepted, but cash and checks are.

Brooksville Ridge is one of many blueberry patches scattered across Tampa Bay’s counties. To make it easier for residents to find local u-pick locations, the Florida Blueberry Growers Association has created a search tool on its website. That tool lists 14 u-pick locations in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Naples, Lakeland, Sarasota and elsewhere. More locations can be found outside of the region, as well.

This upcoming weekend is one of the last of the season for many of the farms listed on the association’s website. Some locations, however, plan to offer u-pick opportunities through June 1.

To find out more about the u-pick locations in the area, visit the Florida Blueberry Growers Association online.

For ideas on how to use those blueberries in different dishes, check out the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ website. That agency offers a variety of recipes featuring this ingredient, including instructions to make “Florida Blueberry Parfait,” “Florida Blueberry Cobbler,” and “Florida Blueberry Pancakes con Queso Ricotta.”

Photo courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Facebook page

Do you know of other u-pick locations still open? Share them by commenting below!