There’s nothing quite like the first bite of a freshly picked fruit or the heightened flavor of a vegetable straight from the farm. Oklahoma has plenty of places to make memories and get your fill of fresh produce, including u-pick berry farms. Take advantage of food at its ripest and stock up on mouthwatering berries and more at the u-pick farms outlined below.
Top U-Pick Farms
Endicott Farms – Mounds
Travel south of Tulsa to the small town of Mounds, and you'll find the scenic Endicott Farms. Perfectly spaced and well-maintained fields of blueberries and blackberries create a beautiful landscape. With juicy blueberries available from mid to late June and blackberries from late June to early July, you’ll be able to make a unique blueberry pie or blackberry cobbler from the stash of nearly a dozen varieties. Endicott Farms also has seasonal pecans perfect for a nutty topping.
Thunderbird Berry Farm – Broken Arrow
Open from the first of June through mid-July, Thunderbird Berry Farm in Broken Arrow offers a plethora of produce ripe for the picking. Visitors will find sweet strawberries early in the season, plump blueberries in June and tart blackberries in July. Thunderbird Berry Farm is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning, but feel free to stop by any other day as long as you have an appointment.
Maple Creek Berry Farm – Poteau
The Poteau Scenic Bypass and Pleasant Valley Road make for a peaceful drive along country roads to Maple Creek Berry Farm in the small town of Poteau. Explore over two acres of blueberries that have been pristinely maintained since their debut in 2002. With over 2,000 blueberry plants to harvest, take a container provided by Maple Creek and fill up on different varieties of the juicy fruit by the quart on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings throughout the growing season.
N40 Berries – Stillwater
Blackberry picking is perfect for all ages at N40 Berries in Stillwater. With 800 thornless blackberry bushes, this family-friendly farm offers a prick-free u-pick experience from late May through summer. Simply choose from one of four ripened varieties, including Natchez, Ouachita, Osage and Apache blackberries, and bring home pounds of fruits produced right here in Oklahoma. After washing off your freshly picked berries, be sure to toss a few into a pie crust before freezing the rest to enjoy throughout the year.
Creekside Berry Farm – Red Oak
Berries are bountiful at Creekside Berry Farm. At this family-friendly farm in Red Oak, the kids are welcome to come on down and take their pick of ripe blueberries, strawberries and blackberries, direct from the thriving berry bushes. Since the berries are grown on land originally owned and cultivated by the Choctaw Nation for decades, the berries are bound to reach peak sweetness year after year. For a delicious, juicy bite of berries, look no further than this seasonal farm packed with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and more.
Buffalo Creek Berry Farm – Mustang
Located just outside of the Oklahoma City metro area, Buffalo Creek Berry Farm is a popular Mustang destination for fresh berries, along with an abundance of seasonal vegetables. Head to this rustic farm in late spring and bring home pints of strawberries, or wait until summer for Buffalo Creek's selection of thornless blackberries and raspberries for a warm weather treat. Add some homegrown vegetables to your culinary plans with the farm's abundance of fresh okra, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, peppers and onions. Most produce is sold by the pound and at market prices, so take advantage of the seasonal bounty available at Buffalo Creek Berry Farm.
Wind Drift Orchards – Harrah
Peach, nectarine and plum options are seemingly endless at Wind Drift Orchards in Harrah. Venture into Wind Drift Orchards East and search 6,000 trees’ worth of plentiful peaches in 12 varieties like Cresthaven, Encore, Topaz, Sugar Giant and Summer Pearl. Over at Wind Drift Orchards West, visitors will find five kinds of nectarines and two styles of plums. Plan to gather these plump fruits from mid-June through early September.
U-Pick Tips & Tricks:
Here are some tips and tricks for getting the most out of your u-pick experience in Oklahoma.
Keep cool and arrive early.
Many u-pick farms have early hours, and it’s best to get out when the Oklahoma sun is greeting you instead of at its peak in the middle of the day. The berries and fruit are freshest then, and you’ll also get first dibs for being an early bird.
Don’t forget your containers.
Bring a shallow container for picking so the weight of the berries on top won’t crush the ones on the bottom. Some places provide picking containers and take-home bags, so call ahead to double check. If you’re driving quite a ways to get to a farm, a cooler will help your produce stay at its freshest on the ride home.
Come prepared.
The right attire is essential to remaining comfortable while picking berries. Don’t forget to wear long sleeves, pants and a hat. Bug spray and sunscreen are also good ideas as well as gardening gloves. Document your trip with a few snapshots on your digital camera too. Expert tip: Stretch out your back, legs and arms before picking to keep from cramping up while bending over.
Have a plan for your produce.
Read up on canning, making jam, freezing techniques or recipes for the produce you’re going to pick in order to get the most out of your produce while it’s at its peak.
Other general rules.
Follow the farms’ rules on where to pick, how much to pick and when. If u-pick is by appointment, be sure to call ahead. Most importantly, if you need help or have questions don’t be shy. The owners will be able to answer all of your questions on ripeness, growing seasons and so much more.
