Berry picking and summer go hand in hand, and one of our favorite family experiences when we first moved to Oregon was taking our baby daughter strawberry picking. She’s now nearly through high school and just asked when we’ll go berry picking again this summer. A few of our favorite farms are located in the South Willamette Valley near Eugene, and the local U-pick strawberries have just begun!
Strawberries, Blueberries, and Raspberries Oh My!
Groundwork Organics
Groundworks Organics is a favorite food stand of ours at the Lane County Farmer’s Market and offers certified organic vegetables, fruits, and cut flowers as well as U-pick on certain items. This year, the U-pick strawberry field opened on May 30 and is expected to last 3-4 weeks possibly into July (weather and picking habits dependent), so calling the farmstand ahead of time would be prudent. Buckets or boxes are available or you can bring your own. While there, stock up on their wonderful organic produce, and/or fresh flowers too.
6/21/25 update: U-pick is usually offered during regular hours on Thursdays and Sundays, but when we were out on 6/19 they said the season was waning especially with the heavy rain so call ahead to check. The strawberries were brought home were amazing. They said that organic u-pick raspberries will be available very soon!
Location:
91360 River Road
Junction City, Oregon 97448
(541) 654-4941
Hours:
Thursday – Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for U-pick but times vary so call ahead.
Cost:
The cost is $3.50 per pound of certified organic strawberries.
Upriver Organics
It’s worth the beautiful drive up the McKenzie alone to visit Upriver Organics, thought to be one of Oregon’s largest blueberry farms in the early 1950s, and our favorite spot for organic U-pick blueberries. They offer the following varieties of blueberries – Berkley, Bluecrop, Blueray, Chandler, Duke, and Earlyblue. This year, U-pick is expected to start in early July and go through the end of August, but call ahead or check their website for updates. They also offer a wonderful farmstand of produce too.
Location:
44382 McKenzie Highway
Leaburg, Oregon 97489
(541) 896-3928
Hours:
Wed – Sunday for U-pick
Wed – Sat 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Cost:
TBD they haven’t gotten back to me about this.
Johnson Vegetable Farms
We discovered Johnson Farms, one of the oldest local farms in Lane County, during the fall season when we experienced the memorable “Walt’s Wild Wagon Ride” one year at a birthday party. I also learned that they offer U-pick (non certified but “no spray”) organic raspberries during the summer months. Raspberries are one of my absolute favorite berries, and my daughter’s too. So we made sure to plan a special excursion out there and have visited two summers in a row now. As a special perk, they also have sweet goats to visit on the farm and a well-stocked farmstand including loads of frozen berries.
6/29/24 update: As of the end of June, raspberries are on, and they are estimated to last 2-3 weeks into about mid-July but call ahead to check. Stay tuned for 2025 details.
Location:
89733 Armitage Road
Eugene, Oregon 97408
(541) 343-9594
Hours:
Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Cost:
$5.50 per pound
I hope that this “short and sweet” list of our three favorite U-pick organic berry farms in the South Willamette Valley will get you started on your berry-picking adventures this spring and summer. If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy Northwest Berry Guide: Growing, U-Pick and Foraging Tips in Oregon and Washington. The COVID-19 references are now dated but the other information about timing of crops and storage tips might be useful. What is your favorite berry farm? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
P.S. I love bringing along stylish and UPF-rated Wallaroo Hat Company hats on all of my adventures. I’m pleased to offer a discount code of CAMILLEG20 to my readers if you’d like to give one a try. They have styles for women, men, and children. They are also a certified B Corporation.
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