Visit the Blueberry Farm

Tucked away on over 15 rolling acres in Stowe Hollow, we have more than 3,000 mature blueberry bushes, ripe for the picking during prime picking season starting in mid-July. Our crop consists of 7 different varieties – Blue Crop, Blueray, Bluejay, Patriot Blueberry, Toro, Nelson and Polaris.

We use a number of techniques to control pests before we turn to chemical methods. This approach to integrated pest management (IPM) allows us to grow quality produce while minimizing risks to our guests and the environment. The objective of IPM is not to eliminate all pests but to prevent pest populations from reaching damaging levels.

Inspection and monitoring are the backbone of an IPM program, where the goal is to detect and correct conditions that can lead to pest problems before they occur. When you pick, you will see yellow tags hanging from some bushes. This is a monitoring practice that allows us to monitor insect activity and make educated decisions. Spraying is only done when a pest or disease reaches a level that could seriously harm the crop.

Major improvements including:

  • Improved walking paths

  • Cropping of surrounding trees for maximum sunlight for enhanced growing conditions

  • In the fall of 2021, we created a test growth area by mowing older bushes to the ground requiring heavy pruning. This allowed for new shoots to grow for future years. These plants will be ready for harvest in 2024

  • Added a picnic table for family enjoyment

  • Continued to prune late winter 2023 and early spring 2024

  • Transplanted over two hundred bushes to consolidate rows in the lower field

  • Mulched 50% of rows with local wood chips

  • Introduced 4 new Blueberry species to our farm spring of 2024: Toro, Nelson, Patriot, Polaris totaling 64 total new plants in lower field

  • Perennial pollinator garden in lower field

  • Diversified plantings adding:

    • Pumpkin patch for fall 2024 totaling just over 1,070 feet of pumpkins

    • Sweet corn roughly 300 feet

    • 6 new apple trees near the main lower field entrance

    • Enhanced our pollinator habitats by planting over 2 thousand spring tulip bulbs, over 600 feet of sunflowers, roughly 375 feet of cut flowers and 1 thousand feet of pumpkins.

      • Sunflower rows roughly 612 feet (Strawberry Blonde, Valentine, Florenza, Autumn Beauty, Sonja, and Summer Breezee)

      • Dalhia Collections

      • Cut flowers row of roughly 378 feet

        • Zinnias, Snap Dragons, Gladiolus, Canna, Baby’s breath, , Delphiniums, Lion’s Mouth Snapdragons, Lavender, Foxglove and Strawflower

Picking blueberries

 PICK-YOUR-OWN POLICIES:

We want all visitors, young and old, to have fun and be safe,
so there are a few rules you will need to follow before entering the blueberry fields:

  • Check in at the blueberry farm office to pick up your containers. Should you choose to bring your own containers, please make sure they are clean and be sure to have them weighed prior to picking. Dirty containers will not be permitted for harvesting.

  • Please pick in only designated blueberry areas. No wandering around the farm or into prohibited areas.

  • Our picking fields are within walking distance from the blueberry farm office & parking area, however proper footwear is recommended.

  • No unauthorized vehicles are permitted in the fields.

  • To make sure this is a fun and educational experience for all, please watch, maintain, and control your children.

  • No throwing of blueberries, rocks, sticks, or any objects.

  • Please do not step on the plants, climb on the trees, or break branches.

  • No running in the fields – some footing may be uneven.

  • Drink plenty of water while picking in the fields, and wear sunscreen and bug spray if needed.

  • Please be respectful of the land and pack-in, pack-out all garbage.

  • For food safety reasons, please, NO dogs permitted on the farm or in the fields. Please leave them at home where they are more comfortable rather than locked in your warm car. 

  • We are a working farm. Be aware of and keep away from trucks, tractors & all farm machinery, whether parked or in use.

  • North Hollow Berry Farm reserves the right to remove guests from our fields at any time.

  • Smoking and alcohol is strictly prohibited.

  • Please practice good health and safe food practices before, during, and after harvest. Wear clean clothes, and wash your hands thoroughly after using the restrooms and before you go to the fields. Shoes are required.

  • If you are not feeling well, please stay at home.

  • Pickers will  be required to sign a liability form prior to picking.

 BLUEBERRY PICKING TIPS

  1. Use care to pick berries that are ripe and BLUE all the way around. Not purple or green, those berries are still ripening. The last place a blueberry ripens is at the stem. 

  2. Please pick one berry at a time. Do not grab handfuls or rake berries off the bush.

  3. Place your container under the bush to catch falling berries. 

  4. Remember to look high, low, and deep in the bush for hidden berries.

  5. Pick ALL ripe berries from one bush (your assigned bush) before moving to a new one. It is very important to get a clean harvest when we pick as it ensures proper ripening for the next harvest, helps us manage our field rotation, is crucial for our pest management control, and helps us to maintain social distancing.

  6. Fruit storage tips: Separate large quantities of fruit into smaller containers. Refrigerate fruit. Use or freeze within 3-4 days for best quality.