Produce Farms near Hickory, NC

Hickory

Campbell's Berry Farm keeps between 2,500 and 3,000 blueberry bushes for u-pick, open throughout July: Monday to Saturday 7am to 7pm, Sundays 1 to 6. Beyond the berries, the farm sells hand-sown vegetables, homemade jams, and Hershey's ice cream. It's listed under Hickory but actually sits in the Bethlehem community north of town. Bring your own containers or use theirs, and expect a straightforward morning of picking.

Taylorsville

Auton Valley Berry Farm grows blueberries, blackberries, and muscadine grapes in Alexander County, sold pick-your-own or already picked. During the season it opens daily from 8 to 5. The family has mentioned plans for a winery down the road, but for now it's berries off Auton Road near Taylorsville. Reach Tammy Auton at 828-612-4059 to check what's ripe before you drive over.

Hickory

Smith Blueberry Farm grows blueberries near Hickory, in Catawba County at the edge of the Piedmont and the Blue Ridge foothills. Blueberry picking here peaks in June and July. Contact the farm for ripening updates and open days before you drive out.

Taylorsville

Blueberry Hill grows several blueberry varieties, including Kestrel, Chickadee, Avanti, and Springhigh, for pick-your-own on Paul Payne Store Road near Taylorsville. The Alexander County farm opens its bushes through the summer ripening window and lists itself among northwestern North Carolina's u-pick spots. Public contact details are limited to the farm's website. See blueberryhillfarm.net for the season's opening dates before driving out.

Lincolnton

McCurry's Strawberry Farm grows strawberries near Lincolnton, in Lincoln County northwest of Charlotte. Piedmont strawberry season here runs roughly from late April through May, when the farm sells fresh-picked berries. Wise Road is out in the county rather than in town. Because a warm week can pull the harvest forward, it's smart to call ahead before making the drive.

Connelly Springs

Beans 'n Berries runs a CSA of chemical-free, in-season vegetables plus fruit and blueberries on Rhoney Road in Connelly Springs, Burke County. Members pick up shares at the farm, and pick-your-own and pick-your-share are available with advance notice. The farm books tours by appointment and sells through an online shop. It's gradually shifting some land toward silviculture.

Moravian Falls

Brushy Mountain Berry Farm grows about seven blueberry varieties that ripen in turn across the summer, opened for pick-your-own on NC-16 in Moravian Falls. The Wilkes County farm also has wild blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries, sells seasonal vegetables from an on-site store, and carries pasture-raised meats through a partnership with Terra Firma Farms. Reach them at 336-414-9958 or brushymountainberryfarm.com to check ripening before you go.

Iron Station

Morganton

Countryside Berries grows u-pick blueberries without synthetic chemicals on Stephens Road near Morganton, open from mid-June to the start of August. If you'd rather not pick, they'll do it for you. An on-site bakery, Countryside Berries & Bakes, turns the fruit into baked goods. The farm sits in the Burke County foothills and started offering u-pick in 2014. Picking hours run Thursday through Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Stanley

Raceway Berry Farm grows berries on Mariposa Road in Stanley, Gaston County, northwest of Charlotte. Berry farms in this area run through late spring and summer, as strawberries give way to blueberries and blackberries. Contact the farm for picking conditions and open days.

Statesville

P&C Berries, formerly Mr. and Mrs. Bloomingarden, grows berries near Statesville in Iredell County, along the I-40 and I-77 crossroads north of Charlotte. Piedmont berry farms here run through early summer, with blueberries and blackberries the common crops. The farm has no website listed; confirm pick-your-own timing and hours locally.

Morganton

Perry's Berry's Vineyard & Winery makes handcrafted berry wines and runs pick-your-own blueberries at $4.50 a pound near Morganton in Burke County, in the Blue Ridge foothills. Its on-site Blueberry Bistro serves crepes, sandwiches, charcuterie, and blueberry ice cream, and the winery books private events and live music through the season.