It’s blueberry picking time in Northwest Florida

Where to find local sweet blueberries to pick or purchase 

June and July is the time of year to head out and find tasty Florida blueberries.

In addition to a great topping for cereal or salads, blueberry pancakes, muffins and coffee cakes are also a popular homemade treat for blueberry lovers.

Many locals take advantage of the local pick-your-own farms and stock up by purchasing berries by the gallon from local growers. Since the fruit freezes well, many buy in abundance when the berries are available at their peak of sweetness.

Here’s a rundown on where and how you can locally acquire the healthy and tasty treat.

Note: Call first for availability.

Walton County

Love Berry Farm
Love Berry Farm up in New Harmony still has plenty to pick!
2273 New Harmony Loop
DeFuniak Springs, Fla.
Saturdays and Sundays – Call ahead – Tel: 850-582-3184

Okaloosa County

Shockley Springs Blueberry Farm
7097 Old River Road
Baker, Fla. 32531
Shockley Springs Blueberry Farm has 10 acres of blueberries in assorted varieties. The farm also sells commercially to local grocers.
Tel: (850) 902-0160 (weekends 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. or by appt.)
Sells by the pound; a gallon bucket holds about 5 lbs.
Fruit picked up at the farm is $20.00 each, packaged in 10 lb. boxes. Call first for availability.
Click here for map

Bay County

Yates Farms: Satudays and Sundays
22246 Tolliver Road
Fountain 32438
Yates Farm is open Tues. – Saturday from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. They will be offering blueberries through the month of June.
Tel: 850-625-6400

Jackson County

Pike Pond You Pick Blueberries
2124 Pike Pond Rd, Alford, FL 32420-6964
For hours, go to their Facebook page here.

Leon County

Jubilee Orchards (CLOSED FOR 2024 season)
12008 Miccosukee Road
Tallahassee, FL. 32309
850-385-7800

At Jubilee, we are forging a new path. A path that allows you to choose among several great berry types, knowing your berries will be fresh and locally grown.
Tuesday – Friday: 4-7 pm
Saturday: 8 – 5 pm
Sunday: 1 – 5 pm
Monday: Closed

Recipes

Blueberry Coffee Cake

For Cake
1/4 cup salad oil
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

For Topping
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup broken walnuts
1 tablespoon melted butter
3/4 cup fresh or thawed blueberries

Combine oil, egg and milk. Sift together dry ingredients and add to milk mixture, mix well.

In another bowl, combine topping ingredients.

Pour cake batter into a greased 9x9x2-inch pan. Spread blueberries evenly over batter. Top that with cinnamon nut mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
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Blueberry lemon corn muffins

Ingredients
paper muffin cup liners
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup blueberries

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and line six 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners.
Melt butter and cool. Into a large bowl sift together flour and baking powder and whisk in cornmeal, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest, and a generous pinch salt. In a bowl whisk together melted butter, milk, and yolks and add to flour mixture with half of blueberries, gently stirring until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among cups (batter will fill cups) and press remaining blueberries into tops of muffins. Sprinkle tops of muffins evenly with remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake muffins in middle of oven about 15 minutes, or until tops are golden and a tester comes out clean. Remove muffins from cups and cool on a rack. Muffins keep in an airtight container at room temperature 2 days.

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Gluten-Free Blueberry Corn Muffins

2 tablespoons tapioca flour plus 2 tablespoons for dusting pan
1 1/4 cups finely ground yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup white rice flour*
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
4 large eggs
1 cup fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries (about 5 ounces)
* *Be sure to use white rice flour; brown will result in gritty muffins.

Special equipment:
Special equipment: Muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) cups

Preparation
Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter muffin pan and lightly dust with tapioca flour, knocking out excess.

In large bowl, whisk together tapioca flour, cornmeal, rice flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In medium bowl, whisk together butter, milk, maple syrup, and eggs.

Using wooden spoon, stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until fully combined. Gently fold in blueberries.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake until tops are domed and feel springy to the touch, and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack.