07/09/2026
Our 2026 U-Pick season has officially come to a close.
First, I want to thank every customer who visited the farm this year. Whether it was your first visit or you’re a longtime regular, your support means more than you will ever know. This marked my eighth season since taking over the farm from family & friends, and I can honestly say it ranks among the three most challenging seasons I have faced.
What initially looked like it would be an outstanding year for our blueberries quickly become a difficult one. The season began with a mid-late freeze that damaged much of our early highbush crop. Then the Cedar Waxwings arrived and quickly cleaned up much of the remaining highbush fruit.
As we moved later into spring, we faced drought conditions that impacted plant growth and reduced flower production and zero vegetable production. Just when we needed rain, we received too much of it. Multiple consecutive weeks of rainfall brought flooding conditions. We experienced berries splitting, fruit loss, increased fungal disease pressure, and premature leaf drop. Just as things began to dry out, Tropical Storm Arthur arrived, bringing another round of severe weather and heavy rainfall. We did the best we could with what we had, and we are blessed to have had another season open to our community.
At times, this season felt defeating. But I’m not one to give up quite yet. As I look ahead to 2027, I remain committed to our restoration and growth plans. My goals include establishing another acre of blackberries, replacing more of our older, diseased blueberry plants with younger, healthier, and more productive varieties, and continuing to improve the farm experience for our visitors. These improvements will require significant time, resources, and investment, but I believe they will help create a better farm for future generations and a more enjoyable experience for everyone who visits.
The years ahead bring exciting changes to the farm. I’ll continue sharing updates and revealing more details as I iron them out throughout the “offseason”and into next year. I will also still try a release a newsletter every so often with updates. A HUGE thanks to my girls who helped run the stand and for all the other family and friends who helped behind the scenes.
Some seasons are about harvesting fruit, and some seasons are about planting the seeds for the future. I believe 2026 was a little bit of both. Thank you for being part of this journey and for supporting your local U-Pick farm. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2027.🫐🌻💙
2026 Mini Season Recap:
-986 blackberry plants put in the ground
-312 Highbush Blueberries put in the ground
-Over 1,655 visitors
-thousands of blueberries picked
-unlimited memories!
