Northern Wisconsin Berry Farms: A Top-Pick Healthy, Inexpensive Activity

Northern Wisconsin Berry Farms: A Top-Pick Healthy, Inexpensive Activity

Imagine an afternoon spent meandering the rows of vibrant bushes, gathering the juiciest berries you can find, while talking over your plans for them with your loved ones—freezing the fruit for smoothies you’ll enjoy for months to come…or baking them in a pie…or eating them right out of the bowl. Even the light breeze that cools your sun-warmed back smells sweet.

For the nine reasons that follow, picking your own berries at one of northern Wisconsin’s many outstanding farms is a top pick for a change-of-pace activity for your time spent Up North this summer.

As if you needed convincing.

1. Reap all the health benefits of the berries. Berries are claimed to be among the healthiest foods on Earth. Chock full of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber—these small wonders have anti-inflammatory properties and are purported to improve blood sugar levels and insulin response.
2. Improve your relationship with food. By harvesting your strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries, you are breaking away from the typical buy–eat–discard consumer cycle that makes it far too easy to mindlessly overconsume. This slower process of gathering and preparing helps you feel more satisfied and invested in the food you choose to eat.
3. Enjoy some exercise in the fresh air. Bending, twisting, balancing, grasping: while at the berry farm, you are improving your ability to move functionally in your day-to-day life. The exercise involved is also a surefire way to boost your mood and energy level. A stimulating activity for both kids and adults, berry picking provides a full sensory experience that promotes the development of balance and fine motor skills.
4. Plan an inexpensive activity that will change of the pace of your vacation Up North. Picking berries doesn’t require expensive equipment or a major time commitment, but it can make for a memorable afternoon during your time in northern Wisconsin. Berry picking keeps hands and eyes busy (read: away from mobile devices) and promotes a light-hearted social experience with friends or family.
5. Support local agricultural businesses. Northern Wisconsin communities would not be what they are without their locally owned businesses. By visiting these farms, you are supporting the economic and cultural heartbeat of the region that you love.
6. Improve your relationship with nature and the seasons. Spending time on a farm, even for a couple of hours, serves as a reminder not only of the bountiful joy of the summer but also the importance of the cold and rain to develop the fruit into something you can’t wait to eat. The experience might even make you more appreciative of Wisconsin’s dramatic weather patterns in the colder months. (Hey, I said might…)
7. Freshness Guaranteed! You can’t beat the freshness of berries that you know were just picked—by you!
8. Save money. Picking your own berries from these farms is often less expensive than picking them up from the grocery store.
9. Support growing practices you respect. By picking where to pick your berries, you cast your vote in support of the farm’s practices. The northern Wisconsin berry farms listed below (just some of the many valuable farms in our region) take conscious and integrated approaches to growing practices and pest control; some are certified organic or in the process of becoming certified.

7 Northern Wisconsin Berry Farms with Natural Growing Practices

1. Bashaw Valley Farm and Greenhouse, in Shell Lake (Washburn County), is a certified organic farm that offers blueberries, raspberries, strawberries. Strawberries are prepicked only, while blueberries are both U-Pick. Check for updates on their Facebook page.
2. Basket Flats Farm, in Marengo (Ashland County). Uses no pesticides in growing their strawberries. Recent Facebook posts say they haven’t started you-pick season yet, but very soon! Check back for updates.
3. Blue Vista Farm, in Bayfield (Bayfield County) offers eco-grown raspberries—using only organic pesticides—as well as both organically and conventionally grown blueberries. Check Facebook (@bluevistafarm) for their current you-pick offerings.
4. Highland Valley Farm, in Bayfield (Bayfield County), uses integrated pest management practices while growing their blueberries and raspberries. Check Facebook for their current offerings.
5. JP’s Berry & Pumpkin Patch, in Tomahawk (Lincoln County), uses natural growing practices for their strawberries and blackberries. Check their Facebook page for updates, and call for their strawberry picking availability.
6. North Wind Organic Farm, in Bayfield (Bayfield County), is certified organic. This farm offers prepicked and pick-your-own strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Check Facebook for updated availability.
7. Squirrel Ridge Farm, in Webster (Burnett County), uses natural growing practices (though not yet certified organic) while growing their blueberries. Check Facebook (@squirrelridgefarm) for updates on pick-your-own offerings.

Ready to Go?

Here are the typical berry picking seasons in northern Wisconsin:

Strawberries: mid-June through July

Blackberries: June through July

Raspberries: Early July through mid-August

Blueberries: Late July through early September

However, this year’s cool, wet conditions have delayed berry picking seasons throughout the region, which means that you’ve got just about the entire berry picking season ahead of you! Be sure to check the farm’s website and/or Facebook page for recent reports, and call the farm to for the most up-to-date availability. Also make sure you bring the form of payment they accept—not all businesses accept credit or debit cards. Happy picking!