Produce Farms near Franklin, NC

Franklin

Sharp's Berry Farm grows more than 300 blueberry bushes and five long rows of thornless blackberries in the mountains outside Franklin. Picking usually opens around July 1, sometimes earlier, with berries running about $3 a quart. The rows stay family-friendly and easy for kids to work. Bring your own containers and cash, and watch their Facebook page for the season's opening date.

Cullowhee

Thomas Berry Farm grows berries on Medalion Lane in Cullowhee, Jackson County, home of Western Carolina University in the far western mountains. High-elevation berry crops ripen later in summer than lowland farms. Reach out to confirm what's picking and when.

Whittier

Pick-your-own blueberries and other small fruit at the edge of Whittier, in the Smoky Mountain foothills near Cherokee and the Qualla Boundary. Directory listings put the season in summer, with berries, melons, and stone fruit among what the farm grows, plus on-farm pickup. Cool mountain nights tend to push local blueberry ripening a little later than in the Piedmont, so call before making the drive.

Paul's Blueberries grows u-pick blueberries along Whitewater Falls Road in the far northwest corner of South Carolina, near the Oconee County line and the Whitewater Falls scenic area. Blueberry season in the SC mountains generally runs from late June into August. Bring your own containers, and expect cash payment at a small operation like this one.

Tamassee

Willow Springs Berry Farm grows berries on Willow Springs Road in Tamassee, in the mountain foothills of Oconee County near the Blue Ridge. Cooler Upstate elevations push blueberry and blackberry season into June and July. Ripeness and open days shift with the mountain weather, so check with the farm before heading up.

Hiawassee

Blueberry Patch runs u-pick blueberries on Highway 76 East in Hiawassee, with buckets provided and berries charged by the pound. Season hours run Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It's one of several u-pick stops in the Georgia mountains near Lake Chatuge.