Due to the likelihood of heavy rain tonight and already muddy driving conditions up the hill, Blueberry and Blackberry U-Pick will be closed Thursday.

Instead, Blueberry and Blackberry U-Pick will be open Saturday from 7AM to Noon. We expect slow picking for both berries; consider staying home unless a pleasant experience and a few pounds of berries per customer will make the trip worthwhile.

Friday we picked a little more than half the ripe blueberries for our market supply, and got only about 90 pounds. Saturday will be open for picking, but it will be slow and we plan to set a limit of only 3 pounds (about half a gallon) per customer. Late comers may get none. If you live far away, you might want consider if the drive is worth it.

It’s beginning to look a lot like summer here at Plow Creek Farm. Stop by Valley Flowers in Spring Valley Thursday 8:30AM - 1PM to select your favorite colors and flavors: Blueberries, Red Raspberries, Blackberries, Sweet Corn, Cherry Tomatoes, Cantaloupe, Green Beans, Peas, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Lettuce, Potatoes, Garlic, Herbs and lots of other veggies. Plus, Bread and Cookies from Plow Creek Bakery.

There was a large turnout for picking blueberries Wednesday evening, and there are not enough ripe berries available to pick on Thursday. At this point we expect to be open Saturday for moderate quantities, but please check back.

We picked some sweet corn for Monday lunch. Delicious! I will be bringing a small load of sweet corn to Princeton Farmer’s Market Tuesday. Market opens at 8:30. I will also have blueberries, blackberries, red raspberries, cherry tomatoes, muskmelon, fresh garlic, green beans and other vegetables, and Plow Creek Bakery goodies.

Despite the rainout Wednesday, we’ve decided that giving the field two more days off is necessary to ensure good picking conditions. So Blueberry U-Pick will be closed Thursday and Friday, then open Saturday from 7AM - 1PM. We expect several hundred pounds of ripe blueberries to satisfy a good U-Pick crowd at that time.

We received over an inch of rain early Wednesday morning. This is cause for rejoicing, but also makes the drive up Blueberry Hill treacherous. The drive is very muddy in places and would get worse with traffic.

Due to this safety concern, we are cancelling the Wednesday U-Pick session. Check back later today for possible Thursday evening hours.

In keeping with tradition, Blueberry U-Pick will be open Wednesday morning July 4th, beginning at 7AM. However, those traveling a long distance should be aware that the field has not yet fully recovered from last week’s heavy picking. Ripe berries are currently less abundant than usual, since they take several days to ripen. As a result, on Wednesday, the field may be picked over by mid-morning. We still expect about two more weeks of blueberry season, and based on this week’s schedule, prime picking may not return until the middle of next week.

As of 9am this morning the blueberry field is filled to capacity and will probably be picked out before the morning is over. After some time off this weekend we should have a good supply again next week. Check back Sunday evening or later next week for another update on the field supply and conditions.

Thursday morning marks our first supply of red raspberries to Valley Flowers in Spring Valley. We will have a moderate supply of them (probably enough to last a couple hours), along with an ample supply of blueberries. Bok Choy, peas, salad greens, herbs and maybe even some garlic will also be on display. Which month is it? We farmers feel like it must be at least midsummer.

Although the blueberries are still in the midst of their harvest season, blueberry U-Pick will be CLOSED Thursday evening. The field has been heavily picked this week, so the remaining sessions should be enough to finish it off for the week. Another factor in this decision is our continuing understaffed and worn-out condition. After a soggy Wednesday PM, we and the field both need the evening off.

Those who need to come during evening hours should still find plenty of berries next week.

A good supply of Red Raspberries will be available at the Princeton Farmer’s market on Tuesday June 26th. They join the blueberries, peas, bok choy, chard, kale, lettuce, radishes, beets, green onions, herbs and green bell peppers. This lineup will also visit Spring Valley Thursday morning.

A small amount of red raspberries may be available for U-Pick during blueberry u-pick sessions, but picking is still scattered and during this early season we will hold most of our raspberries for market and CSA.