Tennessee’s agricultural history is an integral part of our identity; here we have always treasured our rich farmlands and the wise farming methods that have nurtured them. Some of these independent farms have opened to the public, and in so doing, have helped reignite a sense of connection to the farms and farmers who sustain each and every one of us.
If you want to experience some of the beautiful farms and knowledgeable farming families in Middle Tennessee, we recommend these U-Pick farms. Take some time out this summer and fall and get a feel for where your food begins.
Please note that these times are ALWAYS subject to change. Both the weather and the availability of fruits and vegetables can always affect hours and days of operation. We recommend that you call the farm you’re interested in directly before heading out to pick.
Batey Farms
3250 Wilkinson Pike, Murfreesboro | 615-879-7478
Strawberries, Blueberries, and Blackberries | Best Time for Picking: April – June
6 miles northwest of Murfreesboro, in the Blackman community of Rutherford County, you’ll find 8th-generation family owned and operated Batey Farms. Batey Farms has been operating continuously since it was granted to the family in 1807 through a Revolutionary War Land Grant.
Batey Farms has adapted over the years, of course, and is now a fully modern facility that allows the family to care for the farmland, their animals, their own health, and secures the wellbeing of the environment that surrounds the farm itself. They strive to be the “noble stewards” of the land they were granted.
Batey Berry Farms offers U-Pick strawberries, blueberries and blackberries by the pound. All you need to do is show up in sturdy shoes; the farm will provide you with baskets for berry picking. Should you choose to be kind and return a basket at a later date, you’ll receive a $1 discount as thanks.
Their season hours are:
Tuesday through Friday 8:30 – 6 p.m.
Sunday 1 – 5 p.m.
Batey Farms encourages visitors to pack a picnic lunch and spread out their blankets on the farm; the more time you spend out in nature, the better.
Pratt’s Orchard
4944 Trousdale Ferry Pike | Lebanon | (615) 444-7742
Peaches and Apples | Best Time for Picking: June – Early July for Peaches, August – October for apples.
The Pratts tend to 1,500 peach and apple trees, all of which are dedicated to U-Pick operations for the community. Always call ahead to make sure that the orchards are open on the day you are planning to head out there.
Pratt’s Orchard offers Gala, Mutsu, Yellow Delicious, Fuji, and Stayman Winesap apples.
Stoney Creek Farm
4700 Coe Lane | Franklin | (615) 591-0015
Vegetables, Herbs, Flowers, and Berries | Best Time for Picking: June – August | Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 1-7 p.m. Sunday
Stoney Creek Farm is a community education center dedicated to teaching people sustainable practices for growing their own delicious food, raising chickens, or preserving their home-grown fruits and vegetables. If you’re interested in any of these programs, contact Stoney Creek Farm and inquire about Dirt Rich Education, which is their comprehensive program for teaching individuals and families how to be more self-sufficient and free.
The U-Pick season at Stoney Creek Farms begins in June and extends into August. The list of fruits and vegetables available to be picked is remarkable: blackberries, broccoli, cabbage, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, purple hull peas, tomatoes, zucchini, okra, and squash. The prices range from $1 – $5 per unit; visit their website to download a PDF of their detailed price list.
If you would like to experience a tour, the farm offers them to groups of 20 to 30 people. This one-hour tour costs $5 per person.
Walden Farm
8653 Rocky Fork Road | Smyrna | (615) 220-2918
Pumpkins | Best Time for Picking: October | Open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 3:00 – 6:30 p.m. | Wednesday CLOSED | Saturday 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4:00 p.m.
Admission to the farm and parking area is FREE. Pumpkins are $3 each. Wagons are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Pets are not allowed on the farm due to the concessions and close proximity with farm animals.
Walden Farm is the perfect place to turn pumpkin-picking into an all-day staycation for your family.
In addition to their U-Pick pumpkins, they offer a full range of concessions, hay rides, sand art, face painting, a pumpkin train, a large corn maze, a hay mountain, their famous 40-foot slide, seesaws, a Creepy Corner, an animal barn, and their charming Ole Country Store.
The farm’s concessions include pumpkin fudge, roasted pumpkin seeds, chocolate-dipped cheesecake, funnel cake, hot dogs, burgers, and more!
Baron Bluff Vineyard
866 Baron Bluff Road | Smithville | (615) 597-7686
Grapes | Best Time for Picking: Labor Day through mid-October
Baron Bluff Vineyard is open for muscadine picking by reservation only. Call ahead at (615) 597-7686 to speak to Joe Collins, who has been tending to his vineyard since 1982.
If you don’t have reservations and you find yourself near the vineyard, you can try catching Joe after 10 a.m. when he comes back from the Dekalb Market.
These muscadines are a steal at $4 per gallon for 1 to 9 gallons; $3 per gallon for 10 or more.
Breeden’s Orchard and Country Store
631 Beckwith Road | Mt. Juliet | 615-449-2880
Peaches and Apples | Best Time for Picking: July 5 through early August for peaches, Labor Day through late October for apples.
Hours: Typically 7 a.m-3 p.m. Monday – Saturday, but call ahead to make sure the farm is open on the day you’re planning to attend.
This beautiful 12-acre orchard boasts 300 yellow delicious apple trees and 4 full acres of peach trees.
The Breedens also run a country store, selling apple and peach fritters, homemade ciders, and an assortment of preserves from the orchard. Credit cards are not accepted at the farm, but debit cards, cash, or check are all happily accepted.
Bee Sweet Berry Farm
442 Globe Road | Lewisburg | 615-423-4240
Raspberries, Blueberries, and Blackberries | Best Time to Pick: Varies | Hours: 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays
This farm, run by Ron and Judi Greenier, sprawls over 50 acres. 6 of these are dedicated to U-pick blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Call ahead to see what’s on the vines at any given time; the couple says Mother Nature is in charge of the season from year to year, so they never know exactly when the seasons will wrap up.
Visitors to Bee Sweet Berry Farm are invited to bring their picnic lunch and bask in the gorgeous scenery under the farm’s open pavilion.
Posted by Parks Compass on
Leave A Comment