Blueberry Picking Near Little Rock: What You Need to Know
Arkansas's blueberry farms are a modest but genuine part of the state's small-fruit agriculture, with highbush varieties grown on family farms within a couple hours of Little Rock. The sandy soils of the Gulf Coastal Plain in the southern part of the state suit the bushes especially well.
Southeastern Blueberry Farms
The Southeast is genuine blueberry country, with Georgia and North Carolina both ranking among the nation's leading producers thanks to rabbiteye and highbush varieties suited to the region's sandy, acidic soils and long growing season. South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi each contribute their own established industries, and Florida's southern highbush varieties, bred specifically for the state's mild winters, produce some of the earliest blueberries in the entire country, often ready by April. The harvest here stretches from spring into midsummer, one of the longest blueberry windows in the nation.
Best Time to Go Blueberry Picking Near Little Rock
June through July, with farms in the southern Gulf Coastal Plain typically leading the harvest.
Tips for Your Little Rock Blueberry Picking Trip
Arkansas blueberry season runs through the heat of early summer, so an early morning visit is more comfortable and yields firmer berries. Call ahead, since these family farms are smaller operations than what you'd find in major blueberry states.