The first thing I noticed about DiMeo Farms in Hammonton, NJ (the blueberry capital of the world) was the zen music they had playing throughout the grounds. The music that they call “blueberry picking music” set the stage for a relaxing afternoon of picking perfectly round blue fruit off of rows and rows of bushes. That’s the beauty of this 105-year-old, 4th generation blueberry farm where there’s an average of 1,200 blueberry plants per acre—you can chill out and feel like you’ve gone far, far, away. We drove over an hour to get to this farm, but we knew it would be worth it once we arrived, and the kids were so excited to pick their fruit independently. Read on for our day among the blues and why DiMeo is one of the best blueberry picking farms In New Jersey.
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Our blueberry picking experience at DiMeo Farms
Get ready to pick
We were totally on board with picking when I read the farm is non-GMO, with organically grown U-pick blueberries in the beautiful Pine Barrens. Blueberry picking season lasts from June until August, and even though we went towards the end of the season, there was still plenty to pick. As soon as we drove in, my kids couldn’t wait to start. The appeal of holding an empty pint and gingerly picking each blueberry off of the tree to fill it was so exciting to them, especially since they found out they could sample some along the way. Since we had 12 pints to fill, we discovered new ways to pick more blueberries by the handful. We found it very helpful to bring a strong bag to put all of the pints in as we filled them.
Learn about the history of Dimeo Farms
DiMeo Farms grows up to 1,000 acres of these antioxidant-rich blue fruits. The original DiMeo family blueberry farms were established over 100 years ago by Michael DiMeo from Sulmona, Italy. After testing out several locations on the East Coast, the family discovered Hammonton, and they were impressed with the quality of the farmland. The family initially grew blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, but the blueberry crops became their passion. The DiMeo’s still use hand-picking to harvest the annual crop, and they sometimes use blueberry picking machines along with the pick-your-own opportunities for guests.
Bring home your own blueberry bush
Save some extra room in your trunk because you may want to do some blueberry picking in your own backyard—DiMeo’s sells 1.5-year-old plants, 2-year-old, and 3-year-old blueberry bushes for only $10. The blueberry bushes are super-hardy and we decided to buy a few to plant in our backyard. DiMeo Farms was very helpful, and they provided us with instructions to care for our bush. They also have peat moss available on-site to help your plant thrive.
Explore the blueberry capital of the world
The Atlantic County town of Hammonton is home to DiMeo Farms and over 50 other blueberry farms in the Pine Barrens section of the Garden State. We also learned blueberries are the official state fruit of New Jersey. While we only went to DiMeo, Hammonton is also home to the historic Basto Village, Wharton State Forest, and several wineries. We hope to come back another time to explore these places.
What to know before you go
We made sure to have sunscreen because there’s no shade (go early if you want to avoid mid-day sun), and it was helpful to have bug spray. There may be high grass in some areas, so sneakers or closed-toe shoes are a must. And if you’re planning to stay for long, pack a picnic because there are several picnic areas in the shade. Each pint of blueberries is $1.66, and the minimum is 12 pints or $20 and come prepared since it’s a cash-only checkout. DiMeo Farms is open 7 days a week from 10 AM to 6 PM daily. If you can’t make it to DiMeo Farms, they ship certified blueberry plants all across America. Also, if you know someone planning a wedding, DiMeo Farms hosts small rustic farm weddings too.
DiMeo Farms
3101 Nesco Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037
(609) 561-5905
You can find more information about DiMeo Farms on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Have you been to DiMeo Farms? How many pints did you pick?
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