Summer Berries in Washtenaw County
Strawberries in June, blueberries in July, and the farms where you pick them yourself.
The spring eating guide covered morels and asparagus. This is the next chapter. Berry season in Washtenaw County starts in early June with strawberries and runs through August with blueberries, and the farms that grow them are close enough to pick on a weekday evening after work.
The Calendar
Strawberries: Early June through late June. Three weeks, maybe four. The season is short and weather-dependent. A stretch of rain at the wrong time can cut it to two weeks. When the berries are ready, the farms announce it and the fields fill up fast.
Blueberries: Mid-July through early September. A longer window than strawberries, which makes blueberry picking feel less urgent. It shouldn't. The best berries come in the first two weeks, when the bushes are loaded and the fruit is firm.
Raspberries: Late June through July at some farms. Less common as a U-pick crop, but available.
Where to Pick
Tantré Farm (5700 Scio Church Rd area, Ann Arbor). The same 16-acre certified organic operation I wrote about in the spring eating guide. Tantré runs about 3 acres of U-pick strawberries under their Honey Bee U-Pick program. Strawberries are $6 per pound, with pre-picked pints available at $5. The fields open in early June and close when the berries are gone. Check their website before driving out. Richard Andres does not wait for you to show up. When the field is picked, it's done.
Dexter Blueberry Farm (11024 Beach Rd, Dexter). The name tells you what they do. U-pick blueberries from mid-July through early September. Open Monday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Sundays noon to 6 p.m. The farm sits on Beach Road outside Dexter, about 15 minutes from downtown Ann Arbor. Bring containers or buy them on-site. The rows are well-maintained and the picking is easy. Call (734) 426-2900 before visiting to confirm the season is open.
Blueville Acres Blueberry Farm (Ann Arbor area). A certified organic, woman-owned farm that grows blueberries for U-pick. Reservations are required for weekday picking, and tickets are required for weekends. This is a smaller operation than Dexter Blueberry Farm, and the organic certification matters if that's important to you. Check their site for availability; in some years, production is limited.
Wasem Fruit Farm (Washtenaw County). Known primarily for apples and cider in the fall, Wasem also grows strawberries for U-pick in June. The farm has been operating for generations and sells at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market year-round. If you're already making the drive for strawberries, this is a solid option, especially if you want to combine the trip with a visit to their farm stand.
At the Market
If you'd rather not pick your own, the Ann Arbor Farmers Market at 315 Detroit St has local berries from June through August. Strawberries appear first, usually in the second week of June. By mid-July, blueberry pints line the tables. Prices vary by farm and season, but expect to pay $5 to $8 per pint for berries that were picked that morning.
Argus Farm Stop in Ann Arbor stocks local berries as soon as they're available. The advantage over the Saturday market is that Argus is open every day, which means you can buy local strawberries on a Wednesday without waiting for the weekend.
In Restaurants
The restaurants that follow the seasons (the ones I profiled in the spring guide) shift to berries as soon as they're available. Spencer works strawberries and blueberries into desserts and occasionally into savory dishes when the pairing makes sense. Zingerman's Roadhouse runs seasonal desserts that feature local fruit. Zingerman's Bakehouse uses Michigan berries in pastries and tarts during peak season.
The Zingerman's Creamery makes a fresh cheese that pairs with berries better than anything else in the county. Buy a round of cream cheese at the Creamery on Plaza Drive, pick up a pint of blueberries from the farmers market, and eat them together. That is a summer dessert that costs $10 and requires no cooking.
What to Do With Them
Eat strawberries the day you pick them. They don't improve with time. If you picked more than you can eat in two days, freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan, then bag them. They won't be the same as fresh, but they'll be better than anything you'd buy frozen at the store in January.
Blueberries last longer. A pint in the fridge holds for a week if you don't wash them until you're ready to eat. Muffins, pancakes, pies. Or just eat them by the handful standing in the kitchen, which is what I do with most of mine.
The season is short. The farms are close. The berries taste like the place they grew, which is here, in Washtenaw County, in the same soil that grows the asparagus in April and the apples in October. Pick them while they last.