The Berry Patch

“We three Nimrods stoped here on our way home from the Louisburg cider mill today and I'm really happy that we did! There is plenty of free parking and easy to find at 225th and state line. Pick your own blueberrys or simply buy them in the store. Fresh, delicious and very reasonably priced. Be sure to bring home some along with some fresh blueberry syrup and jam. Also , be sure to try the blueberry slushys bezza they are also delicious! You can even bring home a cookie for your spouse! A great day trip from KC very family friendly fun outing one that the Nimrods will not soon forget.”

“We took a large group of families and young children for a community outing at the Berry Patch and it was a success! Stephanie was so helpful setting this trip up for us and the staff was so helpful and accommodating. Berry picking was awesome and the blueberry lemonade and blueberry muffins were delicious! The play area was a nice addition to our blueberry picking and the numerous picnic tables made for a great picnic snack!”

“My family had a great time picking blueberries right off the bush. There were plenty of bushes in each patch allowing us to choose from 3 varieties that day. The little shop inside and restrooms were great. I was even inspired to buy my own bushes. The staff educated me on what to do. We plan on visiting every year!”

“The Berry Patch is about 45 minutes south of KCMO, depending on exactly where you’re at, and it was well worth the drive. We went on a pretty hot day, so the blueberry ice cream and blueberry lemonade were a wonderfully refreshing treat once we were done in the fields. That ice cream is insanely good. I’m not typically a fan of fruit flavored desserts (I’m a chocolate girl), but I’d take a tub of it home if I could. We picked Duke and Blue Crop varieties of blueberries in patches 11&12. They are delicious. The darker ones that aren’t super firm are sweetest. We got about 2-lbs of berries before the kids called it quits, and I have already turned our blueberries into a delicious cobbler. Tip 1: A lot of the bushes/trees were picked over closer to where you enter the patch, so try to go all the way down to the ends. Tip 2: Bring a stroller to cart around your stuff ( and any tired kids), wear sun hats, and bring bottles of water for everyone, especially if it’s hot. These fields are in full sun but even if you’re there on an overcast day, you can get overheated real easy. There are benches scattered around near the tree line if you need a rest in the shade. I deducted a star because the staff weren’t very welcoming or helpful with directing us on where to go or what to do. They watched us fumble around for a few minutes without offering help. They had piles of buckets everywhere so we took the initiative to grab one from a pile closest to the building, and they said, “No, over there,” and pointed to another table. No one owes me their best mood, but I did expect some direction on how to navigate the farm, and after seeing so many of their wonderful ads, I thought we’d be met with a better welcome. It’s like they didn’t want to be bothered with clueless first-timers. I hope that makes sense. It was fine, we figured it out. We ended up wandering around and following other people until we found the patches we were told we could pick from. Despite the lackluster welcome, I’d absolutely go back, especially as I have a better idea of how everything works. In fact, I’m hoping to help organize a field trip. For groups of ten or more, each person who pays ten bucks will get to pick some blueberries, get a blueberry lemonade, and I think get a cookie (see the website for more details as that may be subject to change). Another thing that I want to add is that they sell their high-bush blueberry plants there while supplies last. I have an urban garden so I bought some and I cannot wait to get them planted. Be sure to buy 2+ varieties for cross pollination, and amend the soil appropriately as our native MO soil isn’t acidic enough for these bushes.”

“If you want the experience, this is a fun place! I have never really had luck with getting really good berries, but good enough for us to have a good time. It takes time to pick a decent bunch. They don't last long fresh in the fridge compared to store bought. Maybe that I'm says something good?”