U-Pick 'Em Season

It's a time-honored tradition for many Portland families to pack up the kids, buckets, and baskets, and head out to Sauvie Island for some berry picking. This bucolic, agricultural oasis is only ten miles northeast of downtown Portland, but it could be a million miles away.

Sitting between the Columbia River and Multnomah Channel, the island is a mix of farms (mostly), wildlife refuges, and beaches. There are several U-pick places to chose from including Sauvie Island Farms, Kruger Farms, and Sauvie Island Blueberry Farm. In addition to berries, peaches, corn, cucumbers, and other summer fruits and veggies are available for picking. There are no better tasting berries than ones you pick yourself, and it's especially rewarding to take a baggie of berries from the freezer in February and remember the sunny, warm day of berry picking. A friend of mine from Denver had her first  picking experience here in Oregon, and was amazed to discover that blueberries actually had a distinct flavor! Have a berry good time!