Meet the Farmer: Upriver Organics
Meet the Farmer: Upriver Organics
For 77 years, blueberries have been growing along the McKenzie River at Upriver Organics. Today, that legacy continues with a family who has lovingly stewarded the farm for the past 31 years, caring not only for this season's harvest but for the generations of harvests still to come.
If you've ever picked up a carton of local blueberries at your neighborhood farmers market or spent a warm summer morning filling a bucket in the field, you know there's something special about Oregon blueberry season. At Upriver Organics, that season is one worth celebrating.
This year, the blueberries arrived nearly two weeks earlier than usual. Thanks to favorable growing conditions, the bushes are loaded with beautiful fruit, making it one of those summers that reminds us why eating with the seasons is so rewarding.
Visitors can stop by the farm stand for freshly picked berries or wander into the U-pick fields to harvest their own. Whether you're planning to bake a blueberry crisp, fill the freezer, make jam, or simply snack on berries by the handful, there's no shortage of ways to enjoy the harvest.
Like many long-running farms, Upriver Organics is also looking toward the future. After decades of producing fruit, some of the farm's oldest blueberry bushes are beginning to retire. In their place, new bushes have been carefully planted and nurtured over the past several years. Those young plants are now producing healthy harvests of their own, ensuring that this farm's story continues for many summers ahead.
That long view is part of what makes family farms so important. The work isn't only about this year's crop. It's about caring for the soil, the plants, and the landscape so future generations can continue gathering around local food.
If you've never experienced U-pick blueberries, we can't recommend it enough. There's something joyful about wandering through rows of berry bushes, hearing the buzz of pollinators, feeling the summer sun on your shoulders, and inevitably eating a few berries before they ever make it into your bucket. It's one of the sweetest traditions of the season.
Visit Upriver Organics
Address
44382 McKenzie Hwy
Leaburg, OR 97489
Farm Stand & U-Pick Hours
Wednesday through Saturday: 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Blueberry season is expected to continue through the end of July, so there's still plenty of time to plan a visit.
Whether you leave with a single basket or enough berries to fill your pantry, every purchase supports a local family that has spent decades caring for the land and growing food for our community.
Happy abundance, y'all.
