• Everyday
    • Education
    • Neighborhood Notes
  • Sports
  • Food & Art
    • Artist Profiles
    • Food Shopping
    • Local Farmers
    • Music
    • Restaurants
  • Community Channels
    • Around the House
      • Home Inspection Services
      • Insurance
        • Insurance Agent – Melanie Bakala
      • Real Estate Agents in Thurston County Covering Olympia Lacey Tumwater Yelm and beyond
    • Business Networking
      • Chamber
        • Chamber of Commerce
      • Economic Development Council
      • Rotary
        • Gateway Rotary
    • Community Talker
      • Instagram Article Feed
    • Health and Wellness
      • Hospital + Medical Center
      • Physical Therapy
    • Media Partners
      • Thurston Community Media
      • NorthAmericaTalk
    • Mentoring (Big Brothers Big Sisters)
    • Movies
    • Olympia Farmers Market
    • City, County and Government Information
      • People in Public Service
      • City of Lacey, Washington
      • City of Olympia, Washington
      • City of Tumwater, Washington
      • City of Yelm, Washington
      • City, County and Port Meetings
      • Port of Olympia
      • Thurston County Washington
    • Senior Life
      • Cemetery Products
      • In-Home Care
      • Senior Services for South Sound
    • Services
      • Auto Repair
      • Pet Emergency
    • South Puget Sound Community College
    • Timberland Regional Library
  • Featured Businesses
    • Around The House
    • Health Care
    • Local Retail Shops
    • Services
    • Women in Business
  • History
  • Photos
    • Community Events
    • Local Attractions
    • Sporting Events
  • Non-Profits
  • LocalTalk
  • Activities
    • Dogs & Pets
    • Family & Kids
    • Indoor
    • Outdoor
    • Gardening
    • Outdoor Recreation
    • Biking
    • Camping
    • Hiking
    • Running
    • Parks and Beaches
    • Thrifty Thurston
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Post an Event
  • Calendar
  • Travel
    • Day Trips
    • Overnight Trips
Search
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
  • About
    • Story
    • Team
    • Company News
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
  • Advertise
    • How our Olympia advertising works
    • Launch a Campaign
    • Grow your Audience
    • Measure the Results
    • Company News
    • Contact
  • Events
    • Community Calendar
    • Articles
    • List an Event
  • I5 Traffic Cameras
ThurstonTalk
  • Everyday
    • AllEducationNeighborhood Notes
      green spaces along the roads in Jubilee

      Getting Outdoors and Living in Hawks Prairie

      Pacific ninebark flower close-up

      SW Washington Native Plants to Add to Your Garden

      The Thurston County Developmental Disabilities Coalition booth with people at it at the Yelm Community Resources Fair

      Yelm Community Schools Breaks Barriers and Promotes Access to Essential Services…

      Margaret McKenny, left, is shown during a radio broadcast, black and white photo

      Olympia and Tumwater School Names are a Nod to Thurston County…

  • Sports
  • Food & Art
    • AllArtist ProfilesFood ShoppingLocal FarmersMusicRestaurants
      prosciutto on a white tray

      Find the Perfect Balance of Healthy and Delicious with Catering and…

      close up of a white and pink zinnia with a purple center

      Conversation with an Olympia Artist: Back to Forest Photography

      The Beauties of Bourbon Revealed at Cynara Restaurant & Lounge

      Headless Mumby owner Alex Maffeo and his daughter standing in the distillery

      Lagers are for Lovers: Olympia’s Headless Mumby Brewing Serves Up Lagers,…

  • Community Channels
    • Around the House
      • Home Inspection Services
      • Insurance
        • Insurance Agent – Melanie Bakala
      • Real Estate Agents in Thurston County Covering Olympia Lacey Tumwater Yelm and beyond
    • Business Networking
      • Chamber
        • Chamber of Commerce
      • Economic Development Council
      • Rotary
        • Gateway Rotary
    • Community Talker
      • Instagram Article Feed
    • Health and Wellness
      • Hospital + Medical Center
      • Physical Therapy
    • Media Partners
      • Thurston Community Media
      • NorthAmericaTalk
    • Mentoring (Big Brothers Big Sisters)
    • Movies
    • Olympia Farmers Market
    • City, County and Government Information
      • People in Public Service
      • City of Lacey, Washington
      • City of Olympia, Washington
      • City of Tumwater, Washington
      • City of Yelm, Washington
      • City, County and Port Meetings
      • Port of Olympia
      • Thurston County Washington
    • Senior Life
      • Cemetery Products
      • In-Home Care
      • Senior Services for South Sound
    • Services
      • Auto Repair
      • Pet Emergency
    • South Puget Sound Community College
    • Timberland Regional Library
  • Featured Businesses
    • AllAround The HouseHealth CareLocal Retail ShopsServicesWomen in Business

      Celebrating Women’s History Month with OlyFed

      Patient Describes Lung Cancer Journey as ‘Easy’ Thanks to Providence’s Multidisciplinary…

      Boggs Inspection Services Tech going up into an attic on a drop down ladder

      Boggs Inspection Services on How to Spot a Skilled Home Inspector

      r. Peterson smiling with three other people around a mountain bike

      Celebrating the Career and Impact of OlyOrtho’s Dr. William Peterson

  • History
    • Margaret McKenny, left, is shown during a radio broadcast, black and white photo

      Olympia and Tumwater School Names are a Nod to Thurston County…

      Historic postcard in shades of green with a couple in a mule care with the words, 'A bit of o'blarney. St. Patrick's Day in the Morning.'

      Olympia History: Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at the Turn of the…

      Olympia’s Great Depression Resort: Palm Grove Mini-Golf

      black and white photo of Odd Fellows Hall in Olympia

      Olympia’s Black History: The Life of William Williams

      KGY radio building on Port of Olympia Property in 1975

      Home is Where You Hang Your Hat: Beloved Radio Station KGY…

  • Photos
    • AllCommunity EventsLocal AttractionsSporting Events
      capital city pride

      Thousands Gather in Olympia to Celebrate Capital City Pride 2018

      procession species olympia

      Luminary Procession 2018: Lighting Up the Rainy Night in Downtown Olympia

      snowy winter scene

      ThurstonTalk Readers Capture Christmas Snow

      Twinklefest 2017

      Twinklefest 2017 Window Displays

  • Non-Profits
    • Dolly Parton sharing a book with three kids

      Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Comes to Thurston and Mason Counties Thanks…

      a bunch of Thurston County Food Project green bags overflowing with food

      Food, Friends, Fun: Create Heartfelt Connections through the Thurston County Food…

      solar panels on the roof of the Coastal Community Action Program building

      Resilient Growth Keeps Coastal Community Action Program Giving Back

      Mission Nonprofit Spotlight: BrenRose Foundation

      two people talking at a picnic table with tents in the background

      Find New Pathways Home with the Coastal Community Action Program

  • LocalTalk
    • Mark Steepy headshot

      Thurston Economic Development Council Welcomes New Board President

      Nathan Miller and Catelin King standing in front of the Pope John Paul HIgh School sign with a crucifix on the wall to the left of Nathan.

      Pope John Paul II High School Seniors Earn $200,000+ Air Force…

      Latte in a white cup on a brown counter

      Dancing Goats Coffee Announces B Corp Certification

      Joint animal services

      Joint Animal Services Closed Due to Sewer Repair

      Thurston County Scenic Olympia Capital

      Thurston County Agriculture Zoning Update: Community Informational Meetings

  • Activities
    • AllDogs & PetsFamily & KidsIndoorOutdoorGardeningOutdoor RecreationBikingCampingHikingRunningParks and BeachesThrifty Thurston
      a rooster on a table with kids and parents around it

      Join Yelm’s First 4-H Club: Nerd Herd

      Steamboat Tennis & Athletic Club exercise room with rows of exercise bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, etc.

      Achieve Health and Wellness at Steamboat Tennis & Athletic Club’s Brand-New…

      bag of popcorn sitting on the armrest of a reclining seat at Cinemark Theatres

      It’s an Experience: See What You’ve Been Missing at Cinemark Theatres

      women with weights sitting on balance boards in a fitness class at Athena

      Olympia Gym, Athena Fitness and Wellness, Gets Strong and Builds Community

  • Events
    • Skerryvore performing on stage

      Scottish Band Skerryvore Is Set To Take the Stage at the…

      Los Lobos band standing in the desert at sunset

      The Washington Center for the Performing Arts Presents Los Lobos with…

      Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood, black and white

      Take a Trip Back in Time With the Washington Center for…

      2023 Easter Egg Hunts in Olympia and Throughout Thurston County

      group photo of SPSCC students and staff at the Clipper Scramble

      Year-Round Community Events Help Support Student Success at South Puget Sound…

    • Calendar
    • Post an Event
  • Calendar
  • Travel
    • Day Trips
    • Overnight Trips
Home Food and Art Friendly Grove Blueberry Farm Attracts Pickers Young and Old

Friendly Grove Blueberry Farm Attracts Pickers Young and Old

By
Carrie Bell
blueberry farm
rm owner Karen Crown brings joy to the community by maintaining her u-pick blueberry farm.

Share via:

326 Shares
  • More

Blueberries have grown on the site of Friendly Grove Blueberry Farm for over 70 years. The protection of the Henderson Watershed has created the ideal conditions for the blueberry bushes to flourish in the acidic peat bog. Five varieties of blueberries grow at this rustic u-pick blueberry farm just a few miles from the bustle of downtown Olympia.

Alley Oop LogoI met with Karen Crown on a sunny weekend in July, speaking with her as the visitors streamed in to pick the blueberries that hang heavy on their branches this time of year.

“It is peak season,” Karen tells me. She shows a young picker how to hang the bright blue bucket around his neck leaving both hands free for faster picking. “Pull the branches down from above and reach in the middle. The branches are flexible!” She assures the pickers as they begin to arrive. Some are here to gather enough blueberries for an afternoon pie while others are on a return trip to pick their goal of 100 pounds of blueberries to last all year.

blueberry farm
A young blueberry picker takes advantage of the bucket with a strap for more efficient two-handed picking at Friendly Grove Blueberry Farm.

Her love of the farm and its lifestyle is obvious from the moment we first spoke. Karen graduated from The Evergreen State College after studying Natural Sciences and Humanities. She always knew that she wanted to farm. “My desire to eat healthy and a love of the outdoors connected me with farming,” Karen explains.

She worked at Independence Valley Farm before she purchased her own farm in 2005. Karen is the third owner of the farm. The original owners were two physicians who purchased it as a “hobby farm.” Harold Viola Fischer purchased it in 1957 and when he passed away his family sold the farm to Karen.

While she would love to be a full-time farmer, there is not enough money in blueberries. Karen works full-time in her job as a social worker for DSHS in Home and Community Services. The farm is staffed by volunteers during the week and requires most of Karen’s free time on the weekends. Fortunately it is a labor of love.

blueberry farm
Picking blueberries is a perfect summer activity for the whole family at Friendly Grove Blueberry Farm.

“Ideally they should be pruned by one third each year,” explains Karen. The pruning process is a balance between cutting the older canes that no longer produce and encouraging the new tender shoots. “The pruning is kind of a dance between the old and the new,” she tells me. Fortunately she has found volunteers who share her love of the blueberries and the farm to help with the never-ending pruning and mowing. Karen uses no pesticides or sprays, which means that some invasive plants such as Spirea Bog have also flourished in the nutrient rich environment. Pulling the invasive weed and mowing between the rows are a few of the requirements of caring for the bushes.

Karen would love to see more volunteers at the farm. There are so many opportunities for learning from the farm and the habitat that exits naturally within the Henderson Watershed. The farm provides the perfect natural habitat for pollinators. The abundant Mason bee, a small black bee that look like a fly is an even better pollinator than the honey bee. The farm is home to many types of insects, birds and six resident goats. Karen is currently hoping to begin working with a group called WOOFers, which brings volunteers to organic farms in over 100 countries in exchange for room and board.

blueberry farm
Peak season for blueberries lasts through mid August although berries can be picked all through the month at Friendly Grove Blueberry Farm.

The u-pick concept is not unique to Friendly Grove Farm but the passion that Karen brings to her patch of land in rural Thurston County certainly is. “I love the joy the farm brings people when the farm is humming with conversation,” explains Karen. She tears up when she tell me about generations of families coming to the farm to pick blueberries together. “There are children in backpacks and grandparents with their grandchildren nurturing relationships.”

Looking around the farm, I vow to return very soon with my own children even though they are no longer small enough to be lost among the rows.

Friendly Grove Blueberry Farm is open for u-pick Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and weekends from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.. Blueberries are $2.50/lb. for u-pick. For information about purchasing pre-picked berries by the pound call the farm at 360-528-0207.

Friendly Grove Blueberry Farm
3102 Friendly Grove Road NE
Olympia, WA 98506

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share via:

326 Shares
  • More
Previous articleHistory of Lacey’s Annexation Battles in the 1960s
Next articleAdopt-A-Pet Dog of the Week
Carrie Bell

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

prosciutto on a white tray

Find the Perfect Balance of Healthy and Delicious with Catering and Cooking Classes from The Honest Plate

a bunch of Thurston County Food Project green bags overflowing with food

Food, Friends, Fun: Create Heartfelt Connections through the Thurston County Food Project

close up of a white and pink zinnia with a purple center

Conversation with an Olympia Artist: Back to Forest Photography

Upcoming Events

Mar
22
Wed
all-day WDFW approves 10 days of coastal... @ Check Website for Open Beaches and Low Tides
WDFW approves 10 days of coastal... @ Check Website for Open Beaches and Low Tides
Mar 22 all-day
WDFW approves 10 days of coastal razor clam digs beginning Friday, March 17, tentative dates announced for April OLYMPIA – Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) shellfish managers today confirmed coastal razor clam digging[...]
Mar
23
Thu
all-day WDFW approves 10 days of coastal... @ Check Website for Open Beaches and Low Tides
WDFW approves 10 days of coastal... @ Check Website for Open Beaches and Low Tides
Mar 23 all-day
WDFW approves 10 days of coastal razor clam digs beginning Friday, March 17, tentative dates announced for April OLYMPIA – Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) shellfish managers today confirmed coastal razor clam digging[...]
12:00 am Register now for Free Tax Prepar... @ AARP Foundation Tax Aide
Register now for Free Tax Prepar... @ AARP Foundation Tax Aide
Mar 23 @ 12:00 am – 12:00 am
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free tax preparation services in Thurston County starting February 1, 2023. For an appointment, call 360-474-3869 and leave a message. Or make your own appointment at https://taxaidewa20.org/online/. Or walk into one[...]
7:45 am The IN TEAM Business to Business... @ Ebony and Ivory Coffee House
The IN TEAM Business to Business... @ Ebony and Ivory Coffee House
Mar 23 @ 7:45 am – 9:00 am
Our Mission – To connect businesses and people through intentional relationships. The IN TEAM is an Intentionally Networking membership based group that is focused on a culture of intentionally building relationships, community, connections, referring business,[...]
7:00 pm Olympia Elks Lodge Meeting @ Olympia Elks Lodge
Olympia Elks Lodge Meeting @ Olympia Elks Lodge
Mar 23 @ 7:00 pm
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks regularly meets at 7 p.m. at the Lodge located at 1818 4th Avenue East (across from Ralph’s Thriftway) on 2nd and 4th Thursday evenings. Dinner is served prior to[...]
View Calendar

Local Community Sponsors

Local Community Sponsors

Business

Celebrating Women’s History Month with OlyFed

Women’s History Month has only officially existed since 1981 but at Olympia Federal Savings, they’ve been recognizing strong, capable, hardworking women...

Patient Describes Lung Cancer Journey as ‘Easy’ Thanks to Providence’s Multidisciplinary...

Boggs Inspection Services Tech going up into an attic on a drop down ladder

Boggs Inspection Services on How to Spot a Skilled Home Inspector

r. Peterson smiling with three other people around a mountain bike

Celebrating the Career and Impact of OlyOrtho’s Dr. William Peterson

Elliott Hahn of Bigfoot Pest Management standing by his truck

Bigfoot Pest Management in Olympia Customizes Its Local Services to Fit...

Trending Now

Dolly Parton sharing a book with three kids

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Comes to Thurston and Mason Counties Thanks...

Maggie Bean in jeans a fire house shirt standing by a vintage fire truck

People in Public Service: Teacher and Fire Fighter Maggie Bean Inducted...

2023 Easter Egg Hunts in Olympia and Throughout Thurston County

Editor Picks

Dolly Parton sharing a book with three kids

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Comes to Thurston and Mason Counties Thanks...

bag of popcorn sitting on the armrest of a reclining seat at Cinemark Theatres

It’s an Experience: See What You’ve Been Missing at Cinemark Theatres

a bunch of Thurston County Food Project green bags overflowing with food

Food, Friends, Fun: Create Heartfelt Connections through the Thurston County Food...

Recent Posts

  • Join Yelm’s First 4-H Club: Nerd Herd
  • Celebrating Women’s History Month with OlyFed
  • Scottish Band Skerryvore Is Set To Take the Stage at the Washington Center for Performing Arts
  • Patient Describes Lung Cancer Journey as ‘Easy’ Thanks to Providence’s Multidisciplinary Cancer Care Team
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Comes to Thurston and Mason Counties Thanks to the Child Care Action Council
ABOUT US
ThurstonTalk is a community social network delivering positive stories about what it’s like to live, work and play in Thurston County Washington, including Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm, Tenino and the surrounding area. Advertise with ThurstonTalk. Brand your business and tell your story to your target market.
Contact us: info@thurstontalk.com
FOLLOW US
  • About
    • Story
    • Team
    • Company News
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
  • Advertise
    • How our Olympia advertising works
    • Launch a Campaign
    • Grow your Audience
    • Measure the Results
    • Company News
    • Contact
  • Events
    • Community Calendar
    • Articles
    • List an Event
  • I5 Traffic Cameras
© ThurstonTalk, Inc.
Share via
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Mix
Email
Print
Copy Link
Powered by Social Snap
Copy link
CopyCopied
Powered by Social Snap
Edit with Live CSS
Save
Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete.