Open for the 2023 season now! Saturdays 9-1 pm *Reservations Required available Wednesday at noon*
Raspberries are one of those fruits that taste monumentally better when picked fresh from the bush rather than the grocery store display. That’s what I told my kids anyway when we took the hour-long drive up to Boring Farm in Sebastopol to test out this theory. Happily, Mommy knows best.
My kids, ages 3-10, loved the experience of hunting for the perfectly ripe little berries, as well as the luscious taste of the tremendously flavorful fruit. There aren’t a lot of extras as far as entertainment like at Duckworth Farm just down the road, but the taste of the fruit alone is worth the drive.
Pro tip: You’ll need to buy a ticket beforehand, and they do sell out, so plan ahead and make a day of it.
Boring Farm U-Pick Organic Raspberries
My family hardly ever eat raspberries from the store because they always taste like blah. So imagine everyone’s surprise when they realized what raspberries are actually supposed to taste like: “Wow Mommy, they’re so sweet and delicious! I thought I hated raspberries!” This is was the U-Pick experience is all about.
About an hour from the East Bay, Boring Farm offers U-Pick organic raspberries from June through to September. You’ll want to set a reminder on your calendar to buy tickets on Wednesday of the weekend you want to go before the tickets sell out. We went for the earliest time slot (9 am) since it can get hot in Sebastopol and there isn’t any shade to be had while picking.
Boring Farm provides containers to collect berries and advice as to which rows have the best berries that day. They have several different varietals, with some even being thornless and ideal for little kids.
Pro-Tip: When eating a raspberry, place it on your tongue and then push it against the roof of your mouth for the most flavorful taste experience.
What to Bring to Boring Farm
- Hats and sunscreen since there’s no shade.
- Snacks, water, and lunch if you’d like to stay and enjoy the countryside after picking. They have several tables.
- Closed-toed shoes as this is a working farm.
- Long sleeves (that you don’t mind getting stained with raspberry juice) to protect arms from thorns
- Bandaids just in case of thorns
- Backpack and/or wagon to carry small children and supplies
Pro-Tip: Keep your eye out for Highway Patrol looking for speeding drivers on the back roads. We saw several on our drive up.
Boring Farm Details
Location: 4200 Canfield Rd, Sebastopol (right next to Duckworth Family Farm)
Season: Open July – September for the 2023 season, though it depends on the fruit, so check their Facebook or Instagram for updates.
Reservations: Check their Instagram on Wednesday at noon to secure your weekend reservation through the Eventbrite link (they go fast! So check early). Each $7 reservation is per car and once you check in you can stay until 1 pm when the farm closes.
Prices: $11.99 per pound for raspberries (cash or card).
Bathrooms: Yes, several portables
Dogs: Not allowed
Extras: Homemade raspberry popsicles are definitely worth a try, even at 9 am.
…and as long as you’re in the North Bay
Since you’ve already made the trip up to the North Bay, you might as well make a day of it. We always head out to the coast to dip our feet in the ocean. It’s just about another 20-30 minutes to Bodega Bay and the fun beaches around there. You might also check out a Zonkey or head into the town of Sebastopol for a cone at Screamin’ Mimi’s. Other farms in the North Bay offer U-Pick fruit, so check out our handy guide.
The Bottom Line on Boring Farm
The raspberries at Boring Farm are the best my family has ever tasted. And if you leave early enough, traffic is minimal from the East Bay and it’ll only take an hour to get there. Since there isn’t anything else for kiddos to do at the farm after picking, plan on heading out to the coast or adding on to your trip since you’ll only take about an hour at the farm picking berries. Overall, we enjoyed our morning picking berries and are already looking forward to coming back next season.
