Whitehead’s Blueberry Farm Turns Berries to Bucks With U-Pick
by PAUL CATALA
sponsored by Visit Central Florida
Most farms grow crops. The Whiteheads grew an experience. What started as a survival strategy in the wake of devastating storms turned into a beloved u-pick tradition in Polk County.
From the 1970s to the 1990s, John and Jacqueline Whitehead operated a plant nursery in Winter Haven. But in the early 2000s, just as the University of Florida developed marketable blueberries that could thrive in Central Florida, the Winter Haven couple established the 33-acre Whitehead’s Blueberry Farm.
When the hurricanes battered Polk County in 2004, they left behind flooded fields and devastated plants. Even though the Whiteheads replanted, they struggled to produce enough to turn a profit. To compensate, they tried their hand at agritourism, and opened their farm to the public for an unmistakably unique u-pick experience.
During the peak of blueberry season from April to mid-May, they invited customers to come pick their own blueberries for $5 a pound, eventually adding additional experiences like a wagon ride for kids and adults alike to tour the farm and learn more about Florida blueberries.
The now 40-acre farm has about 25 acres under blueberry cultivation and the rest of the land is used for their housing and as a venue for wedding ceremonies. Along with offering a u-pick farm for customers to harvest their own blueberries, the Whiteheads work to promote agritourism on their farm through firsthand educational experiences.
“We do lots of field trips for different groups of students, and we try to teach the kids about where their food comes from, how food is grown, the life cycle of the blueberry throughout the year … that kind of thing,” says Jacqueline Whitehead. “They pick and get to see what it’s like to harvest fruit.”
Their u-pick so perfectly encapsulates the Central Florida farm-to-table experience that Visit Central Florida cites the experience as a part of the area’s unique offerings that make it a perfect tourist destination for those seeking an authentic experience.
The Whiteheads still harvest between 150,000 and 200,000 pounds of commercial blueberries each season. They have a staff of one full-time and two part-time employees, with 75 or more seasonal workers from late March to early May.
Their rapport with customers and the community opened additional avenues for the pair.
Through the years, they’ve enjoyed partnerships with other businesses, including produce stands and even a local tearoom, that featured their blueberries.
Now, Jacqueline says people from across the state come to pick blueberries and experience life on the Whitehead farm for a day.
“They enjoy seeing them growing and understanding they grow on a bush, not a tree. People will come out for a wedding and say, ‘What is that you’re growing?’ They literally have no idea,” says Jacqueline, an Auburndale High School graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in Education at Lakeland’s Florida Southern College.
John Whitehead, a native of Winter Haven, says his father, Dale Whitehead, originally purchased the property in 1972 and turned it into a farm in the early 1980s.
“(Visitors) like the experience of being outdoors and realizing that farm life is a whole different life from city life. It gives them the experience of what a farm actually does,” he says. “Some people don’t have a clue because they’re inside all day long. They love being outside, coming to the playgrounds, walking through the fields, and riding the rides and in general, just loving the outdoor experience.”
The couple’s two grown sons — Joel and Jarrett — also lend a hand at the farm, and there is talk of Joel taking over the farm when John and Jacqueline retire.
The Whiteheads say after they retire, Whiteheads Blueberry Farm may expand to include a produce stand, a general store, and year-round activities.
“There’s always room for expansion in an agritourism business,” says Jacqueline. “But you know, [we] are getting older and looking to retire.”
Whitehead’s Blueberry Farm opened April 2 and closes for the season in mid-May. Their hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Follow them on social media at https://www.facebook.com/whiteheadsblueberryfarm