When I make it downtown for the Memphis Farmer's Market, my first stop is usually the Jones Orchard table Nevermind that it's one of the first tables at the market, and thus, a logical first stop - their cartons of ripe peaches, strawberries, pears and blackberries are totally enticing.

Sometimes, though, I need a produce fix in the middle of the week, and blackberries at the grocery store are kind of expensive.

I drove out to Millington to pick my own blackberries at Jones Orchard. They've got 110 acres of land just off of Highway 51 covered in ripening peaches and blackberries that anyone can pick.

When I got there, I stopped by the market / cafe at the front of the property to pick up a plastic bucket and directions to the berry patch. It took a few minutes to find the blackberries among all of the peaches, but once I did, my bucket filled up quickly.

Know that because these blackberries are in an orchard and not in a package, you'll have to contend with nature. I found out the hard way that blackberry bushes are covered in thorns. Also, wear real shoes, as the grass can be high. Lastly, if you're planning to pick your fruit in the middle of the day in the summer, load up on sunscreen and take a water bottle.

It took about an hour for a friend and I to fill up our white plastic bucket. We took it back to the market and they weighed it. The total cost was $14.25 for a kind of ridiculous (about 2.5 lbs) amount of blackberries.

If you want to pick your own, Jones Orchard is open daily from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Right now, they've got peaches and black berries. In the fall, they'll have pumpkins and a corn maze.

Go There:

Jones Orchard

7170 US Highway 51 N
Millington, TN 38053
(901) 873-3150