New Tallahassee blueberry farm opens U-Pick season Saturday

There are certain roads in Tallahassee — certain pockets of town — that are worth just getting in your car and taking a peaceful and relaxing drive through. Centerville Road is one that comes to mind, with its beautiful canopy trees towering overhead — shadows that dance all over the winding road —and picturesque farms to gaze upon.

Just off Centerville Rod. is one of those farms — a new U-Pick Blueberry Farm, only in its second year — but it's doubtful it's one that you've heard of.

That is, until now.

Opening for U-Pick season

Sienna Lee Gardens Blueberry Farm (SiennaLeeGardens.com) is located at 6591 Proctor Road in East Tallahassee — and to get to it, you have to be willing to take one of those lazy, peaceful rides into the country. This Saturday from 3-7 p.m., in fact, would be a good time to go. That's when their 2024 U-Pick Blueberry Season opens — and this year, they're turning the Grand Opening into a bit of a "coming out party" with food trucks, dessert, a boutique flower pop-up and blueberry drinks to sip & stroll while you pick.

They're even holding a drawing for a $200 Visa gift card for the first 40 people who visit the farm.

Talk about a Blueberry Extravaganza!

"We first planted the blueberry trees of our 2-acre farm five years ago, but it takes time for them to become bountiful. Well, this year … they're quite bountiful!" said Sienna Lee Gardens co-owner Kathryn Smith Chaffe, who grew up not far from Tallahassee in Funston, Georgia - a small farming community between Moultrie and Camilla.

"Our blueberry season is a little different in that it's from late May to mid-late July —and they're right on time!"

Sisters create destination property

Kathryn said it was her time growing up on her family's self-sustaining farm — which she shared with her two brothers and four sisters — that helped her to have a lifelong appreciation for farming. Which is why five years ago, when she saw a beautiful piece of property with 20 acres for sale off Proctor Road — one that was perfect for creating a blueberry farm on, and thus a new legacy for her family — she and her sister Denise (Sienna Lee's other co-owner) snatched it up.

"My siblings and I had so many great memories on that small farm, but one of my best memories was picking wild blueberries that would grow alongside our dirt road," she said. "After staying out all day, we would come home with blueberry-stained hands and clothes, but have the biggest smiles on our faces. I thought it would be nice to share that memory with my daughter, nieces, nephews, and all of Tallahassee by creating our very own boutique blueberry farm."

Together, Kathryn and Denise have turned Sienna Lee Gardens into not just a blueberry farm, but a destination here in Tallahassee. The property also features a gorgeous 4 bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home — which stays booked up throughout the year — complete with a rose garden and pool.

Oh, and a blueberry farm, which guests will often see Denise — off in the distance — outside maintaining year-round.

After all, it's Denise who Kathryn calls "the backbone of the farm" because she was always the best farmer in the family.

"My sister Denise is out there day-in and day-out maintaining the farm: weeding, mulching, pruning, etc. Working on a farm, especially one with organic practices, is back breaking work and she does it all with no complaints and a huge smile," Kathryn said.

"Her commitment to the farm is admirable and evident in everything that she does. I have this one memory, last summer, when we were getting an order together for Red Hills Small Farm Alliance, it started storming and the lightning and thunder was getting close. We all ran inside but my sister stayed out on the farm and continued to pick berries in the pouring down rain! She came in drenched with a smile and said something like, 'Well, the berries aren't going to pick themselves.' "

Seven blueberry varieties

Sienna Lee Gardens — which will be open Saturday and Sunday this week and then Thursday-Sunday going forward after this week — charges $9 per pound for U-Pick of their Rabbiteye Blueberries, a type of blueberry bush you don't see around here often, said Denise.

"We chose Rabbiteye blueberries over Southern Highbush — which are the more common ones you see in the South — because Rabbiteyes are a later season blueberry so it's easier to maintain," she said.

"With Southern Highbush, the berries start fruiting in April so they are more susceptible to a freeze. Tallahassee has been known to have cold fronts in April and we didn't want to chance losing our entire farm to a freeze. Rabbiteyes are also less susceptible to cold damage and root rot. Plus — and this is the most important part — they are also really tasty!"

Sienna Lee even has seven different varietals of Rabbiteye on the property, all of them clearly marked so in case you find one you really like over another, you can raid those rows with your bucket.

"In order to have the most effective pollination, we planted seven different varieties; Climax, Becky Blue, Brightwell, Powder Blue, Premier, Tif Blue, and Austin," Denise said. "Austin is mine and Kathryn's personal favorite. It's a little larger than the others and a little sweeter in my opinion. Honestly, they are all so tasty."

Named for daughter

Sienna Lee's Grand Opening event will include food and desserts (including homemade blueberry ice cream) from local baker, Baked By Mayra, as well as a boutique flower pop-up booth from Tallahassee-based At Last Florals. They will also be giving away a refreshing non-alcoholic blueberry drink called "Blueberry Bling" (blueberry simple syrup, ginger ale and orange juice topped with fresh lime, fresh mint and fresh blueberries) to sip on while you pick.

Unfortunately, the farm's namesake — Sienna Lee, who is Kathryn's young daughter — won't be able to make it for the Grand Opening. But she'll be around this summer helping out at the farm with her entire family!

"The farm is the namesake of my little girl, Sienna Lee," Kathryn said. "She gives me all the joy and happiness in the world so of course I wanted the farm to embody that same feeling of happiness. One day I hope to pass it on to her and the rest of the family."

If you go

What: Grand Opening for Sienna Lee Gardens Blueberry Farm with with food trucks, dessert, a boutique flower pop-up and blueberry drinks

When: 3-7 p.m. Saturday, May 25; regular hours are 9 a.m.-noon and 4-7 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Where: 6591 Proctor Road

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: New Tallahassee blueberry farm opens U-Pick season