Loftus Family Farm U-Pick Muscadine Vineyard

Pick-Your-Own Muscadine Grapes at Loftus Family Farm

Good news — the vineyard opens this Saturday, September 7th. After that, we return to our usual hours: Saturdays 9am to 6pm and Sundays 1pm to 5pm. Have a question? Call us at 386-462-1227 or 352-214-1028.

Grapes cost $1.25 per pound, cash only. Please leave dogs and other pets at home — our insurance does not cover bites. There is no restroom at the vineyard, so please plan ahead. We provide 5-quart picking buckets, and each holds about 7 pounds of fruit.

Would you like a heads-up when we're about to open? Email us through the Contact Us page and we'll add your name to our notification list.

Planning Your Visit

During U-Pick season we spend weekdays tending the vineyard or running errands, so we're not always on site. You're welcome to call and set up an appointment, but please give us a day or two of notice so we can arrange our schedules.

Our address is 15585 NW 29 St., Gainesville, FL 32609 — you can also check our map page. Note that some GPS units and Google Maps will send you into the Gainesville city limits unless you enter "LaCrosse, FL" instead of Gainesville.

About Our Muscadine Vineyard

Hello from Don and Ermida Loftus. We run a small vineyard north of Gainesville, Florida, focused on dark Muscadine grapes and dedicated to U-Pick. Our flagship fresh-eating grape is the Supreme — a very large, thin-skinned, very sweet berry. We also grow the Ison, a self-pollinating variety that ripens early and produces a very sweet, slightly smaller berry, and the Delicious, developed by UF for a very sweet, smoother flavor. These two varieties pollinate our Supreme vines, which are female plants. You can read an article about the Delicious variety on our Links page.

Supreme Muscadine grapes ripening on the vine at Loftus Family Farm — Supreme Muscadine grapes on the vine

Vineyard Update

We've had a few calls asking how the vineyard is coming along. So far everything looks good, as the photos show. Many grapes are still green and red but are darkening day by day — and even the dark ones aren't very sweet yet, so waiting until August 24th should work out well. I'm busy getting the vineyard ready by mowing grass, trimming branches, weed whacking, and irrigating the vines whenever it doesn't rain. Plenty of work to do!

Health Benefits of Muscadine Grapes

Muscadine grapes come with plenty of health benefits — and they taste great too. We've listed some articles on the Links page. Take a look, and you may find yourself reaching for a few more grapes.

Don Loftus, Loftus Family Farm

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of grapes can I pick at Loftus Family Farm?

We specialize in dark Muscadine grapes. Our main fresh fruit grape is the Supreme, a very large, thin-skinned, very sweet grape. We also grow the Ison and Delicious varieties, which pollinate the Supreme vines.

When is the U-Pick vineyard open?

Our normal hours are Saturday 9am–6pm and Sunday 1–5pm. During the U-Pick season we are often working in the vineyard or out shopping during the work week, so please call ahead and give us a day or two notice if you would like to arrange an appointment.

How much do the grapes cost?

Grapes are $1.25 per pound, cash only.

Do I need to bring my own bucket?

No. We have 5-quart buckets for you to use when picking. They hold about 7 pounds.

Can I bring my dog or pet to the vineyard?

Please, no dogs or pets in the vineyard. Our insurance doesn't cover them biting someone.

Is there a bathroom at the vineyard?

We DO NOT have a bathroom at the vineyard, so please plan accordingly.

How do I find the vineyard?

Our address is 15585 NW 29 St., Gainesville, FL 32609. On some GPS units and Google Maps, use "LaCrosse, FL" instead of Gainesville, otherwise it will send you someplace in the Gainesville city limits. You can also look at our Map page.

How can I be notified when the vineyard opens?

If you would like to receive a notice of when we are about to open, send us an e-mail using our "Contact Us" page and we'll add your name to our list.

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This entry was posted on August 11th, 2010 and filed under Uncategorized. Tags: muscadine, muscadine grapes, U-Pick Florida, U-Pick grapes, U-Pick vineyards. RSS 2.0 | Both comments and pings are currently closed. Comments are closed.

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Loftus Family Farm welcomes visitors to pick fresh Muscadine grapes during the U-Pick season. Whether you're planning a family outing or looking for a new weekend tradition, our vineyard offers a simple, hands-on way to enjoy Florida-grown fruit. Check our hours, call ahead for appointments, and don't forget to bring cash for your harvest.