Going U-Picking? Here are 7 Tips
Picking your own produce at a u-pick farm is fun and cost-saving. Here’s what to know before you go.
August 31, 2023 | BY LEAH SIKORA MOORE
Picking your own fruit and veggies is an excellent option if you’re hoping to get large quantities for less money. It’s also a delightful way to spend time outdoors and connect with your local food growers.
Often your local u-pick farms, like ours, are family run and we’re navigating dozens of factors that affect crop availability. Patience, understanding, and cooperation with all rules and guidelines is greatly appreciated! Thanks for taking the time to learn more about u-picking. Here are 7 tips that will help you at our farm and beyond.
1. Find Your Why
Start your u-pick journey by asking yourself what your primary goal is. Do you want to pick huge quantities and do some preserving? Are you more interested in just having fun and spending some time outdoors? Are you looking for a full-day outing with the whole family? Some farms are more set up than others for “agritourism” and entertainment, whereas some specialize in growing crops and that’s pretty much it. Our farm falls into the latter category for the most part. We definitely want visitors to enjoy themselves, but our primary goal is sending people home with fresh, delicious produce. We don’t offer picnic areas, playground equipment, hay rides, or other attractions. If that’s what you’re looking for, though, there are several excellent farms in the area that offer entertainment.
2. Seek Information
The first thing to do is what you’re doing right now. Prepare for your u-pick outing in advance by seeking as much information as possible. Each farm has their own way of doing things, so check their website or call ahead to see what their policies are. Also, make sure to find out what’s available to pick. On our farm, for example, u-pick seasons vary by crop and even by variety within a crop category. (You can learn more about u-pick seasons and policies on our farm, here.) If you have questions, ask them! Most farms would much rather you get clarification than end up with underripe produce or venture into an area that’s closed for u-pick.
3. Form a Plan
Sometimes the picking is so good and so easy, you might end up with dozens of pounds of fresh, delicious produce before you know it. It feels awesome to get outside, do some work, and drive away with a huge fruit and veggie haul, but then you get home...and the real work begins. If you plan to do some preserving or batch cooking, it’s a good idea to get your recipes picked out and form a rough idea of what kinds of quantities you’ll need before you head out to pick.
4. Learn How to Pick
Once you’ve figured out what you want to pick, do a little research to get some pointers on picking technique. And pay attention to the varieties of a certain crop that you’ll be picking because different ones may ripen or grow differently. Watch YouTube videos ahead of time or ask for tips from the farm when you arrive. One common picking mistake we see with apples and pears is an instinct to tug downward on the fruit. This could result in plucking an unripe fruit or even damaging the tree. The best practice is to cradle the fruit and gently roll it upward until it snaps off the tree at a natural weak point in the stem. If it doesn’t come off easily with a gentle, upward roll, it’s probably not ready to come off the tree.
5. Know and Follow the Rules
This is basically a repeat of tip number one, but it’s super important to seek out, read, and make sure you understand the rules. With potential safety hazards, crop sensitivities, picking complexities, buyer contracts, etc. a working farm usually has far more restrictions than somewhere like a public park, for example. Be aware of your surroundings and on the lookout for signs and directions; only pick what you have been instructed to pick; and get permission before leaving designated picking areas to explore other parts of the farm.
6. Be Safe
Come prepared to protect yourself from all of the usual outdoor hazards and bring sunscreen, drinking water, wear layers, etc. Orchards and farms also tend to have more bees and wasps than other places, so close-toed shoes are recommended and you may want to avoid certain areas or take extra precautions if you are allergic.
7. Be Respectful
Please show respect for the farm and other pickers by driving carefully and slowly, following rules, and getting permission before exploring non-designated areas. Do not climb on equipment, keep children close, and avoid driving over irrigation pipe or into the vegetable beds. Please also be gentle with plants and trees (no climbing, please!). Many u-pick farms are also someone’s home, so it’s best to try to leave everything as you found it.
Ready to Pick at ME & Moore?
See when u-pick season begins, get more information, read our code of conduct, and find answers to frequently asked questions, here.
