2024 east-central Iowa Pumpkin U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Pumpkin U-Pick Orchards in east-central Iowa in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for pumpkins that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a state have pumpkins farms that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!

Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!

PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.

New! As inflation remains high, see this page for reliable (tested) brands of generic canning lids at lower costs, and cost-saving measures for getting fruit and vegetables and home canning.
 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

New! Road tripping and camping is a great way to have a fun, safe and inexpensive family trip. The national and state parks and monuments are open, and campgrounds usually cost between $10 and $40 per night. September to November is the best camping weather.  See our new website Road Tripping and Camping.com for tips, tricks, guides, checklists and info about parks, monuments and other places to visit.

New! We just went live with our latest website, FunFactoryTours.com - As they name implies, you can find a fun factory tour, including chocolate, automobiles, historical forts and sites, famous buildings, Active Federal facilities even fun geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

Benton County

• Bloomsbury Farm - pumpkins, winter squash, prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, events at your location (call for info)
  3260 69th Street, Atkins, IA 52206. Phone: 319-446-7667. Email: karen@bloomsburyfarm.com. Open: Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover. . Fax:Crops are usually available in September, October Haunted barn, Western play area, Grandmas Playhouse, Pig races, pedal cart track, corn box, tractor tire maze
  Comments from a visitor on September 22, 2008: "A wonderful place to visit. They made great improvements after the tornado hit their farm a few years ago and it is very kid friendly with lots of activities for them. We go every year!"

Black Hawk County

• Heartland Farms - pumpkins, raspberries (Autumn, red), strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, restrooms, picnic area, Bouncy pillow, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  5111 Osage Road, Waterloo, IA 50703. Phone: 319-232-3779. Email: berrypumpkinfarm@earthlink.net. Open: Strawberry Season is June open 7 days a week hours are 8 am to 7 pm through strawberry season; Mother Nature will dictate the exact days of June. Directions: From exit 68 on Interstate 20 north 1 mile to Dubuque Road then 1 mile west to Elk Run Road then 1 mile North to Osage Road follow the signs. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
  Heartland Farms Facebook page. Fax: 319-291-7287Strawberries normally June 7 to July 4; Pumpkin Halloween Season is last week of September and all of October, hours Tuesday through Friday 4 pm to 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 7 pmSince 1983 our family growing and offering our best for your family

Cedar County

• Lincolnway Flower Farm - Uses natural growing practices, corn (sweet), flowers, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, farm animals, school tours
  2207 Old Lincoln Hwy, Lowden, IA 52255. Phone: 563 941-5417. Open: Call ahead for hours. Directions: On Hwy 30 between De Witt and Cedar Rapids. West side of Lowden on Old Hwy 30. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Crops are usually available in May, June, July, August, September, October, November. We use natural practices, but are not yet certified OrganicIron garden sculpture available for order

Iowa County

• Genoa Bluffs Farms - strawberries, pumpkins, winter squash, Honey from hives on the farm, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, picnic area, inflatables or bounce houses, trike track, birthday parties, school tours, group reservations
  2168 H.h. Avenue, Marengo, IA 52301. Phone: 319-668-8447. Email: info@genoabluffspumpkinfarm.com. Open: Pick Your Own Strawberries Starting June Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm Sunday 1pm to 6pm. Directions: Interstate I-80 to Exit 211 South off exit, take first gravel road heading East, 216th Street, Genoa Bluffs Farms is second property on the left side of the road. Strawberries First week in June till berries are done producing; Pick Your Own or Pre picked Pumpkins and Corn Maze . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. open September 23 through October 30thFresh Strawberry pie by the slice or by special order. Place an order, pick your berries and leave with a fresh strawberry pie! Grab a nice refreshing slushy after a warm day in the patch! Fresh preserves and honey from our farm! Pumpkin season- variety of pumpkins of all color and sizes. Pie pumpkins, gourds, and squash. Full concessions, with fresh baked pies! Pumpkin Fest October 15th and Flashlight Maze. (ADDED: May 20, 2016)

Johnson County

• Wilson's Orchard - apples, pumpkins, Honey from hives on the farm, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours
  4823 Dingleberry Road NE, Iowa City, IA 52240. Phone: 319-354-5651. Email: info@wilsonsapples.com. Open: daily August through October; August and September hours are 10 am to 7 pm; October hours are 10 am to 6 pm. Directions: 2 miles north of I-80 \(Exit 246\) on Highway 1, then 1 mile east on Dingleberry Road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  Wilson's Orchard Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 319-541-7682 2 miles north of I-80 (Exit 246) on Highway 1, then 1 mile east on Dingleberry Road

Linn County

• Simon Farm - corn (sweet), pumpkins,
  4647 Urbana Road, Center Point, IA 52213. Phone: 319-329-9144. Email: azskso@hotmail.com. Directions: 1 mile north of Center Point on Urbana Road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Seven day a week/ from 7am to 8pm We will have some pumpkins on a hay rack in the front yard, if you would like to pick some for yourself please nock on the door. Feel free to pick as many ears of sweetcorn as you would like.

Scott County

• Pride of the Wapsi - strawberries, pumpkins, activities, School Tours and Corn maze
  14600 305th St, Long Grove, IA 52756. Phone: (563) 285-8180. Email: prideofthewapsi@gmtel.net. Open: See their website for hours. Click here for a map and directions. ‎Whether it's picking strawberries in June, baking pie with rhubarb or cherries, eating fresh sweet corn off the cob, shopping our stand on the roadside or local farmer's market, jamming ripe red raspberries, or selecting that perfect pumpkin straight from the patch in October, our farm is definitely going to be a blast for the entire family from age one to 100. Yes, even residents from local nursing homes enjoy fun filled wagon rides around the farm while observing the change of the seasons. (UPDATED: February 16, 2016)

 

Pumpkin

Pumpkin Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Do you want it for a party, decoration or eating?

For a wedding or party:

See this page: Finding pumpkins for weddings

Decoration to paint or carve:

OK, Then you need only look for any pumpkin that is

• visually appealing, evenly a deep orange. The shape is just whatever appeals to you. If it grew on its side and has a flat spot, you can either make that the make or use it as part of your design!
• free from cuts, soft spots, bruises. The flesh should feel hard, and not give easily. Infections can invade easily and cause rot
• Make sure the stem is attached.

Store it carefully, especially if you pick it from the vine yourself. Cure a fresh-picked pumpkin by keeping it in a dry place. Don't handle or disturb it. Curing toughens the rind, making it less prone to rot. Pumpkins will keep for months in a cool (50 F to 65F dry, low humidity environment; such as a cool, dry basement.

Tip: If you like roasted or baked pumpkin seeds, you can save the seeds from any pumpkin!

To make a pumpkin pie!

Then you need a small, sweet type of pumpkin that has been developed for eating. They are smaller, typically about 8" to 10" diameter. The meat is much less stringy and smoother than a decorative pumpkin variety. Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A and potassium. One-half cup of cooked pumpkin provides more than the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A. One cup of cooked pumpkin contains only 81 calories. It's low in fat and sodium! Usually you can get these at the grocery store, and some of the pumpkin patches and farm stands have them. Be sure to tell them that you intend to use it for a pumpkin pie. Again, look for firm, no soft spots, or signs of any rot. See this page for easy, illustrated directions to make a pumpkin pie from a fresh pumpkin!

Varieties of Pumpkins

• Sugar - Excellent for baking
• Jack O'Lantern - most common for carving
• White Lumina - unusual, medium-sized white pumpkin
• Mini - Great for decoration
• Gourds - Many varieties, used for decorations

For a very complete, detailed list of many varieties of pumpkins and where to get the seeds, see this page!

Want to Grow Your Own Pumpkins?

Then see this page!

Pumpkin recipes

• How to prepare cooked pumpkin from a fresh pumpkin (for use in all the recipes)
• Illustrated instructions to make a pumpkin pie from a fresh pumpkin - the best pumpkin pie you will ever taste! (metric version for the UK, Europe, Australia, Japan, etc.)
• How to home-can pumpkin (in a cooked, cubed form) and why you shouldn't home-can the pureed forms.
• Traditional Pumpkin Pie
• Chocolate pumpkin pie
• Pumpkin Spice Muffins
• Pumpkin muffins
• Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Butter!
• Pumpkin cheesecake - INCREDIBLE!!! You have to try this one!
• Pumpkin Cookies
• Pumpkin soup - even if you normally aren't a soup lover; you will love this one.
• Butternut-Chestnut Panchetta-Bacon Soup - Pumpkin or Butternut squash combines with chestnuts and bacon, ham or panchetta in this great soup
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
• No Sugar Pumpkin Pie
• Apple Cider Doughnut Recipe (with maple glaze or sugar glaze)

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Local Honey Finder
• Local Meat, Milk and Eggs
• Venues: Farms, Wineries, Orchards for your event, wedding or party
• Easter egg hunts
• Children"s consignment sales
• Fruit and vegetable festivals
• Winery tours and wine tastings
• Horse rides, stables, lessons, trails
• Maple Syrup farms and sugarworks
• Bed & Breakfasts on Farms, Wineries, Ranches and Orchards
• Pumpkin patches
• Corn mazes
• Zombie Paintball venues
• Christmas Tree Farms & lots
• Environmental resources
• Consumer fraud information
• Wholesale food sources
• Resources for Farmers