2024 Southeastern Minnesota Pumpkin U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Pumpkin U-Pick Orchards in Southeastern Minnesota 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

Dodge County

• Red Barn Learning Farm - corn (sweet), cucumbers, onions, peas, peppers, pumpkins, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, Turkeys (organic, not-hormone-fed), Fresh eggs, U-pick and already picked, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours
  27251 State Highway 30, Hayfield, MN 55940. Phone: 507-365-8321. Email: redbarnfarm@kmtel.com. Open: Opening FALL 2012. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. . Alternate Phone: 507-272-7465

Fillmore County

• Big Springs Farm Pumpkins & Corn Maze, LLC - carving pumpkins, pie pumpkins, winter squash, sunflowers, zinnias, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, kettle corn, porta-potties, picnic area, picnic area you may bring your own food, Inflatables or Bounce house, ziplines, petting zoo, farm animals, school tours, group reservations
  32060 Furrow Rd, Lanesboro, MN 55949. Phone: (507) 216-7946. Email: BigSpringsFarmMN@gmail.com. Directions: Payment: Cash, Debit cards, All credit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AndroidPay, ApplePay. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, All credit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AndroidPay, ApplePay.
  Big Springs Farm Pumpkins & Corn Maze, LLC Facebook page. . re open weekends and MEA from the middle of September through Halloween' September Hours: 10 am to 7 pm October Hours: 10 am to 5 pm Flash Lights mazes are the Friday and Saturday of MEA and the Saturday before Halloween from 7 pm to 10 pm Click here for our Instagram page. (UPDATED: August 31, 2023)

Freeborn County

• Farmer Johns Pumpkin Patch - pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, and prepicked produce, restrooms, picnic area, horse-drawn hay rides
  90537 273rd Street, Austin, MN 55912. Phone: 507-437-9180. Email: Joulla5@aol.com. Open: Pumpkin Patch open 10 to 6 daily Strawberry and vegetables daylight hours Strawberries June 10 to July 1 Raspberries July 5 to 30 and again in early September until freeze in October. Directions: North of Austin on 218 to Lansing Corners Restaurant, 3 miles west or from 251 at Corning three quarters of a mile south. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Crops are usually available in June, July, September, October Pumpkin Patch opens September 25 We have tour buses as well as school groups. The kids love to play in my silos. We raise a lot of tomatoes and most vegetables and are very involved in the Austin Farmers Market.
• Hilltop Greenhouse and Farm - asparagus, broccoli, cucumbers, eggplant, herbs or spices, melons, peppers, pumpkins, winter squash, strawberries, gift shop, restrooms, farm animals, school tours
  83204 300th Street, Ellendale, MN 56026. Phone: 507-889-3271. Email: sales@hilltopgreenhouse.com. Open: April to October 31, Please call ahead for availability; Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm. Directions: Hilltop Greenhouse and Farm is located 2 miles North of Hollandale on County Road 28, or 3 miles East of Geneva on County Road 35 then 2.5 miles South on County Road 28. Watch for directional signs. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. opens for the season April 20th with spring sales; Plants and Vegetable will be for sale until the end of Octoberis family owned and operated. All of our plants and produce are grown on our farm with sustainable practices. Take a ride to the country and enjoy the beautiful countryside view while you are able to shop for unique annuals, vegetables, perennials, shrubs, produce, and more. You will be glad you came and will be sharing the experience with family and friends!

Goodhue County

• Flower Valley Orchard - Apples, pumpkins, winter squash, gourds, ornamental grasses, and prepicked produce, restrooms
  29732 Orchard Road, Red Wing, MN 55066. Phone: 651-385-0574. Email: flowervalleyrochards@yahoo.com. Open: Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. Directions: Take Highway 61 south of Red Wing to County 21, turn right on 21, travel 1 mile to Orchard Road, follow signs for 1 mile to Orchard. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Open mid August through October Ornamental gourds and ornamental grasses

 

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