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

Asparagus U-Pick Orchards in Southeastern Minnesota in 2024, by county

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

Not all areas of a state have asparagus orchards 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

Freeborn County

• 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!

 

Asparagus

Asparagus Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

 Asparagus is one of the first crops to harvest in the early Spring. Asparagus is usually green, but there is a white (blanched) version that has been kept covered until harvested, so no light reaches it, and even a purple version.

Pick your own asparagus

Pick your own asparagus is pretty rare in the U.S., much more common in the U.K. and Europe. U-Pick white asparagus is REALLY hard to find in the U.S. Eckerts in Belleville, Illinois, has it.
To pick asparagus, just look for asparagus spears are about 6 to 10 inches above the soil line, are firm, with tightly closed tips.
Then just cut at the base (ground level) or snap each spear; they usually snap off cleanly at the ground level.

Canning, Freezing and Asparagus recipes

• Freezing asparagus
• Canning Asparagus
• Canning pickled asparagus
• Canning one jar of pickled asparagus
• Oven-roasted Asparagus recipe
• Cheesy garlic roasted asparagus
• White asparagus

Grow your own asparagus (white or green)

The Old farmer's Almanac has a good page about how to grow your own asparagus, white or green.  I've been growing it for years.  It's probably the easiest thing you can grow.  And after you harvest in the spring, you let it grow, and it produces 5 ft tall fern-like leaves that make a nice background hedge at the back of the garden. So don't plant it where it will block the sun from other parts of the garden.  The leaves suck up energy from the sun and store it in the roots to produce next Spring;'s crop.

 

 

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