southwestern Iowa, Omaha area Pumpkin U-Pick Orchards in !

Find a local pick your own farm here!

Pumpkin U-Pick Orchards in southwestern Iowa, Omaha area 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

Pottawattamie County

3 Bee Farms - apples, pumpkins, Honey from hives on the farm, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, picnic area, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours, events at your location (call for info)
14922 535th Street, Griswold, IA 51535. Phone: 712-778-4256. Email: donna@3beefarms.com. Open: September through the end of October hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9 am until 5 pm; Sunday is 1 pm until 5 pm; We are Closed on Wednesdays. Directions: We are located one mile west of Griswold, IA on highway 92. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, WIC Vouchers, SFMNP Vouchers. Honey Fest September 15 and 16; Johnny Appleseed Fest September 22 and 23; Family Fun Fest September 29 and 30; Apple Days Ocotber 6 and 7; Harvest Festival October 20 and 21; Pumpkin Fest October 27 and 28We also accept Snap (EBT)
Ditmars Orchard - Apples, peaches, pumpkins, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, tractor-pulled hay rides, wagon rides
19475 225th Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51503. Phone: 712-256-7053. Email: LyleDitmars@hotmail.com. Open: Tuesday thru Satuday 10 to 5, Sunday noon to 5 Generally open August 1 thru December 15. Directions: Council Bluffs Exit 8 from I-80 then east on Highway 6 one half mile to Hunt Ave. North 1 and one half miles. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check.
Ditmars Orchard Facebook page. Fax: 712-388-0483. Click here for a map to our farm. Crops are usually available in August, September, October, November However, special events can scheduledCider made on site in season. Hot apple pie and fried apple pie with ice cream. Cider slushes. Hand poured candles and other items including gourmet sodas
Pioneer Trail Orchard & Pumpkin Patch - Apples, Pumpkins, hay rides, corn maze and much more.
21534 Chestnut Road, Council Bluffs, IA 51503. Phone: 712-366-1505. Email: webmaster@ptapples.com. Open: The Pumpkin Patch and events will be open October 1st; Monday through Thursday from 5 pm to 9 pm, Friday from 5 pm to 10 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 10 pm, Sunday from Noon to 7 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Click here for a map! We currently have planted over 625 apple trees of 5 varieties for pick-your-own: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Macintosh, Fuji Myra Red

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)

2024 southwestern Iowa, Omaha area Pumpkin U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Find a pick-your-own farm near you! Then learn to can and freeze! Since 2002! We update continuously; Beware the copycat websites!