2024 Northern Indiana South Bend-Elkhart Pumpkin U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Pumpkin U-Pick Orchards in Northern Indiana South Bend-Elkhart 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

Elkhart County

• Kercher's Sunrise Orchards Farm Market - apples, pumpkins, gourds, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, school tours
  19498 CR 38 , Goshen, IN 46526. Phone: 574-533-6311. Email: maureen.kercher@gmail.com. Open: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30 pm, Saturday 8:30am to 4pm, open Sundays in September and October 12pm to 5pm. Directions: 14 mile west of State Road 15 on CR 38\(Kercher Rd\)19498 CR 38, Goshen, IN 46526. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard. Fax: 574-533-1685 1/4 mile west of State Road 15 on CR 38(Kercher Rd)19498 CR 38, Goshen, IN 46526Crops are usually available in May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December Morel mushrooms are available in May. Sweet Cherries and tart cherries mid June to early July. U-Pick Apples- Late August to late October. U-Pick Pumpkins and Hayrides, every weekend from the last weekend of September through the last weekend in October. Harvest festival the first weekend in OctoberSpecializing in homemade and locally grown Indiana products, including fruits and vegetables. The best darn cider and apple butter anywhere..that's what all of our customers tell us anyway!!! Fruit baskets beautifully designed with the best of the years fruits topped off with nuts and candies, little jars of jam or apple butter cheese, fudge and caramel apple dip, wrapped in cellophane and topped off with a festive bow.

LaPorte County

• Garwood Orchards & Farm Markets - apples, blackberries, cherries, pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, pony rides, birthday parties, school tours
  5911 W. 50 South, Laporte, IN 46350. Phone: 219-362-4385. Email: apples@garwoodorchard.com. Open: daily from April thru Christmas; Cherries available for UPick beginning in 2009. Directions: From I94 or I8090 take highway 421 South towards Westville Indiana, turn east on highway 2 towards LaPorte, Indiana. After about 6 miles, turn left at County Road 500 West. There will be a Gas Station on the corner and you will see a Garwood Sign. Continue on 500 West over the RR tracks to 50 South where you will see another Garwood sign, turn left to our Farm Market and UPick. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Garwood Orchards & Farm Markets Facebook page. Fax: 219-324-4803 Daily 8 am to 7 pm *CALL FIRST in November/December as closing time May be earlier. Strawberries: June, Blackberries and Raspberries (Red and Black): July and August, Apples, Pumpkins and Fall Raspberries: September and October; Market open click here for picking updatesFrom I94 or I80/90 take highway 421 South towards Westville Indiana, turn east on highway 2 towards LaPorte, Indiana. After about 6 miles, turn left at County Road 500 West. There will be a Gas Station on the corner and you will see a Garwood Sign. Continue on 500 West over the RR tracks to 50 South where you will see another Garwood sign, turn left to our Farm Market and UPick. Garwood Orchards Facebook page

St. Joseph County

• New Road Natural Farm - Uses natural growing practices, beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, onions, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, Fresh eggs, farm animals, school tours
  19000 New Road, South Bend, IN 46614. Phone: 574-231-9114. Email: Curtis@wallstraits.com. Open: Daily 9am to 7pm, or by appointment. Directions: First paved driveway on south side of new road west of Miami road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Alternate Phone: 574 339 7002 Vegetables, eggs, chickens, ducks, rabbits year around as seasons allow. We use natural practices, but are not yet certified OrganicEggs and meat from rare breeds, including Welsh Harliquen Ducks and Champagne d'Argent rabbits

 

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