Find a local pick your own farm here!

Pumpkin U-Pick Orchards in SW MI: Branch, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph's counties in 2025, 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

Kalamazoo County

  • Gull Meadow Farms - apples, pumpkins, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, school tours
    8854 Gull Road, Richland, MI 49083. Phone: 269-629-4214. Email: gullmeadowfarms@gmail.com. Open: See our website for current hours; Our U-Pick orchard opens in early September each fall and begins with McIntosh and Honey Gold. Directions: We are located 34 of a mile west of Richland on M-43. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard.
    Gull Meadow Farms Facebook page. Other varieties are available for U-Pick throughout the season as they ripen. Crops are usually available in September, October. Pumpkins, apples, wagon rides, corn maze, and all kids activities open from early September until Halloween. . Apple Ripening Schedule - Please note that these are approximate ripening times for each variety and weather can affect these times.Apple Variety - Approximate Ripening - Start U-Pick AvailablityJonagold Early September Early SeptemberEmpire Mid September Mid SeptemberGolden Delicious Mid September Mid September Jonathan Mid September Mid SeptemberRed Delicious Late September Late SeptemberRome Late September Late SeptemberMutsu Late September/Early October Mid OctoberFuji Mid October Mid October Granny Smith Mid October Mid October (UPDATED: June 9, 2025, JBS)
    [ Click here to update the listing ]

  • Husted's Farm Market and Cider Mill - apples, cherries, flowers, pumpkins, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), and prepicked produce, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area
    9191 West Main, Kalamazoo, MI 49009. Phone: 269-372-2605. Email: scotthusted@charter.net. Open: 9-6 Daily June through October; 10-5 Daily in November. Directions: Kalamazoo exit 38-b off of us 131 go 3.5 miles west to farm market 9191 west main Kalamazoo Mi. 49009. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check.
    Husted's Farm Market and Cider Mill Facebook page. 5 miles west to farm market 9191 west main Kalamazoo Mi. 49009. . Crops are usually available in May, June, July, August, September, October, November. We have 23 apple varieties including Honeycrisp and Sweetango ,Sweet and Tart cherries. U-PICK apples start around September 1st. . (UPDATED: June 9, 2025, JBS)
    [ Click here to update the listing ]

  • Verhage Farms - apples, cherries, peaches, hayrides, pumpkins
    8619 W M L Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49065. Phone: 616-375-0153. Open: for approximately 8 weeks, September 5-Nov. Directions: In Kalamazoo, go W on Stadium Dr. to 6th Street \\(turn right\\). Go to the end of 6th and turn left on "ML", go over railroad tracks, 12 mile on left to 8619 West "ML" Avenue. \\[ . Click here for a map and directions.
    [ Click here to update the listing ]

 

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

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