2024 Northern Indiana Vegetable U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Vegetable U-Pick Orchards in Northern Indiana in 2024, by county

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

Not all areas of a state have vegetables 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

Lake County

• De Jong Farm - Uses integrated pest management practices, beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, eggplants, flowers, herbs or spices, kale, onions, peas, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables,
  8700 Grand Blvd, Merrillville, IN 46410. Phone: (708) 259-0516. Email: dejongfarmIN@gmail.com. Open: Hours vary; please see our Facebook page for current availability and hours. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, PayPal. We use integrated pest management practices(ADDED: February 01, 2021)
• Merrillville Farms - Minimizes chemical and pesticide use, blueberries, corn (sweet), cucumbers, melons, peppers, pumpkins, tomatoes, other vegetables, prepicked produce, farm market
  6716 South Colorado Street, Hobart, IN 46342. Phone: 219-947-0223. Email: loumikolics@yahoo.com. Open: during normal business hours, 7 days a week Seasonal. Directions: 6716 Colorado Street, Hobart IN 46342 - From US 30 near Westfield Shopping Center - Turn North \(At Walmart\) onto Colorado Street from US 30, continue 1.5 miles over RR Tracks, our farm is on the left. From 61st Avenue and I-65 Intersection, Head East 1 mile until Colorado St, Turn Right 12 on right is our farm. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.
  Merrillville Farms Facebook page. . during normal business hours, 7 days a week (Seasonal)6716 Colorado Street, Hobart IN 46342 - From US 30 near Westfield Shopping Center - Turn North (At Walmart) onto Colorado Street from US 30, continue 1.5 miles over RR Tracks, our farm is on the left. From 61st Avenue and I-65 Intersection, Head East 1 mile until Colorado St, Turn Right 1/2 on right is our farmCrops are usually available in May, June, July, August, September, October. We minimize use of pesticides and other chemicalsSeasonally a vendor at the Crown Point Farmer's Market, Schererville Farmers Market, and as always pre-picked produce is available at our farm or for u-pick. Facebook page. A visitor writes on July 09, 2013: "My cousin and I came here this past Sunday. They had tons of giant blueberries! The staff was very nice and the prices were reasonable. They also had fresh eggs for sale. Very convenient location for people living in Gary/Chicago. We will come back next year!"

Porter County

• Great Inspirations Farm - Uses natural growing practices, beans, melons, peas, summer squash, winter squash, other vegetables,
  624 E 950 N, Westville, IN 46391. Phone: 219-929-1763. Email: greatinspirationsfarm@gmail.com. Open: Wednesday 12 pm to 5 pm; Saturday 10 am to 4 pm, May 15 to October 15. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Great Inspirations Farm We use natural practices, but are not yet certified Organic
• Johnson's Farm Produce - strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, vegetables, flowers, U-pick and already picked, farm market, gem mining, gift shop, restrooms
  718 West HWY 30, Valparaiso, IN 46383. Phone: (219) 759-6359. Email: johnsonsfarmproduce@gmail.com. Open: See our website for current hours; typically, Monday to Saturday 9 am-7 pm; Sunday, 9 am to 6 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  Johnson's Farm Produce Facebook page. Pick Your Own Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries & Blackberries. Strawberry season is during the month of June; Weather can affect the season greatly so the season can be as short as two weeks or as long as 5 weeks; If you are planning to pick, some time during the first two weeks of June is your safest bet; If you keep an eye on our website starting the last week in May, it will tell you when picking starts; You can also sign up for our mailing list for up to date emails about picking our delicious strawberries!Facebook page. is a Produce Farm and Garden Center. Our produce is picked continually throughout the day so you always get fresh and delicious at Johnson's. Stop in and try our famous sweet corn. We usually start picking it in early July and have it available until the first heavy frost. You will not be disappointed! Please visit our website for more information. Their strawberry UPICK fields will be open Monday-Friday until our season is over for a small entrance fee per person, Why an entrance fee? We are not funded by any city parks and rec division and welcome you onto our land to enjoy how we have stewarded the blessing of owning the land. The admissions helps to cover all the overhead, insurance, workers' living wages and yearly improvements you will enjoy. When they are ripe, the farm often has the following available to pick: ACORN SQUASH, BEETS, BLACKBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES, BROCCOLI, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, BUTTERNUT SQUASH, CABBAGE, CAULIFLOWER, CUCUMBERS, eggplants, FANCY GOURDS, GOURDS, GREEN BEANS, GREEN PEPPERS, GREEN TOMATOES, HOT BANANA PEPPERS, JALAPENO PEPPERS, KALE, SUNFLOWERS, PICKLES, PEPPERS, PUMPKINS, RED RASPBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES, WATERMELON, SWEET BANANA PEPPERS, YELLOW SQUASH, ZUCCHINI. (ADDED: May 09, 2015, JBS)

 

Vegetable PYO

Vegetable Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Pick veggies that are firm and free of blemishes.

Canning, Freezing, Drying, Preserving and more!

Below are links to pages with easy and reliable directions about how to can, preserve, freeze and make other goodies fromveggiess.  Some of these require a Pressure Canner to prevent potential spoilage and food poisoning, due to the low acid content of the food.  For others, you can use a water bath canner OR a Pressure Canner.  I've noted what's required for each, below, following each entry, with
W for water bath,
P for Pressure canner, and
W, P for either may be used!

• Canning asparagus - P
• Canning fresh shelled beans - P
• How to can beets - P
• How to make home canned carrots - P
• How to can corn (hot pack method) - P
• How to can corn (raw pack method) - P
• How to can creamed corn (hot pack method) - P
• How to make canned greens, like Spinach, Turnip Greens, Collards, Kale, Swiss Chard
• How to can green beans, yellow beans, snap beans, broad beans, etc. - P
• How to make canned dried beans and peas (from kidney beans, peas, lima beans, broadbeans, chickpeas, pole beans, etc.) - P
• How to Make Homemade Canned Baked  Beans With Tomato or Molasses Sauce - P
• How to Make Homemade Canned Baked  Beans With Back, Pork or Ham and Tomato or Molasses Sauce - P
• Mixed vegetables - P
• Mushrooms - P
• How to can peas (English peas, Crowder peas, blackeye peas and purple hull peas) - P
• Boiled Peanuts! Now Southerners who move to other parts of the country can make their own home-canned boiled peanuts to eat later or give away as gifts
• How to can peppers (removing the skins)- P
• How to can peppers (leaving the skins on) - P
• How to can Hot peppers in oil - W
• How to make fresh basil Pesto (only fresh and frozen - this can't be home-canned)
• How to make canned Pineapple - W
• How to can potatoes - P
• How to home-can pumpkin (in a cooked, cubed form) and why you shouldn't home-can the pureed forms. Note: Pumpkin is difficult to can safely - it is a low acid food, so that rules out open water bath canning immediately. Pressure canners can be used, but according to the health authorities (like the National Center for Home Food Preservation) only if the pumpkin is cubed, rather than mashed. I usually just freeze the cooked pumpkin! - P
• How to make pumpkin pie from a whole, fresh pumpkin - the easy way! for fresh or frozen use
• More pumpkin recipes (roasting seeds, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies, etc.) - fresh or frozen use
• Rhubarb - how to can rhubarb - W

Pickled vegetables

• Pickled asparagus  - W, P  
• Pickled beets - W, P
• Branston pickle relish (an English tradition)
• Pickled Brussels Sprouts (or Cauliflower) - W
• Bread-And-Butter Zucchini pickles - W, P
• Pickled green beans - W, P
• Pickled Dill beans - W, P
• Pickled cabbage - W, P 
• Pickled carrots - W, P
• Southern Chow-Chow (also called Piccalilli) - W, P 
• Pickled corn relish - W, P
• Pear relish
• How to Make Pickled Eggs (to store in the fridge!)
• Spiced Green tomatoes
• Pickled Green Tomatoes - another pickled green tomato recipe, this one sweet
• Pickled garlic - W, P -  (photos coming!)
• Hot relish (Dixie Relish, Fall Garden Relish)
• Mixed  vegetable pickles (cauliflower, peppers, onions, celery, cucumber mix) - W, P
• Mustard beans (pickled mustard beans)
• Pickled dilled okra! - W, P
• Olives
• Pickled pearl onions - W
• Pickled onions (red or white) - W
• Pickled peaches (also nectarines, apricots, etc.) - W,P
• Pickled peppers - W, P
• How to make sauerkraut - homemade and naturally fermented! - W, P
• Pickled Three-Bean Salad - W
• Pickled watermelon rind - W, P
• Zucchini pickles (dill) - W

Canning tomatoes (in water bath canners )

• How to can tomatoes using a water bath canner - W
• Diced, chopped or crushed tomatoes - W
• Bruschetta - W
• Tomato sauce - W
• Tomato paste - W
• Barbecue sauce (BBQ sauce) - W
• Chili sauce from your own tomatoes and peppers - W
• Diced, chopped or crushed tomatoes - W
• Tomato Preserves- W
• Tomato salsa - W
• Spaghetti sauce - without meat - W, P
• Spiced Green tomatoes- W
• Pickled Green Tomatoes - W - another pickled green tomato recipe, this one sweet
• Ketchup.. or if you prefer... How to make catsup - W, P
• NEW! SUPER-EASY homemade ketchup recipe - W
• Salsa from your unripe, GREEN tomatoes! - W
• Tomatillo salsa - W
• How to make roasted tomatoes, boiling water bath canner version - W

Canning Tomatoes in Pressure canners

• Canned tomatoes using a Pressure Canner - P
• Baked  Beans With Tomato or Molasses Sauce - P
• Canning your own chili con carne (with meat) - P
• How to make roasted tomatoes, pressure canner version - P
• Spaghetti sauce - with meat  - P
• Stewed tomatoes - P
• Tomato soup or tomato-basil soup - P
• Tomato sauce - P
• Tomato juice - P
• Tomato juice, like V8 - P

Freezing Tomatoes

• How to freeze tomatoes from you garden or the farm; for that fresh taste this winter!
• Space-saving prepping and freezing extra tomatoes from your garden to can later

Drying tomatoes

• NEW! How to make Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Food drying basics and principles
• How to dry your own herbs
• Food Dehydrators - models, specs and pricing information

Ripening green tomatoes in your garage or basement

If you want to bring your green tomatoes indoors before a freeze in the Fall, and ripen them, see:

• How to ripen your green garden tomatoes indoors in the Fall and Winter.

And if you'd like to start you own tomatoes from seed (you can save a small fortune and grow the heirloom varieties you like) see this page for easy directions for growing your own tomato plants from seed.

• General Directions and guides about home canning, preserving, safety, tips, etc.)
• Home canning safety
• FAQs
• Equipment and supplies

Many more recipes and directions:

• Canning anything that can be safely canned at home!
• Juices: Canning fruit and vegetable juices
• Freezing directions
• Pie fillings (making home canned pie fillings)
• Sauces, Salsas, Syrups, Fruit Butters and Chutneys (from applesauce, apple butter, to salsa, syrups, etc, can any sauce)
• Broths and Stocks
• Soups - canning vegetable and meat soups at home (see this page for tomato soup)
• Pickling - more than just cucumbers
• Drying / food dehydrating
• Ice cream, gelato and sorbets

 

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