2024 Triangle area of North Carolina Vegetable U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Vegetable U-Pick Orchards in Triangle area of North Carolina 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

Franklin County

• DeMilia Research Farm - Uses integrated pest management practices, asparagus, beans, beets, broad beans, broccoli, carrots, corn (sweet), cotton, cucumbers, eggplants, herbs or spices, melons, onions, peas, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables,
  295 Pine Ridge Rd, Zebulon, NC 27597. Phone: (919) 522-1567. Email: info@demiliaresearchfarm.com. Open: hours, days and dates. Directions: Located just south of Bunn, NC on Rte 39 at the intersection of Johnson Town Road and Pine Ridge Road Follow the \runway lights down the long rock driveway. 295 Pine Ridge Rd. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard.
  DeMilia Research Farm Facebook page. US

Granville County

• Lyon Farms - Beans, Blackberry, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Corn, Greens, Onions, Potatoes, pumpkins, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Watermelon, Vegetables
  1544 Munns Rd, Creedmoor, NC 27522. Phone: 919-528-3263. Email: lyonfarmsveggies@gmail.com. Open: April 13th - May 29th Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm, Sat, 8 am to 6 pm, Sun 1pm to 6pmSummer hours are May 30th - August 13th Mon-Sat 9 am to 6 pm, Closed Sunday. Directions: From Durham take I-85 north take Exit 186-A go 2 miles. From Raleigh take Hwy 50 north, follow signs. From Oxford take I-85 south, go left to Hwy 15 turn right, follow signs. U-pick pumpkins, corn maze and hay rides October 1-31 Saturday-Sunday 10-6. Monday-Friday for field trips by appointment. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Lyon Farms Facebook page. Open click here for a map to the farmTypical harvest dates: Strawberries & Sweet Onions - April-June Cabbage, Beets & Greens - April-May New Potatoes - May-June Beans, Blackberries, Blueberries, Corn, Cantaloupe, Tomatoes & Okra - June-July Watermelon - July-August Fig - August-September Facebook page.

Johnston County

• Flintstone Farm - beans, broad beans, broccoli, carrots, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplants, flowers, grapes, herbs or spices, melons, onions, peas, peppers, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  460-C Watston Road, Selma, NC 27576. Phone: 919-284-1100. Email: flintstone_farm@yahoo.com. Open: every day; Just call. Directions: We are located Behind North Johnston High School in Micro, NC Just a mile or two from Hiway 301 Between Micro and Kenly . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Crops are usually available in March through November We strive to be available every Friday.
• Smith's Nursery, Inc. - blackberries, blueberries, pumpkins, strawberries, other vegetables, Honey from hives on the farm, prepicked produce, restrooms, picnic area, farm animals, school tours
  443 Sanders Road, Benson, NC 27504. Phone: 919-934-1700. Email: smithsnursery@aol.com. Open: See our website for current hours. Directions: See our website for directions. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover. Fax: 919-934-2055 Crops are usually available in April, May, June, July, September, October, November(UPDATED: January 26, 2016)

Nash County

• Wrenn's Farm - Strawberries, Beans, Cantaloupe, Corn, Cucumber, Greenhouse Tomatoes, Greenhouse Vegetables, Asparagus, Cabbage, Onions, Squash, Tomatoes, Watermelon
  5078 Brantley Road, Zebulon, NC 27597. Phone: (919) 269-9781. Email: wrennsfarm@gmail.com. Open: Sunday noon-6 pm, Monday to Saturday 8 am to 8 pm; April 15 thru August 15. Directions: Located 4 miles east of Zebulon between Old Hwy 264 & Hwy 97 on Brantley Road. Crop availability: Strawberries & Asparagus - April-May Tomatoes & Cucumbers - April-June Onions & Cabbage - May-June Squash - June Corn - July Cantaloupes, Butterbean \(picked & shelled\) & Watermelon - July-August. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Wrenn's Farm Facebook page. . Phone: (919) 306-2735 Located 4 miles east of Zebulon between Old Hwy 264 & Hwy 97 on Brantley Road. Crop availability: Strawberries & Asparagus - April-May Tomatoes & Cucumbers - April-June Onions & Cabbage - May-June Squash - June Corn - July Cantaloupes, Butterbean (picked & shelled) & Watermelon - July-August. Facebook page

Person County

• Flat River Nursery - Cabbage, Cucumber, eggplants, Flowers, Greenhouse Tomatoes, Greenhouse Vegetables, Peppers, Squash, Strawberries, Tomatoes
  1548 Holeman-Ashley Road, Timberlake, NC 27583. Phone: (336) 364-2460. Open: Monday to Friday 8 am to 5 pm, Sunday strawberries only-call for hours; April-October. Directions: Take US 501 North from Durham to Timberlake. Turn left onto Holeman Ashley Road, go approximately 2 miles to 3rd road on right \(Holeman Ashley Road\). Turn right and go 1.5 miles, farm on right. Greenhouse visible from road. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Flat River Nursery Facebook page. Take US 501 North from Durham to Timberlake. Turn left onto Holeman Ashley Road, go approximately 2 miles to 3rd road on right (Holeman Ashley Road). Turn right and go 1.5 miles, farm on right. Greenhouse visible from road Crop availability: Strawberries, Cabbage & Squash - April-June Tomatoes, Peppers & Eggplant - June-frost Greenhouse Tomatoes & Cucumbers - mid March-October Bedding Plants, Hanging Baskets & Ferns - April-June Large Mums & Pansies - September 1-October 31. Ferns, bedding plants, hanging baskets, mums & Pansies September to October

Wake County

• Neighbor Boy Farm and Country Store - Uses natural growing practices, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), beans, you-dig carrots, cucumbers, lettuce or salad greens, onions, hot peppers, sweet peppers, summer squash, Heirloom tomatoes, paste or Roma tomatoes, tomatoes, other vegetables, Other vegetables, sunflowers, flowers, Basil, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, U-pick and already picked, gift shop, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area you may bring your own food
  1008 Davis Drive, Apex, NC 27523. Phone: (919) 637-9894. Email: val@neighborboyinc.com. Open: Check Facebook and our website for our hours, which vary seasonally. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Neighbor Boy Farm and Country Store Facebook page. Picking updates: Click here for picking updatesOur pick-your-own season starts mid-June;. We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification Additional pick your own: large variety of seasonal flowers and wildflowers, spinach. Pumpkins and Christmas Trees available during the season. (UPDATED: April 30, 2022) (ADDED: July 12, 2021)
• Porter Farms & Nursery - Willow Springs - Willow Springs - PYO strawberries, Cantaloupe, Corn, Flowers, Pumpkin, Tomatoes, Vegetables, Watermelon, Beans, Cabbage, eggplants, Gourds, Peppers, Potatoes, Squash, Zucchini, Cut Flowers, Mums
  3504 NC Highway 42, Willow Springs, NC 27592. Phone: 919-567-0504. Email: getfresh@porterfarmsandnursery.com. Open: Saturday 8:30am to 6 pm, Sunday 12 pm to 6 pm, Monday to Friday 9 am to 7 pm. Directions: Located on Highway 42, south of Raleigh. From Raleigh take I-40 east, Take Exit 312 and take a right toward Fuquay-Varina. We are 6 miles down Hwy 42 on Left. . Click here for a map and directions. Map to Porter farms. In addition to pick your own strawberries, also have all manner of vegetables available in season which they have grown themselves, as well as homemade ice cream. The farm is family owned and operated, very friendly folks, nice clean vegetable stand.
• The Collard Patch - beans, broad beans, broccoli, corn (sweet), onions, summer squash, strawberries, other vegetables, and prepicked produce
  7012 Pulley Town Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587. Phone: 919-556-5135. Email: thecollardpatch@nc.rr.com. Open: Monday to Saturday 7am to 6pm for vegetables; Sunday Strawberries only 8am to 5pm. Directions: From Raleigh go 401 North to Rolesville. Continue 1 mile through Rolesville turn right on Pulley Town Road. Go 34 of a mile to Second brick home on left. See sign on the left The Collard Patch. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.
  The Collard Patch Facebook page. . From Raleigh go 401 North to Rolesville. Continue 1 mile through Rolesville turn right on Pulley Town Road. Go 3/4 of a mile to Second brick home on left. See sign on the left Fall Cabbage, Collards and Sweet Potatoes will be ready in late OctoberFacebook pageis a pick-your-own roadside farm market. It is designed to help you obtain the freshest locally grown vegetables in this area. A lot of pride has gone in to growing the finest, tastiest garden vegetables, maintaining all the nutritional benefits.

 

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