2024 South-central Virginia (Dinwiddie, Meckl. Nottoway..) Bean U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Bean U-Pick Orchards in South-central Virginia (Dinwiddie, Meckl. Nottoway..) in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for beans that we know of in this area. Not all areas of any state, nor even every state, have beans orchards 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.

Dinwiddie County

• Jarrett's Produce - beets, tomatoes, blueberries, blackberries, zucchini, squash, watermelon, okra, beans, cantaloupe, and more.
  27317 Reams Drive, Petersburg, VA 23805. Phone: (804) 861-3551. Open: Be sure to call before you go; their Facebook page has not been updated since 2015, I am going to assume they have closed and remove them at the end of the year, If you have any information to the contrary, please write me. Directions: From 85 south take Squirrel Level Road exit, follow Halifax Road south \(toward Richard Bland College\) for about 8 miles. Take a right on 606. There may be a sign \(a printed sign, not from above!\). From 95 south take the Courtland exit, then north on 35, left on 605, 2 miles left again on 605, follow to Halifax Rd and take a right, take a quick left on 606. . Click here for a map and directions. . Cell (407) 579-6719. From 85 south take Squirrel Level Road exit, follow Halifax Road south (toward Richard Bland College) for about 8 miles. Take a right on 606. There may be a sign (a printed sign, not from above!). From 95 south take the Courtland exit, then north on 35, left on 605, 2 miles left again on 605, follow to Halifax Rd and take a right, take a quick left on 606. Click here for a map.
  Comments from a visitor on July 02, 2016: "Jarratt's is great- they have lots of fresh seasonal produce like blueberries, tomatoes, onions, watermelon, peppers, beans, various summer squash (yellow, zucchini, pattypans), etc."
  Comments from a visitor on July 10, 2008: "We visited Jarrett's today after getting the suggestion from this website. We had a great time! It looks small from the road, but you have to ride back to the orchards, vines, or bushes. We picked blueberries and blackberries. Nice people, and clean, family friendly fields with lots of juicey fruit! It was worth the trip!!! I would suggest directions from different points in Virginia. We found it easily using mapquest"

Mecklenburg County

• Circle H Farms - beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, corn (sweet), cucumbers, herbs or spices, lavender, onions, peas, peppers, summer squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, Fresh eggs
  815 Tabernacle Road, Buffalo Junction, VA 24529. Phone: 434-210-6441. Email: circlehfarms05@yahoo.com. Open: call, email, or see website for hours. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . . Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at our farm stand located on our farm (April-Nov.) We also sell at various local farmers markets. now growing over 50 different kinds of vegetables and fruits, along with pasture raised pigs and cows, and both meat and egg laying chickens. We work to provide our community with healthful, nutritious food at an affordable price.

 

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Green Bean, Lima Bean, Shelled Beans Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

When are fresh beans available?

Beans are a warm weather crop, and won't grow much in cold soil. It takes them about 60 to 70 days from seed to harvest.

 In the U.S. beans typically peak in harvesting from June through October in the South, and in July to September in the North. But they can be ready as early as early June in many places, if the weather is good.

  

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - it's hard to pick in a muddy field!
2. Most growers furnish picking containers designed for beans, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring containers.
3. Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.

  

Tips on How to Pick Beans

Whether you pick beans from your garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Tips on How to Pick Green Beans

1. Most beans these days are "stringless". That refers to a string, tough filament of the bean that runs along the outside from one end to the other.  Some beans have two, one on each side; and some have one.
2. I prefer to snap the bean off the plant just below where the stem attaches to the bean. If you do this, it will save time when you get home, because one end of the bean has already been trimmed.  But this only makes sense if you will be using, cooking, canning or freezing the beans that day. 
3. If you won't be using the beans the same day, then break  off the bean from the plant along the thin stem that connects the bean to the plant.
4. The beans snap off pretty easily. hence the name "snap beans".
5. Pole beans are the easiest to pick, because, since they grow up poles or twine, you don't have to squat down or bend over!
6. Beans are ready for harvest when the pods are plump and firm, but not yet bulging. .
7. In your own garden, pick your beans regularly to encourage more growth and prevent the pods from becoming tough and stringy.
8. To harvest, hold the stem of the plant with one hand and gently snap the pod with the other..

Look for string, snap or green beans that are :

1. firm
2. green (not yellowish - unless you're picking yellow beans!)
3. smooth, not wrinkly on the surface - that's an old or dried out bean. Snap beans are best when the pods are firm and snap readily, but before the seeds within the pod develop. The tips should be pliable
4. not lumpy - those lumps are the beans that are developed - that's an overripe green bean!  Of course, if you want mature beans (not including the pod) then that's a different story, but we're talking about green beans here).
5. The beans in the photo at right are, from left:
   - old and yellowing,
   - overripe and lumpy; and
   - dried out and damaged.
6. Avoid placing the picked beans in the sunlight any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. I prefer to bring a cooler with ice in it. Green Beans may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days

 

When you get home

1. After harvesting, store your beans in the refrigerator or blanch and freeze them for longer storage.
2. Put them in the vegetable crisper in the fridge, in a loose plastic bag.
3. They will be good for about a week like that.

  

Bean recipes and home canning

Now, get ready to can or freeze the extra beans - It is VERY easy! Click on the links for easy instructions.

1. How to can green beans, yellow beans, snap beans, broad beans, etc.
2. How to make pickled beans
3. How to freeze green beans (and other beans)
4. How to Freeze Lima Beans, Broad beans, Butter Beans and/or Pinto Beans
5. Canning fresh shelled beans
6. Canned dried beans and peas (from kidney beans, peas, lima beans, broadbeans, chickpeas, pole beans, etc.)
7. Canned Baked  Beans With Tomato or Molasses Sauce
8. Canned Baked  Beans With Back, Pork or Ham and Tomato or Molasses Sauce -
9. Pickled green beans
10. Pickled Dill beans
11. Mustard beans (pickled mustard beans)
12. Pickled Three-Bean Salad

Varieties

There are many different types of beans, each with their own unique flavor, texture, and growing requirements. Some of the most popular varieties include:

• Green Beans: Also known as snap beans or string beans, green beans are a classic garden staple. They can be eaten fresh or cooked and come in bush and pole varieties.
• Lima Beans: Lima beans (called Broad Beans or Butter Beans in the UK) are a nutritious and protein-rich vegetable that can be eaten fresh or dried. They require a long growing season and prefer warm temperatures.
• Pole Beans: Pole beans are a climbing variety of bean that require support to grow. They can reach up to 10 feet tall and have a longer growing season than bush beans.
• Dried Beans: Dried beans are a versatile pantry staple that can be used in soups, stews, and other dishes. Popular varieties include black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo (aka, chick peas) and pinto beans

• s, navy beans, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo (aka, chick peas) and pinto beans

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