2024 Montgomery and southeastern Alabama Bean U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Bean U-Pick Orchards in Montgomery and southeastern Alabama 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 a 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.

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Barbour County

• Miller Milling Co - Peas, butterbeans
  1791 Hwy 131, Eufaula, AL 36027. Phone: (334) 687-7411. Directions: Hwy 30 from Clayton to Hwy 79, right 7 miles to Hwy 131, left to sign on left. . Click here for a map and directions. June 20-September 1
• S & W Produce - Peas, corn, butterbeans and watermelons.
  Hwy 51 N, Ariton, AL . Phone: (334) 762-2788. Open: June 20 through August 1st. Directions: Located 3 miles north of Ariton on Hwy 51, between Ariton and ClioFor a map, look here: . Click here for a map and directions. . Alternate phone: (334) 790-7912 http://mapsonus.switchboard.com/bin/maps-maponly/usr=~407239ea.35f45.62b1.9/c=5/formName=setclickpost

Chilton County

• C&J Farms - okra, corn, peas, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, pole beans
  Route 1, Box 159-A, Lawley, AL 36793. Phone: (334) 375-1486. Open: June - August, Anytime Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday, PLEASE CALL BEFORE YOU COME. Click here for a map and directions. . Alternate phone: (334) 366-2486 From Clanton take Highway 22 West 15 miles to Maplesville. Take U.S. Highway 82 West to Al. Hwy. 183 West; go 7 miles. Farm on right.
• Cleckler Farm - peas, beans
  2575 County Road 490, Verbena, AL 36091. Phone: 205-755-2752. Click here for a map and directions. Highway 31S, turn left at Peach Park onto Bradberry Lane. Go East to stop sign, and then straight across Co. Road 490 (dirt road) for 1/2 mile and farm is on left.

Geneva County

• Aplin Farms - strawberries(u-pick and pre-picked)and peaches, broad beans, broccoli, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplant, figs, flowers, onions, peas, pecans , peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, corn maze, tractor-pulled hay rides, wagon rides, and prepicked produce, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  2729 N Co Rd 49 , Dothan, AL 36305. Phone: 334-726-5104. Email: japlin4863@gmail.com. Open: Daily. Directions: From Dothan take Hwy 84W about 5.5 miles. Turn left on County Road 49. Go about 5.6 miles on Co Rd 49. The Farm will be on the right. Co Rd 49 is also known as South Bay Springs Road. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. click here for picking updates. Crops are usually available in May, June, July, August, September, October Call for Hay Ride Times. Groups can make reservation Monday through Friday. Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch are open the Month of October. All other crops are available from May to October. Call for availabilityAlso operates greenhouse; we sell: Ferns, hanging baskets, & many other types of plant in the spring and Mums in the fall (UPDATED: October 20, 2020 JBS)
• Bedsole Produce - Purple-hull peas, white peas, melons, green butterbeans, field corn, sweet corn, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelons
  2973 S. Co Rd 49, Slocomb, AL 36375. Phone: (334) 886-2291. Open: June - July, Mon - Sat from Sunup to Sundown. Click here for a map and directions. . Alternate phone: (334) 886-5895 Take Co Rd 49 S off State Hwy 52. Go approx. 3 miles. Look for sign on left.
• Waterberry Farm - beans, flowers, strawberries
  1449 N. Morris Street, Slocomb, AL 36375. Phone: 334-886-2454. Email: phennig@sw.rr.com. Open: Tuesday-Saturday 8 am to 5 pm and Sunday 1 pm to 4 pm Strawberries and Beans: November-May. Directions: From Hwy 52 east in Slocomb,turn right onto North Morris street. Drive 2&12 miles, Waterberry Farm will be on your left. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. From Hwy 52 east in Slocomb,turn right onto North Morris street. Drive 2&1/2 miles, will be on your leftCrops are usually available in January, February, March, April, May, November, December Flowers March-May We use natural practices, but are not yet certified OrganicWe are the Wiregrass area's only vertical strawberry patch. Our berries are grown hydroponically in a greenhouse. They can be picked with no bending or kneeling! We also have lettuce, arugala, and herbs.

 

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