2024 Southeast Michigan Bean U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Bean U-Pick Orchards in Southeast Michigan 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.

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.

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Jackson County

• Hearthstone Farm Market - tomatoes, green beans, pumpkins
  3215 Chapel Road, Spring Arbor, MI 49283. Phone: 517-750-2696. Email: FarmMkt@aol.com. Open: Monday to Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. Click here for a map and directions. U-Pick: Beans available late July through mid September. Tomatoes late August through mid September. Peppers late August through mid September. Winter Squash & Pumpkins late September through October. CALL FOR EXACT PICKING TIMES AND DATES! 1 mi. N on Chapel Road from M-60 in Spring Arbor. 1st farm on the right. Growers and marketers of quality seasonal Michigan produce. Primarily a family run fruit and vegetable market with a small orchard. Most items are home grown with a very wide variety of items available on an "in season" basis. Corn maze, pumpkin picking & hayrides on October weekends.

Lenawee County

• Gust Brother's Pumpkin Farm - Uses integrated pest management practices, beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, eggplants, flowers, peppers, pumpkins, tomatoes, other vegetables, Other fruit or veg, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, school tours
  13639 Mulberry Road, Ottawa Lake, MI 49267. Phone: 517-486-2237. Email: gustbrothers@gmail.com. Open: See our website for current hours; Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: Take U.S. 23 to exit 1 in Michigan, then go west and follow the signs there. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
  Gust Brother's Pumpkin Farm Facebook page. We use integrated pest management practicesprovides a real, wholesome, and fun farm experience to all visitors. We offer fall decor and produce both pre-picked and you-pick: pumpkins, gourds, squash, Indian corn, corn shocks, straw bales, crafts, jams, etc. Families enjoy our farm animals on display, which includes young and old animals. Included are sows with piglets, cows and calves, sheep, goats, bunnies, chickens, chicks, and kittens. Visit our new concession barn for some freshly made donuts, cider, or other snacks, or enjoy a hayride around the farm. Gust Flower and Produce Farm offers visitors an opportunity to cut their own flower bouquet, take a stroll through our sunflower trail, or pick-your-own vegetables. We also offer pre-picked produce for purchase. Get lost in our 10 acre you-pick field filled with over 100 varieties of different vegetables and cut flowers. Picking your own vegetables and flowers is a fun and wholesome activity for the whole family to enjoy! Here is a sampling from 2020 of what you can pick and the 2020 PRICES Sweet Corn-$5 per dozen or $0.50 per ear, Tomatoes-$1 each, Bell Peppers-$1 each, Green Beans-$2 per quart, Cucumbers-$.50 each, Zucchini/Summer Squash-$.50 each, Cantaloupe-$3 each, Watermelon (seedless)-$5 each, Eggplant-$1 each, Cabbage-$2 each, Cauliflower-$3 per head, Broccoli-$2 per large crown or $2 per quart, Potatoes-$3 per 5+ lb bag, Large sweet onions-$.75 each

 

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