2024 Tucson and Surrounding Counties in Arizona Pea U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Pea U-Pick Orchards in Tucson and Surrounding Counties in Arizona in 2024, by county

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

Cochise County

• Apple Annie's Orchard Farm - PYO - PYO apples, pears, peaches, beans, peas, crowder peas, black eyed peas, 4 or 5 kinds of summer squash, cucumbers, sweet peppers(2 or 3 kinds), tomatoes, roma tomatoes, hot peppers, chilis, jalapenos, broccoli, red cabbage, cabbage, cauliflower, okra
  2081 W. Hardy Road, Willcox, AZ 85643. Phone: 520-384-2084. Email: apples@appleannies.com. Open: daily from 8 am to 5:30 pm, mid-July to late November; November hours: 10 am to 4:30 PM. Click here for a map and directions. . Directions off Ft. Grant Road, Willcox, Arizona. Closing for the season in late November. Peaches from July through mid-September; Apples from August 1st through November 23rd and Pears from August 1st through mid-October.
• Apple Annie's Produce and Pumpkins - PYO beans, peas, crowder peas, black eyed peas, 4 or 5 kinds of summer squash, cucumbers, sweet peppers(2 or 3 kinds), tomatoes, roma tomatoes, hot peppers, chilis, jalapenos, broccoli, red cabbage, cabbage, cauliflower, okra, pumpkins and hayrides.
  6405 W. Williams Road, Willcox, AZ 85643. Phone: 520-384-2084. Email: apples@appleannies.com. Open: Daily 7 am to 5:30 pm, July 2nd through November 2nd. Click here for a map and directions. . . (formerly Hunsdon Farms) . Apple Annie's a beautiful family-owned fruit orchard north of Willcox, Arizona, in the southeastern corner of the state. The 4300' elevation with warm days and cool nights make Willcox the premier you-pick fruit and vegetable growing area in Arizona. Apple Annie's Orchard specializes in delicious, tree-ripened fruit, pies and other treats "just like home-baked", apple cider, and good, old-fashioned family fun!
  Comments from a visitor on July 02, 2016: "I go every week and it has been a great season. They are nice people with a beautiful farm and orchard. I'm having butternut squash and sliced tomatoes from Apple Annies tonight. They also have a great selection of canned goodies! upick included beans, peas, crowder peas, black eyed peas, 4 or 5 kinds of summer squash, cucumbers, sweet peppers(2 or 3 kinds), tomatoes, roma tomatoes, hot peppers, chilis, jalapenos, broccoli, red cabbage, cabbage, cauliflower, okra. They picked, cantalope, watermelon, sweet corn, a lot of varieties of winter squash, pumpkins and gourds. At the orchard they have upick apples, peaches etc. And a lot of home made canned goodies. They also do hayride and pumpkin pickin. They have a lot of festivals in the summer and fall. I think they do a great job." Another visitor writes: "They have a gazillion types of apples, peaches and Asian pears ready for picking. Wagons are available for you to ride into the specific orchards or you can walk. This is also the place for the apple-smoked burgers and fresh apple pie a la mode to die for."

Graham County

• Narita Farms - beans, carrots, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, flowers, melons, onions, peas, peppers, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables
  6965 S. Narita Lane, Willcox, AZ 85643. Phone: 520-384-4805. Email: hsnrs@vtc.net. Open: May. Directions: Take Hwy 186 to Kansas Settlement Road; head south to Arzberger; turn east on Arzberger to Narita Lane. . Click here for a map and directions. . . Click here for a map to our farm. We are open Our hours are: Daily from dawn to dusk Peas, May; strawberries, April; beans, August; corn, Sept.; onions, Sept; squash, June; carrots, Sept; eggplant, Sept; melons, Sept; peppers, Sept; tomatoes, September We sell brown eggs. We sell goat's milk for pet use only.

Santa Cruz County

• Agua Linda Farm - Uses natural growing practices, beans, cucumbers, flowers, peas, pumpkins, summer squash, tomatoes,
  262643 East Frontage Road I-19, Exit 42, Amado, AZ 85645. Phone: 520-891-5532. Email: stewart@agualindafarm.net. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: Take Interstate 19 to Exit 42, get onto the East Frontage Road and turn right. This will turn into a dirt road which is our driveway. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. Frontage Road I-19, Exit 42, Amado, AZ 85645. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Fall Festival, weekends in October; See website for a complete calendar with times, dates and prices; Garlic and Onion Festival is in June, see website for updates; The farm store is open year round, Saturdays 9 to 3 and Sundays 12 pm to 3; Call information line for current crops. We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification. The Farm is also a popular site for weddings and private parties (see November 18 New York Times).

 

Pea Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Peas (English, Snap peas, Snow Peas, Crowder Peas, etc.) are very easy to grow.  They thrive even in poor soil. In fact, as a legume, pea plants are able to take nitrogen from the air and fix it in nodules in their roots with bacteria to enrich the soil. Whether you grow them yourself or pick them at a PYO farm, or buy them at the market, they're available fresh almost everywhere.

Here's what to look for!

English peas

Pick English Peas when the pod is full and green and the peas are still tender and sweet. Test for maturity frequently by picking a couple of pods and examining them for firmness. Harvest the Chinese and snow peas, which are eaten pod and all, when the pods are 1-1/2 to 2 inches long and the peas are about the size of BB's. The pods are usually picked 5 to 7 days after flowering.

 

Snap Peas - aka, edible-podded peas

Similar to English peas, except the pod itself is also sweet and tender, like the peas inside.

Snow peas, aka Chinese peas

Like snap peas, the pod is edible, except you want to pick them while they are still flat, before the pod starts to swell with peas inside. Harvest Chinese and snow peas, which are eaten pod and all, when the pods are 1-1/2 to 2 inches long and the peas are about the size of BB's.

Specialty Peas

There are many varieties, like purple hulled peas, crowder peas, black-eyed- peas. Each has their followers!

 

When are peas available?

Peas are a cool, even cold weather crop, and can tolerate frost and cold soil. In the U.S. Peas typically peak during February (in the Deep South) through October in the North. Peak season is February through June before the weather gets hot.  Some farms plant a Fall crop too, as they only take 45 to 60 days from the time the seed is planted!

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 Peas, 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 while the weather is still cool, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.

General Picking Tips

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

Look for Peas that are :

1. firm
2. Bright green (not yellowish!)
3. smooth, shiny pods, not wrinkly on the surface - that's an old or dried out pea.
4. The Peas in the photo at right are, from left:
   - old and yellowing,
   - overripe and lumpy; and
   - dried out and damaged.
5. Avoid placing the picked Peas 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. Peas may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days
6. It is best to shell English peas and either freeze them or use them promptly.

When you get home

1. Put them in the vegetable crisper in the fridge, in a loose plastic bag.
2. Now, get ready to can or freeze the extra Peas - It is VERY easy! Click on the links for easy instructions.
   • How to can Peas
   • How to freeze English peas, Crowder peas and other shelled peas
   • How to freeze snap peas and snow peas
3. Pea shellers - simple inexpensive devices to quickly shell English peas
    

1. 
2. The Peas in the photo at right are, from left:
   - old and yellowing,
   - overripe and lumpy; and
   - dried out and damaged.
3. Avoid placing the picked Peas 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. Peas may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days
4. It is best to shell English peas and either freeze them or use them promptly.

When you get home

1. Put them in the vegetable crisper in the fridge, in a loose plastic bag.
2. Now, get ready to can or freeze the extra Peas - It is VERY easy! Click on the links for easy instructions.
   • How to can Peas
   • How to freeze English peas, Crowder peas and other shelled peas
   • How to freeze snap peas and snow peas
3. Pea shellers - simple inexpensive devices to quickly shell English peas
    

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