2024 Cincinnati, Dayton and southwestern Ohio Pea U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Pea U-Pick Orchards in Cincinnati, Dayton and southwestern Ohio 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.

Miami County

• Fulton Farms - strawberries, raspberries, peas, pumpkins, hayrides to pick your own pumpkins, Christmas Trees
  2393 State Route 202, Troy, OH . Phone: 937-339-8246. Email: beverly@fultonfarms.com. Open: May-August, Monday-Thursday 9 am to 7 pm and Friday-Sunday 9 am to 5 pm; September- December, Monday-Thursday 10 am to 6 pm and Friday-Sunday 10 am to 5 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. . . See this page for a map and directions. See this page for the Daily Crop Report Ice cream, popcorn, edible soybeans, fresh fruit slushy, horse-drawn wagon rides through plantation, Troy Strawberry Festival first weekend of June, family tour at weekends in October ($5.00 per person, includes hayride to pumpkin field, mazes, animals and a free pumpkin). The farm includes 1,900 acres of sweet corn, beans, strawberries, tomatoes and pumpkins, a gift shop and cafe. Through October, hop on hayrides to pick your own pumpkins during the weekends, or call to schedule a tour of the farm on weekdays.Produce grown on the farm includes Asparagus, Beets, Sweet Globe Onions, Pickling Cakes, Farm Fresh Eggs, Apples, Lemons, Limes, Rhubarb, Lettuce, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Strawberries, Peaches, Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Onions, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, Broccoli, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Pumpkins, Fall Squash, Raspberries, Local Raw Honey.
  Comments from a visitor on June 01, 2012: "Fulton Farms' u-pick strawberries were great this year and the u-pick peas are coming in nicely. "

Montgomery County

• Pudgy Cardinal Farm - apples, asparagus, beans, beets, blackberries, carrots, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplant, melons, onions, pears, peas, peppers, pumpkins, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, walnuts, Fresh eggs, farm animals
  10424 Frederick Pike, Vandalia, OH 45377. Phone: 937-387-6240. Email: pudgycardinalfarm@yahoo.com. Open: See our website for current hours. Directions: Take I-70 to the Dayton International Airport Access Road, Exit 32, toward Vandalia. Then take the first exit off the Access Road, US 40 to EnglewoodVandalia. Turn left onto 40W, National Road. Proceed to Frederick Pike and turn right. You will see our barn on the right after the big curve. The driveway is just past the barn on the right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard. Pudgy Cardinal Farm . Take I-70 to the Dayton International Airport Access Road, Exit 32, toward Vandalia. Then take the first exit off the Access Road, US 40 to Englewood/Vandalia. Turn left onto 40W, National Road. Proceed to Frederick Pike and turn right. You will see our barn on the right after the big curve. The driveway is just past the barn on the right.

Warren County

• Blooms & Berries Farm Market - pumpkins, strawberries, blueberries, snap peas, elderberries, potatoes, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours
  9669 Street Route 48, Loveland, OH 45140. Phone: (513) 697-9173. Email: Jeff@BloomsAndBerriesFarmMarket.com. Open: Monday through Friday 10am to 6pm Fall On The Farm: Saturday 10am to 6pm Sunday 11am to 6pm. Directions: I-275 to exit 52 \(Loveland Indian Hill\) turn left at the bottom of the ramp. Travel 2.5 miles, turn right onto Loveland Avenue. Travel .5 mi. Cross RR crossing, turn left at next light \(St. Route 48\) Travel 3 miles, Farm is on Left. If you get to a stop sign, you have traveled .25 mi too far. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
  Blooms & Berries Farm Market Facebook page. . . I-275 to exit 52 (Loveland / Indian Hill) turn left at the bottom of the ramp. Travel 2.5 miles, turn right onto Loveland Avenue. Travel .5 mi. Cross RR crossing, turn left at next light (St. Route 48) Travel 3 miles, Farm is on Left. If you get to a stop sign, you have traveled .25 mi too far. Crops are usually available in April through October. Strawberries: Memorial Day through 2nd week in June Fall On The Farm Festival 2008: (Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch, Hayrides, Play Area Saturday, Animals, Concessions) Sept 27th 28 Thursday, Blooms And Berries Farm Market Facebook page. Every weekend in October, Great Giant Pumpkin Escape: (Phil Dalton attempts to escape from inside a giant pumpkin 70 ft above the ground) Only Sept 27th 12:45pm. Super cute hayride with 100+ scarecrows playing in the woods and along the way. a-MAIZ-ing 7 acre corn maze, sunflower maze, awesome play area with giant slide, egg throw, animals, picnic area with concessions and much much more. (UPDATED: August 8, 2022, JBS)A visitor writes on July 22, 2021: "Blueberries: PYO $4.99 (plus $0.35 card fee) "field pass" per person (ages 2+), fruit is $4.99/lb PYO Strawberries: PYO $2.95 (plus $0.35 card fee) "field pass" per person (ages 2+), fruit is $3.75/lb PYO Sugar Snap Pees: No "field pass", $3.99/lb PYO Potatoes: $9.95 PYO pail (approx 8-9 lbs) Elderberries: No pricing listed "

 

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