2024 Okanagan areas of British Columbia Pumpkin U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Pumpkin U-Pick Orchards in Okanagan areas of British Columbia in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for pumpkins that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a province or region have pumpkins farms 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.

New! We just went live with our latest website, FunFactoryTours.com - As they name implies, you can find a fun factory tour, including chocolate, automobiles, historical forts and sites, famous buildings, Active Federal facilities even fun geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

North Okanagan

• Davison Orchards - tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, farm market
  3111 Davison Road, Vernon, BC V1H 1A2. Phone: (250) 549-3266. Email: info@davisonorchards.ca. Open: Daily from May 1 to October 31; Spring Hours: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Click here for a map and directions. They also have prepicked apples, peaches and squash A visitor writes: "I love going there during the spring, summer and fall. Everything is of the highest quality and competitively priced."

Okanagan-Similkameen

• Hillside Orchards - apples, apricots, beans, beets, carrots, cherries, corn (sweet), eggplant, grapes, herbs or spices, melons, nectarines, onions, pears, peas, peaches, peppers, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (red), rhubarb, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, walnuts,
  310 Avenue (road 18) RR#1 S36 C4, Oliver, BC V0H 1T0. Phone: 250-485-7180. Email: HillsideOrchards@hotmail.ca. Open: 7 days a week from 8 am to 6 pm; closed on rainy days. Directions: Is located in the heart of the South Okanagan, between Oliver & Osoyoos B.C. On 310 Avenue With views of desert rolling hills & vineyards. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Cheque, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. As each variety of fruits and vegetables come into season, every trip you make here will reward you with different delights; Every month we have something new for you to pick ! Cherries: June To July, Apricots: Early July, Nectarines :Mid July to September, Peaches: Mid July to September, Plums: Early August, Pears: Late August, Apples: Late August to October; All our ground crops such as Beans, Corn, Beets, Pickling Cukes, Tomatoes, Melons, Peppers and other vegetables are ready from July to our first frost in Octoberis a fourth generation family owned & operated farm consisting of 25 acres of fruits & vegetables , a unique farm market containing fresh picked produce , jams , syrups & honey's. Big or small, young or old..with a friend or with your family. has something truly special to offer you..Because the rich sunshine and our divine climate allow us to grow a variety of premium quality fruits & vegetables. We are so honoured and thrilled to be chosen as the best fruitstand in the 15th Annual (2020) Best of South Okanagan. We appreciate everyone's support and business throughout the years and hope to continue providing a unique farm experience with Happy Healthy Farm Produce to all of our customers.

 

Pumpkin

Pumpkin Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Do you want it for a party, decoration or eating?

For a wedding or party:

See this page: Finding pumpkins for weddings

Decoration to paint or carve:

OK, Then you need only look for any pumpkin that is

• visually appealing, evenly a deep orange. The shape is just whatever appeals to you. If it grew on its side and has a flat spot, you can either make that the make or use it as part of your design!
• free from cuts, soft spots, bruises. The flesh should feel hard, and not give easily. Infections can invade easily and cause rot
• Make sure the stem is attached.

Store it carefully, especially if you pick it from the vine yourself. Cure a fresh-picked pumpkin by keeping it in a dry place. Don't handle or disturb it. Curing toughens the rind, making it less prone to rot. Pumpkins will keep for months in a cool (50 F to 65F dry, low humidity environment; such as a cool, dry basement.

Tip: If you like roasted or baked pumpkin seeds, you can save the seeds from any pumpkin!

To make a pumpkin pie!

Then you need a small, sweet type of pumpkin that has been developed for eating. They are smaller, typically about 8" to 10" diameter. The meat is much less stringy and smoother than a decorative pumpkin variety. Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A and potassium. One-half cup of cooked pumpkin provides more than the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A. One cup of cooked pumpkin contains only 81 calories. It's low in fat and sodium! Usually you can get these at the grocery store, and some of the pumpkin patches and farm stands have them. Be sure to tell them that you intend to use it for a pumpkin pie. Again, look for firm, no soft spots, or signs of any rot. See this page for easy, illustrated directions to make a pumpkin pie from a fresh pumpkin!

Varieties of Pumpkins

• Sugar - Excellent for baking
• Jack O'Lantern - most common for carving
• White Lumina - unusual, medium-sized white pumpkin
• Mini - Great for decoration
• Gourds - Many varieties, used for decorations

For a very complete, detailed list of many varieties of pumpkins and where to get the seeds, see this page!

Want to Grow Your Own Pumpkins?

Then see this page!

Pumpkin recipes

• How to prepare cooked pumpkin from a fresh pumpkin (for use in all the recipes)
• Illustrated instructions to make a pumpkin pie from a fresh pumpkin - the best pumpkin pie you will ever taste! (metric version for the UK, Europe, Australia, Japan, etc.)
• How to home-can pumpkin (in a cooked, cubed form) and why you shouldn't home-can the pureed forms.
• Traditional Pumpkin Pie
• Chocolate pumpkin pie
• Pumpkin Spice Muffins
• Pumpkin muffins
• Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Butter!
• Pumpkin cheesecake - INCREDIBLE!!! You have to try this one!
• Pumpkin Cookies
• Pumpkin soup - even if you normally aren't a soup lover; you will love this one.
• Butternut-Chestnut Panchetta-Bacon Soup - Pumpkin or Butternut squash combines with chestnuts and bacon, ham or panchetta in this great soup
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
• No Sugar Pumpkin Pie
• Apple Cider Doughnut Recipe (with maple glaze or sugar glaze)

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