2024 The San Francisco / San Mateo County area of California Tomato U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Tomato U-Pick Orchards in The San Francisco / San Mateo County area of California in 2024, by county

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

Not all areas of a state have tomatoes 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.

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San Mateo County

• Webb Ranch - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, blackberries, boysenberries, loganberries, Marionberries, Olallieberries, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (yellow), tomatoes, porta-potties are available, restrooms, picnic area you may bring your own food, birthday parties, school tours, group reservations
  2720 Alpine Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028. Phone: 650-854-6334. Email: Deano@webbranchinc.com. Open: BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, CLICK HERE TO MAKE APPOINTMENT, APPOINTMENTS LIKELY FULL but more will be added as more berries ripen, Check back for availability. Directions: We are located off of Hwy 280 and Alpine rd east in Menlo Park. We are 15 mile south of San Francisco, and 15 miles north of San Jose, 300 feet right off of Hwy 280. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: cash, check, credit and debit.
  Webb Ranch Facebook page. All berries are certified organic by CCOF. The 2020 cost of U-Pick is as follows: $4 for entry (0-4 and 65+ are free) and $5.50 per pound of berriesWe grow varieties of blackberries and raspberries. Please remember, the field has a limited amount of ripe berries on any given day. The earlier you show up, the better the selection. For 2020, we planted cherry tomatoes inside the U-Pick field on the raspberry side. Call the produce hotline to check for availability from early JuneClick here for current dates and hoursWe are certified organic for all crops! Payment: Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. is located in Portola Valley, just outside Palo Alto. Family Owned and Operated since 1922. All of our Farming is CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmer)the only thing we spray on our Crops is H2O!! :).Webb Ranch is following all water conservation rules for 2015. We are cutting back per guidelines, but this will not affect the berries. The weather is the biggest factor, and too much heat is the most harmful. The weather has been great and the berries are tasty, so come out to the U-Pick. All berries are CCOF. Use our baskets (no personal containers allowed). Lawn area available, bring blanket & lunch. No reservations necessary. PETS AND SMOKING ARE PROHIBITED. ALWAYS SUBJECT TO WEATHER/HEAT. Also see our choose and cut Christmas tree farm and U-Pick Pumpkins. New this year to the U-Pick will be cherry tomatoes (multiple varieties). The season for the cherry tomatoes usually begins in mid July. Entrance is $4 a person. Kids 4 & under and adults 65 & over enjoy free entry. Picking baskets are provided with your entry fee and eating while picking is OK :) *We are CCOF certified organic. All berries are weighed at $5/lb. We also have a kids jumpy house operating every day we are open(UPDATED: July 16, 2020 JBS)

 

Tomatoes

Tomato Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Pick tomatoes that are firm and free of blemishes. Cracking is common in very hot weather, especially after a rain, and if you intend to use the tomatoes within 1 day, that will be ok.

During hot summer weather, pick the tomatoes when they have a healthy pink/red (or yellow or orange depending on the variety) color and let them finish the last day or two of ripening indoors. Tomatoes do not need to be in the sunlight in order to ripen. If you have green fruit on the plants in the fall when frost is approaching, pick the tomatoes and store them in a cool, dark place to ripen.

Tomato Varieties

In general paste or Roma-type tomatoes are the best to using for canning, as they have thicker, meatier walls and far less water. And cherry tomatoes are the worst to use, as they are mostly water.  But you can use any type you can get hold of.  You may just have to cook them down longer to boil off excess water.  See our Master list of tomato varieties

Growing tomatoes

• Master list of tomato varieties
• Master List of Heirloom Tomato Varieties
• How to Grow Tomatoes in Your Yard or Patio - Everything you need to know
• Detailed directions to starting tomatoes from seed
• Master List of Roma and Paste Tomato Varieties for the Home Garden
• Master list of disease-resistant tomato varieties
• Tomato plant diseases

Canning, Freezing, Drying, Preserving Tomatoes and more!

Below are links to pages with easy and reliable directions about how to can, preserve, freeze and make other goodies from tomatoes.  Some of these require a Pressure Canner to prevent potential spoilage and food poisoning, due to the low acid content of the food.  For others, you can use a water bath canner OR a Pressure Canner.  I've noted what's required for each, below, following each entry, with
W for water bath,
P for Pressure canner, and
W, P for either may be used!

And don't miss: Answers to common tomato canning problems and see this page about what to do with your unripe green tomatoes!

Prepping tomatoes

• How to quickly and easily remove tomato skins

Canning tomatoes (in water bath canners )

• How to can tomatoes using a water bath canner - W
• Diced, chopped or crushed tomatoes - W
• Bruschetta - W
• Tomato sauce - W
• Tomato paste - W
• Barbecue sauce (BBQ sauce) - W
• Chili sauce from your own tomatoes and peppers - W
• Diced, chopped or crushed tomatoes - W
• Tomato Preserves- W
• Tomato salsa - W
• Spaghetti sauce - without meat - W, P
• Spiced Green tomatoes- W
• Pickled Green Tomatoes - W - another pickled green tomato recipe, this one sweet
• Ketchup.. or if you prefer... How to make catsup - W, P
• NEW! SUPER-EASY homemade ketchup recipe - W
• Salsa from your unripe, GREEN tomatoes! - W
• Tomatillo salsa - W
• How to make roasted tomatoes, boiling water bath canner version - W

Canning Tomatoes in Pressure canners

• Canned tomatoes using a Pressure Canner - P
• Baked  Beans With Tomato or Molasses Sauce - P
• Canning your own chili con carne (with meat) - P
• How to make roasted tomatoes, pressure canner version - P
• Spaghetti sauce - with meat  - P
• Stewed tomatoes - P
• Tomato soup or tomato-basil soup - P
• Tomato sauce - P
• Tomato juice - P
• Tomato juice, like V8 - P

Freezing Tomatoes

• How to freeze tomatoes from you garden or the farm; for that fresh taste this winter!
• Space-saving prepping and freezing extra tomatoes from your garden to can later

Drying tomatoes

• NEW! How to make Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Food drying basics and principles
• How to dry your own herbs
• Food Dehydrators - models, specs and pricing information

Ripening green tomatoes in your garage or basement

If you want to bring your green tomatoes indoors before a freeze in the Fall, and ripen them, see:

• How to ripen your green garden tomatoes indoors in the Fall and Winter.

And if you'd like to start you own tomatoes from seed (you can save a small fortune and grow the heirloom varieties you like) see this page for easy directions for growing your own tomato plants from seed.

Frequently Asked Questions About Canning, Freezing and Preserving Tomatoes

• See this page for answers to many common questions about tomatoes.

 

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