2024 Hartford and Surrounding Connecticut Tomato U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org
Find a pick-your-own farm near you! Then learn to can and freeze! Since 2002! We update continuously; Beware the copycat websites!
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Tomato U-Pick Orchards in Hartford and Surrounding Connecticut 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 any state, nor even every state, have tomatoes 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.
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Hartford County
Botticello Farms - eggplant, onions, peppers, tomatoes, Precut Christmas trees, Christmas wreaths and boughs, Christmas decorations, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms 209 Hillstown Road, Manchester, CT 6040. Phone: 860-649-2462. Email: Botticellofarms@aol.com. Open: August, September, October, November, December. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. Botticello Farms Facebook page. . Fax: 860-432-3563. . Crops are usually available in April, May, June, July, Click here for picking updates. Seasonal: Open Seven days 8AM to 7:30PM (later during Christmas Season) Seasonal: Open Seven days 8AM to 7:30PM (later during Christmas Season) Garden annuals and perennials available as early as Mid-March beginning with pansies. Easter Plants, Mothers Day hanging baskets, herbs, vegetable plants May 1-July. Hydroponic Tomatoes May 15-July 15, Corn July 4th-until Frost, Squash, cukes, pickles, tomatoes, peppers, beans: July 4th until frost. Pumpkins, corn stalks, mums August 20th through October 31st. Open for Christmas with Trees, wreaths, poinsettias Thanksgiving until Christmas eve. We practice Integrated Pest Management-A sustainable approach to managing pests. Facebook page.
Dondero Orchards, LLC - Rhubarb, apples, peaches, plums, blueberries, black raspberries & strawberries, pears, flowers, pumpkins, tomatoes & lettuce. 529 Woodland Street, South Glastonbury, CT 6073. Phone: (860) 659-0294. Email: DonderoOrchards@cox.net. Open: see their website for dates, hours and availability. Click here for a map and directions. Dondero Orchards, LLC Facebook page. . Alternate phone: (860) 633-2375. . Dondero Orchards Facebook page. During the season, we offer pick your own Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Peaches, Apples, Pears, Plums, Lettuce, Peas and more! We also grow more fruit, vegetables & herbs. Their bakery was voted BEST in CT for our Arugula Pesto, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Bread and Butter Pickles, Green Tomato Relish! CT Specialty Food Association held the competition. We are celebrating 101 years! Follow us for more info about our farm dinners in the summer and family events throughout the year, plus specials on our produce and products.
Dondero Orchards, LLC Mountain View Farms - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, apples, pears, peppers, eggplant and tomatoes 3582 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury, CT 6033. Phone: 860-430-2122. Email: DonderoOrchards@cox.net. Open: see their website for dates, hours and availability. Click here for a map and directions. Dondero Orchards, LLC Mountain View Farms Facebook page. . We also grow more fruit, vegetables & herbs. Hebron Avenue farm is 3 years strong this year and growing in leaps and bounds! Dondero Orchards Facebook page. During the season, we will offer pick your own strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, MacIntosh, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Macoun and Cortland Apples, Bartlett and Bosc Pears, Peppers, Egg Plant and Tomatoes.
Kuras Farms - PYO blueberries, raspberries, tomatoes 1901 Mountain Road, West Suffield, CT 6093. Phone: (860) 668-2942. Email: kurascs@cox.net. Click here for a map and directions. . July 5th - September 1st. Raspberries July 5th - 20th and September 1st - October 15th. Retail farm stand. All home grown. July 5th - October 15th vegetables and specialties. (UPDATED: May 31, 2014, from the CT website)
Sweet Wind Farm - Uses natural growing practices, blueberries, cucumbers, peas, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, Maple Syrup from trees on the farm, and prepicked produce, restrooms 339 South Road, Route 179, East Hartland, CT 6027. Phone: 860-653-2038. Email: sweetwind@sweetwindfarm.net. Open: PYO Saturdays beginning in July from 10 am to dusk; Call for appt; for a different time; Farmstand open daily from 10 am till dusk with pre - picked produce and maple products. Directions: Follow route 20 west from Granby Center into Hartland. Take a left onto route 179, farm is down 1 12 miles on right. Take route 219 from Barkhamsted onto Route 179, farm is on just past town line on left. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Follow route 20 west from Granby Center into Hartland. Take a left onto route 179, farm is down 1 1/2 miles on right. Take route 219 from Barkhamsted onto Route 179, farm is on just past town line on left. Crops are usually available in July, August, September, October, November, December. Blueberry Festival annually second Saturday in July; Pumpkin Festival annually last Saturday in September Maple Festival annually 2nd Saturday in March; PYO Blueberries begins in July-September Vegetables July - October; Christmas trees Nov-December; Live trees anytime; Farmstore open year 'round with maple products. We use natural practices, but are not yet certified Organic. Blueberry Festival, Pumpkin Festival, Maple Festival. Sugarhouse tours and classes during sugaring season. Maple products sold wholesale to retailers.
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
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!