2024 Tampa area, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, west Florida Tomato U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Tomato U-Pick Orchards in Tampa area, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, west Florida 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.

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

Hillsborough County

• Artesian Farms - Tomatoes
  2910 East College Avenue, Ruskin, FL 33570. Phone: 813-645-3211. Open: during the months of November and May, 7 days a week, from 8 am to 5 pm. Click here for a map and directions. Call for U-Pick locations.
  Comments from a visitor on May 13, 2011: "The farm was great - my friend and I came away with five full grocery bags of for $10 .. what a bargain! And what fun it was to walk through the fields picking ripe, delicious right off the vines! I never thought I could have more than I knew what to do with, but after coming back from I just might. Would definitely recommend to any tomato fiend!"
  Comments from a visitor on May 17, 2010: "First time for pick-your-own for our family, called farm for easy directions, 5 gallon bucket (35 lbs) of for $10! What a deal and great family fun, thanks for your website! See you next year at in Ruskin and Patriot Acres Farm in Ridge Manor."
• Big Bear Farms, Inc - ORGANIC, beans, blueberries, broad beans, carrots, corn (sweet), eggplants, okra, onions, peas, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, Other fruit or veg, prepicked produce, restrooms
  7606 Kinard Road, Plant City, FL 33565. Phone: 813-986-1152. Email: bigbearfarms@verizon.net. Open: crops available, days and hours vary with the season; Please check on our website or call for current days and times. Directions: From Tampa take I-4 East to Exit 14 \(Mcintosh Road \) Turn Left \(North\) on Mcintosh and go under overpass to first road on Right. Turn Right on Gore Road and take curve to Left where road turns into Gallagher Road Travel North on Gallagher to Kinard Road on Right. NOT Kinard Cove. Turn Right on Kinard Road and farm is 14 mile on Right. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Fax: From Tampa take I-4 East to Exit 14 (Mcintosh Road ) Turn Left (North) on Mcintosh and go under overpass to first road on Right. Turn Right on Gore Road and take curve to Left where road turns into Gallagher Road Travel North on Gallagher to Kinard Road on Right. NOT Kinard Cove. Turn Right on Kinard Road and farm is 1/4 mile on RightCrops are usually available in March, April, May, June, July, October, November, December. We are certified organic for all crops! Cabbage, Collards, Mustard, Turnips, Lettuce, Spinach, Okra. Big Bear Farms, Inc. is a family owned and operated Certified ORGANIC Fruit and Vegetable farm. We operate under the strict rules of the USDA - National Organic Program (NOP) and are certified by Quality Certification Services (QCS). Unlike many farms that only claim to be organic we are the REAL DEAL and have the documents proudly on display to prove it. Why buy imported fruit and vegetables from unregulated countries that have been sprayed with all types of banned chemicals when you can have better at lower prices.Not only do we supply the commercial market with blueberries, we also take pride in our ability to provide the individual local public comsumer with that personal touch in the growing, processing and packing that they deserve in supplying the needs of their families. (UPDATED: July 28, 2010, by phone)
• Hydro Harvest Farms - Uses integrated pest management practices, beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, eggplants, herbs or spices, onions, peas, peppers, summer squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, Other fruit or veg, U-pick and already picked, farm market, concessions or refreshment stand, porta-potties are available, picnic area, school tours
  1101 E Shell Point Rd, Ruskin, FL 33570. Phone: 813-645-6574. Email: terrie@hydroharvestfarms.com. Open: In March 2021, their website says "U-Pick Farm is Temporarily Closed We want everyone to stay safe and we will get through this" normally, Monday through Saturday 10 am to 5: Sunday 11 am to 4; June through August hours differ so please check our website for more info. Directions: Take I 75 to Exit 240, Ruskin. Go west and at second light turn right \(21 street east\). Go to stop sign \(Shell Point Road E\), turn left. farm will be 12 mile on the left. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx, SFMNP Vouchers.
  Hydro Harvest Farms Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 941-915-7208 Picking updates: Click here for picking updatesTake I 75 to Exit 240, Ruskin. Go west and at second light turn right (21 street east). Go to stop sign (Shell Point Road E), turn left. farm will be 1/2 mile on the leftWe have many seasonal crops all year round, to pick; Strawberries are usually ready starting in December and go through May We have free Hydroponic Growing Classes, Canning Classes, Halloween Boo Fest Even (see our website for this year's date in October)), Santa at the Farm, Easter Eggstravaganza Event; Sign up for our weekly email for updates on what is picking and what free events we have; The sign up info is on our website. We use integrated pest management practicesis a hydroponic vertical growing farm. We use no pesticides, very little water, 1/6 the land and teach families, schools and businesses how to do this themselves. We have a great Grant Website for School Gardens. We have school field trips and a nice picnic area to make a nice day of picking.If you are coming to pick your own, we use no GMO, we supply the baskets and scissors if you need them, you don't have to bend to pick, the farm is covered for easy mobility and best of all we love pets!.
• Martinez Farms - Hot peppers, squash, tomatoes
  2619 14th Ave. SE, Ruskin, FL 33570. Phone: (813) 918-3090. Email: alfarms2013@gmail.com. Open: Call for availability and days of operation. Click here for a map and directions.

 

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