2024 Northeast Texas Tomato U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Tomato U-Pick Orchards in Northeast Texas 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.

Bowie County

• Anderson Family Farms - Uses natural growing practices, apples, beans, broccoli, corn (sweet), cucumbers, herbs/spices, melons, onions, pears, peas, peaches, pecans , peppers, plums, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, watermelons, Fresh eggs
  332 County Road 1107, Maud, TX 75567. Phone: (903) 276-7474. Email: frontierman1969@yahoo.com. Open: June thru August Pick your own hours 6 am to noontime Monday thru Saturday; Closed Sunday. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Anderson Family Farms . From interstate I-30, take highway 8 south 4 miles. Take FM 2149 East go 6 miles. Look for CR. . We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification. We can grow just about anything you want. We also raise farm fresh eggs, chicks, and chickens. Need pasture raised meat? Call us to arrange what meat you want us to raise and how you want it raised (ADDED: April 26, 2019)

Nacogdoches County

• Appleby Community Farm - Uses natural growing practices, beans, broccoli, cucumbers, herbs or spices, melons, onions, peas, peppers, pumpkins, rhubarb, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, U-pick and already picked
  11825 US Highway 59 N., Nacogdoches, TX 75965. Phone: 936-205-4821. Email: info@applebycommunityfarm.com. Open: Anytime! But please give a call before you come!. Directions: We are located a little north of Nacogdoches toward Garrison, 2 miles east of the Highway 259 & 59 intersectionloop. Our sign & driveway is on the north side of Highway 59. Come visit us!. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . . We are located a little north of Nacogdoches toward Garrison, 2 miles east of the Highway 259 & 59 intersection/loop. Our sign & driveway is on the north side of Highway 59. Come visit us!. We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification. We have other veggies available.. check out our website, www.applebycommunityfarm.com, for the most up-to-date information available.

Shelby County

• Pixie Fruits and vegetables - Minimizes chemical and pesticide use, beans, corn (sweet), eggplant, figs, onions, pears, peas, peppers, persimmons, tomatoes, Other fruit or veg, U-pick and already picked, farm animals
  1036 County Road 3505, Center, TX 75935. Phone: 936-488-0375. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. . Does anyone have current information, are they still offering pick your own or are even open? If so, please write me; last reported hours were There is always something in production from about the middle of May until late September; Please call before coming; We prefer visitors from Thursdays through Saturdays, but if someone wants to come at other times it can be arranged; My regular business is drilling and repairing water wells, so if you call don't be surprised if the voice mail says Pixie Water Wells. In our original listing we included blueberries; Unfortunately we have struggled with high pH irrigation water and have lost almost all of the blueberry plants; Until we do a deeper well with a lower pH irrigation water we won't have any blueberry production; Our experiment with olives has been disappointing. We minimize use of pesticides and other chemicals. We are bilengual English/Spanish. muscadine grapes.

 

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