2024 Fredericksburg, Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula Tomato U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Tomato U-Pick Orchards in Fredericksburg, Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula 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

Caroline County

• Mount Olympus Berry Farm - Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, melons, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins and gourds
  23298 Jefferson Davis Highway, Ruther Glen, VA 22546. Phone: (804) 448-0395. Email: mary@mtolympusfarm.com. Open: 9 am to 6 pm, daily, April-October 31. Directions: Located at U.S. 1 in Carmel Church. I-95 exit 104 \(Bowling GreenCarmel Church\). Go west on Route 207 to U.S. Route 1. Turn right \(north\) on U.S. 1. Go approximately one mile. Farm in on the left. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Mount Olympus Berry Farm Facebook page. ; FAX (804) 448-2913, FAX (804) 448-2913 Located at U.S. 1 in Carmel Church. I-95 exit 104 (Bowling Green/Carmel Church). Go west on Route 207 to U.S. Route 1. Turn right (north) on U.S. 1. Go approximately one mile. Farm in on the left Call for current in-season hours.Mount Olympus Farm is a family owned farm located between Richmond and Fredericksburg, VA. You can pick-your-own (PYO) strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. We also take pride in offering a large variety of high quality fresh vegetables including many heirloom varieties. Our garden center has many perennials, herbs, annuals, shrubs, etc. Can't make it to our farm? Look for the Mt. Olympus truck bringing fresh produce to several Northern Virginia producer-only farmer's markets. Farm stand and garden center/nursery with locally-grown fruit and veggies. Jams, jellies, and local honey available. Convenient to Richmond or Northern Virginia areas. Customers welcome to picnic by the lake. Arrange for your daycare or school group to come pick their own pumpkin. Please call for current hours and picking conditions. They also have bulk / wholesale pumpkins. Mt. Olympus Berry Farm Facebook page. (UPDATED: September 20, 2020 JBS)
  Comments from a visitor on July 12, 2011: "Excellent. First visit this weekend & would highly recommend it. We went for U-pick blueberries & blackberries, both of which were available this past weekend. Also have nice farm market., restrooms, picnic area. Not organic, but sustainable. I think they do holiday themed events. A lot of detail on their web page & on Facebook"

Fredericksburg City

• Braehead Farm - strawberries, beans, blackberries, cucumbers, peas, peppers, pumpkins, raspberries (red), summer squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, picnic area, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties
  1130 Tyler Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. Phone: 540-899-9848. Email: Info@braeheadfarm.com. Open: 7 days a week 10 am to 6 pm; Open until 6:30 pm on Saturdays during the Harvest Festival from September 28 to November 3. Directions: Interstate 95 to Route 3 East, go approximately 2 miles to right on Belman Road, right on Tyler Street, farm on the left. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
  Braehead Farm Facebook page. Fax: 540-899-9847 If you need to come before 10 Am to beat the heat, just give us a call in advance and we will try to accommodate you! Availability of Pyo: APRIL: Strawberries and could possibly be ready by the end of April! Also pre-picked asparagus in the Market! Asparagus is the only crop we grow that is NOT pick-your-own. MAY: strawberries,JUNE: some strawberries, vegetablesJULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER: Blackberries, Raspberries, tomatoes, vegetables OCTOBER and NOVEMBER: Pumpkins, vegetables, and a few blackberries and raspberries. (UPDATED: November 30, 2015, 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