2024 Southeastern Virginia, Virginia Beach Tomato U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Tomato U-Pick Orchards in Southeastern Virginia, Virginia Beach 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

Chesapeake City

• Greenbrier Farms - Uses natural growing practices, apples, asparagus, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplants, flowers, nectarines, peaches, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, concessions or refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, inflatables or bounce houses, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, group reservations
  225 Sign Pine Rd, Chesapeake, VA 23322. Phone: (757) 421-2141. Email: torib@greenbrierfarms.info. Open: Times change seasonally Call for Details. Directions: Take exit 8A from VA-168 South. Take Hillcrest Parkway to Edinburg Parkway. Turn left on Street Brides Road, then turn left on Sign Pine Road. Greenbrier Farms is at the end of Sign Pine Road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Greenbrier Farms Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: (757) 421-4550We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certificationis a working farm with more than 300 acres of plants, trees, fruits and vegetables. Our popuar pick-your-own strawberry field is a favorite for families throughout the Hampton Roads and Northeast North Carolina area. We have great fields, with plenty of berries to pick from! While you're here, the kids can play on the playground, visit our animal petting area, see ducks, chickens and Millie the pig, see antique tractors and generally enjoy running around the farm. (UPDATED: March 25, 2019)
• Mount Pleasant Farms - beans, blackberries, cucumbers, eggplants, peaches, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, Fresh eggs, gift shop, porta-potties, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  2201 Mount Pleasant Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322. Phone: (757) 482-0739. Email: info@mountpleasantfarms.com. Open: U - pick Season: Monday through Saturday 8 am to 6 pm, Sundays 8 am to 5 pm; Fall: Monday through Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Sundays 12 pm to 5 pm; Off Season: Wednesdays 3 pm to 6 pm, Fridays 10 am to 6 pm, Saturdays 10 am to 5 pm. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Mount Pleasant Farms Facebook page. We use integrated pest management practices (IPM)(UPDATED: May 17, 2018) A visitor writes on May 24, 2013: "You can feed the chickens. there is talk of having soap making classes. The people are friendly and their apples are great. PEACH season is almost here! "

Surry County

• Old McConnell's Farm - beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplants, flowers, herbs or spices, onions, peppers, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, watermelons, Turkeys (organic, not-hormone-fed), Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs
  822 Golden Hill Rd, Elberon, VA 23846. Phone: (757) 814-4186. Email: oldmcconnellsfarm.com@gmail.com. Open: UPDATE for 2021, Their website and Facebook page are gone, so I assume they have closed permanently. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
  Old McConnell's Farm Facebook page. If you know anything for sure, please write me

Virginia Beach City

• Henley Farm and Henley Farm Market - Strawberries, blackberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, kale, potatoes, beans, pumpkins, collards, Christmas trees.
  3513 Charity Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456. Phone: (757) 426-7501. Email: barbarahenley@cox.net. Open: see their website for current hours. Directions: East on Indian River Road to Muddy Creek Road. Turn left, go 14 mile, turn right on Charity Neck Road. Farm 1 mile. 7 am to 7 pm, daily, spring and summer; 9 am to 5 pm, daily fall and winter. All of our small fruits \(strawberries, blackberries, etc.\) and vegetables \(cabbage, broccoli, pumpkins, etc.\) are available on a "Pick Your Own" basis. Remember to bring your own buckets! Pick your own at our farm or buy already picked at our market in downtown Pungo. Hayrides, too! For o - truncated. . Click here for a map and directions. Henley Farm and Henley Farm Market Phone: ; FAX (757) 426-0072 East on Indian River Road to Muddy Creek Road. Turn left, go 1/4 mile, turn right on Charity Neck Road. Farm 1 mile. 7 am to 7 pm, daily, spring and summer; 9 am to 5 pm, daily fall and winter. All of our small fruits (strawberries, blackberries, etc.) and vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, pumpkins, etc.) are available on a "Pick Your Own" basis. Remember to bring your own buckets! Pick your own at our farm or buy already picked at our market in downtown Pungo. Hayrides, too! For over fifty years, Henley Farm has been providing fresh 'pick-your-own' fruits and vegetables at fair prices in the Pungo section of Virginia Beach, VA. Henley Farm is truly a family farm, not only for our family but also for the many families who have enjoyed the farm. Many of our customers were children when they visited Henley Farm with their parents, and now bring their children to enjoy the experience of picking their own berries and vegetables. `d, you can 'pick your own' fruits and vegetables, or even select your own Christmas tree. We also have a farm market located on the farm, so you have the option of picking your own or buying your fruits and vegetables already picked
  Comments from a visitor on July 09, 2011: "Tons of huge, sweet, thornless blackberries. Corn, oh yeah! Good times, good people."
  Comments from a visitor on June 26, 2011: ""This place also has u-pick broccoli, cabbage, May peas, Romaine lettuce too. Great place, couldn't say enough about them and the availability of picking
  Comments from a visitor on May 10, 2009: "I have been going to Henleys for 20 years and it is a family run farm and they are all very friendly and caring and if you ever get the opportunity to meet any of them you will know what I mean especially the older Mrs. Henley very sweet old lady just like her husband not saying that Stormy isn't sweet but Mrs Henley has a few years on her. LOL. Make sure you go all the way down to the farm and not just to the farm stand Not saying the farm stand isn't good but the extra mile is well worth the trip for the harvest. All year long if they have a growing season for something they have it growing. Hours are always subject to change to call first. They take most form of payment including credit cards. They have portajohns for those emergency stops. In the fall they have a hayride to the pumpkin patch and on mother's day they have hanging flowers at reasonable prices for gifts. You can also buy some bedding plants or veggie plants for your own garden. "

 

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