2024 Central Washington State Tomato U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Tomato U-Pick Orchards in Central Washington State 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

Yakima County

• Heaven-Sent Rabbitry - onions, pumpkins, tomatoes, other vegetables, Other fruit or veg,
  915 Gore Rd, Selah, WA 98947. Phone: 509-424-1014. Open: Monday - Friday, from 10am to 8pm as crops are available this is the PYO hours. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only.
• Krueger Pepper Gardens - ORGANIC, apples, beans, cucumbers, eggplants, grapes, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area
  462 Knight Lane, Wapato, WA 98951. Phone: 509-877-3677. Email: kruegerpeppergardens@gmail.com. Open: August 1st to October 15 Or First Frost, usually 2nd weekend in October. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, WIC Vouchers, SFMNP Vouchers. . Alternate Phone: 509-728-0372. August 1st to October 15 (Or First Frost, usually 2nd weekend in October). . Picking updates: Click here for picking updatesWe are certified organic for some cropsWe offer an incredible variety of certified organic fruits and vegetables including over 100 varieties of hot and sweet peppers (Ghost pepper and other specialty extra hots), 15+ varieties of tomatoes (including heirloom) , 10+ varieties of melons/watermelon, 10+ varieties of winter squash, eggplants, green beans, juice grapes (Concord and Early Campbell), onions, garlic (we will not have our own garlic for the 2017 season)and much more. We also provide conventional onions, apples, potatoes, pears, peaches and nectarines throughout the season (call for availability).So if you are looking for a great family outing, great produce and fresh air, head out to the farm where we work hard to meet all of your fresh produce needs.
  Comments from a visitor on May 09, 2011: "I went there for tomatoes for the first time last year. What a nice treat! The quality of their produce is excellent and they are such nice people! I bought peppers too and the owner spent some time helping me get the right peppers for me. I'm going again this year too."
• West Valley U-Pick - Uses natural growing practices, apples, blueberries, pears, tomatoes, tomatillos, apricots, marionberriies, peaches, pluots, grapes, apricots and prepicked produce, restrooms
  11901 Zier Road, Yakima, WA 98908. Phone: 509-945-5406. Email: yakimaberries@gmail.com. Open: Monday to Friday, 8 am to 7 pm, Saturday 8 am to 7 pm, and Sunday, 12 pm to 5 pm. Directions: We are located in the beautiful West Valley area of Yakima, WA. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check.
  West Valley U-Pick Facebook page. Blueberries and Raspberries July, August and the first two weeks of September Pears Bartlett and Anjou August through early September Apples Gala and Red and Golden Delicious September through October Pumpkins October Garden veggies all summer. We use natural practices, but are not yet certified OrganicWe have an area to park your motorhome and large field for camping, a hose for water, and a primitive bathroom, for those who would like to spend the night. Please call for availabilityCrops are usually available in July, August, September, October Cherries: Rainier, Bing, Skeena, and Sour Pie Cherries available for u-pick in early July. Pre-picked cherries are available early-mid July. Important note: all of their u-pick cherries are often all been picked on opening day. Apples: Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Blondee apples are available for u-pick mid-August to October. Note: You can press your own apple cider on their old-fashioned hand-cranked cider presses! The presses are free to use if you buy our apples. We have cider jugs to purchase, or you can bring your own jugs if you prefer.Blueberries - Duke and Chandler blueberries are available in mid-to-late July, Aurora blueberries are available late-July to September. The best picking times are mid-July and mid-August when the most berries are ripe . Peaches - Clingstone peach variety Early Elberta is available for u-pick in late July. Freestone peach varieties Golden Elberta and Red Haven peaches are available in late August. Peaches tend to go quickly,Pears - Bartlet and Danjou pears. Available for u-pick mid-August to mid-September.Pluots - Available for u-pick mid-August to mid-September. Grapes - Assorted varieties of table grapes are available for u-pick straight off the trellises in late August and early September. Guests are also welcome to pick grape leaves at no charge!Marionberries - They have a small number of marionberry bushes for u-pick available in mid-to-late August. Apricots - They have a few small apricot trees for u-pick available in early July. Supplies are very limited, please call ahead of time to inquire for availability.Tomatoes - more than 20 varieties of vine-ripe tomatoes including Roma, Beefsteak, Solar flare, Market, Maria, and other heirloom tomatoes. Available for u-pick mid-August to October.Eggplant - Italian and Asian Eggplant are available for u-pick from early August to late September.Peppers - Assorted varieties of sweet and hot peppers are available for u-pick from late July to late September. Varieties include Jalapeno, Poblano, Habanero, Shishito, Bell, and a few melt-your-face-hot Carolina ReapersTomatillos - available for u-pick late July to October. SWe use natural practices, but are not yet certified OrganicYou may e-mail us for my phone number, current crops, and picking times. We look forward to seeing you on our farm. We Have Raspberries, Blueberries, Apples, Pears, Peaches, Apricots, Plums, Pluots and . Formerly called All Natural U Pick and Scenic Acres Orchard (UPDATED: August 7, 2023, 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