2024 the Kansas City area of Missouri Winter Squash U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Winter Squash U-Pick Orchards in the Kansas City area of Missouri in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for winter squash that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a state have winter squash 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.

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 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

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Cass County

• Johnson Farms, Plants and Pumpkins - pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, Other fruit or veg
  17701 S State Route D (Holmes Rd.), Belton, MO 64012. Phone: 816-331-1067. Email: johnsonsmaillist@sbcgloblal.net. Open: in mid September through Halloween. Directions: 4 one half miles south of MO Hwy 150, on Holmes Road . Click here for a map and directions. Fax: 816-331-1007Hours Monday thru Friday 12 pm to 6 pm; Sat and Sun 9 am to 6pmClick here for a map to our farm. Other veg: Tomatoes, peppers, Broom corn, milo, gourds, sunflowers, zinniasFall 2021 will have sunflowers, mums, apples, veggies and pumpkins and all the fun that goes with it. We post updates on our Facebook page.

Clay County

• Carolyn's Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch - pumpkins, winter squash, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, train rides, corn maze, straw or hay bale maze, child-sized haybale maze, and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, picnic area, tractor-pulled hay rides, face painting, petting zoo
  17607 NE 52nd Street, Liberty, MO 64068. Phone: 816-781-9196. Email: raaschew@mindspring.com. Open: Seven days a week from 10 am to 7 pm. Directions: From intersection of Hwys. 210 and 291 south of Liberty, go east for 12 mile until you see the signs. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard. Fax: NA From intersection of Hwys. 210 and 291 south of Liberty, go east for 1/2 mile until you see the signsCrops are usually available in September, October U-Pick Pumpkins are open from 3rd weekend in September to 7 days a week until October 31. Corn Maze open Labor Day weekend until October 31 Weekend festivals with live entertainment, C.P. Huntington train rides, Children's activities, Uncle Lester's Pig Races, 50 Acres of U-Pick Pumpkins, Hayrides, two gift shops brimming with seasonal gifts, Homemade goodies, such as pumpkin donuts and cider slushes. Award winning School tours available Monday thru Friday.
• Looper Farms/Jed's Jack O'lanterns - Honey from hives on the farm, pumpkins, winter squash, Other fruit or veg, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  21020 NE 172nd, Holt, MO 64048. Phone: 816-918-2766. Email: Amylooper@aol.com. Directions: North on Jesse James from 92, Left on Ragsdale road to 172nd. Right on 172nd to big orange barn on your left. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . UPDATE for 2021, Their website is gone; There's nothing else about them on the internet, so I assume they have closed. If you have any information to the contrary, please write me. Evenings and weekends in September, 08:00 to dark every day in October Crops are usually available in September, Octoberdecorative gourds, bonfire and hayrides for groups; Scouts, youth, etc.

Lafayette County

• John & Linda's Fruit and Berry Farm - apples, asparagus, beans, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, corn (sweet), cucumbers, gooseberries, nectarines, onions, pears, peas, peaches, peppers, plums, raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (black), raspberries (Spring, black), rhubarb, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, U-pick and already picked, school tours
  2428 Texas Prairie Rd, Bates City, MO 64011. Phone: 816-690-6293. Email: johnj45@hotmail.com. Open: hours 7am to 7pm; 7 days a week; May 1 thru October 31. Directions: One mile north of Bates City exit, off of Interstate 70,call for more detail directions. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. John & Linda's Fruit and Berry Farm Alternate Phone: 816-694-1688 call for harvest dates; asparagus is the first to start, May 15please call ahead for availability. 2021 update: Asparagus in mid April, Strawberries in mid May, Blueberries and Gooseberries in late June, Blackberries in mid July, peaches in mid July, Apples and pears in late August. Vegetables usually start early June. (Please note these are estimates, weather can change picking dates.) (UPDATED: June 13, 2016)

 

Winter Squash

Winter Squash Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Winter squash comes in many sizes, shapes and colors.  Choosing a winter squash that meets your needs and the taste you will like can be tough without a guide!  This page provides you that information, plus nutritional analysis and links to our freezing and canning pages!

Unlike its summer squash, which is best when harvested very young and used right away, winter squash is harvested at a mature age, which makes the outer skin hard and inedible. The skin, however, is protective and increases its storage life. Winter squash can be stored for 3 months or longer if kept in a cool dark place, like a basement or garage.  I've had winter squash last a full year when stored like this!

The yellow and orange flesh of the winter squash is more nutritious and richer in vitamins, especially beta carotene, than summer squash. Winter squash is always served cooked and, because of its tough skin, only the inside flesh is eaten. The flesh, is sweet and great to make pie (pumpkins are a winter squash)

Size:

Choose a size based on your cooking needs. There's no difference in flavor based on size of the same variety of a squash.

Appearance:

For a quality squash, choose one that has a smooth, dry rind and is free of cracks or soft spots. Skin that is easily nicked or scraped with a fingernail means that the squash did not reach maturity. Look for rind that has a dull appearance. A shiny rind indicates that is has been picked too early or has a wax coating, which masks the skin. Choose squash that has a deep color and is heavy for its size. It is also best to choose squash with a firm, rounded, dry stem. Squash with no stem permits bacteria to enter.

Cut pieces can be found in the grocery market. Choose pieces that have a good interior color and finely-grained flesh that is not fibrous. Ideal flesh should be barely moist, but not too dry or too watery.

Storing Winter Squash

Winter squash has a long shelf life and can be stored for up to 3 months or longer in a cool, dry place between 55° and 60°F. A higher temperature will shorten storage time, but it will not alter the flavor. Storage temperatures below 50°F (as in a refrigerator) will cause squash to spoil more rapidly. If the squash needs to be refrigerated, it can be stored for 1 to 2 weeks. Cut pieces of squash should be tightly wrapped and refrigerated. Cooked, pureed squash can be frozen for use later as a side dish or to thicken, color, or flavor soups, sauces, or stews.

Varieties of Winter Squash

Here are a few of the most popular winter squash varieties; see this page for a complete master list of winter squash varieties.

	Acorn This acorn-shaped squash is one of the most widely available among the small winter squash. It measures about 6 inches around and weighs 1 to 2 pounds. Baking is an excellent way to bring out the sweet, nutty flavors of this tender fleshed squash.
	Banana This squash comes in three varieties: blue, orange, and pink. Among the three varieties, the pink banana is the most common in the United States. It is grown commercially in Florida. This large, thick-skinned cylindrical squash averages 20 inches long and weighs around 12 pounds. It is so large that it is usually sold in chunks instead of whole. Its creamy textured orange flesh offers a fruity and buttery delight to your palate. Although both baking and steaming are great ways to prepare this tasty squash, steaming produces a slightly sweeter, yet mild flavor.
	Buttercup This stocky squash is 6 to 8 inches in diameter, averaging 2 to 4 pounds. Its popularity stems from its sweet and creamy orange flesh. Its shortcoming is that it tends to be a bit dry. Baking or steaming can solve this problem; the dry flesh becomes smooth and tastes similar to a mixture of honey, roasted chestnuts, and sweet potato. Even more than baking, steaming softens the flesh and creates a thick puree (Great for pies)
	Butternut This elongated bell-shaped squash measures about a foot long and weighs an average of 2 to 4 pounds. Its popularity is due to its meaty, yet moderately sweet golden orange flesh. Because of its thin skin, this squash can easily be skinned with a vegetable peeler, which makes it easy to cut and prepare. Baking enhances its sweet, moist, and nutty flavors. Butternut squash is usually available from August through March. There are actually many variations of butternut.  It can be used to make great "pumpkin" pies.
	My favorite winter squash is one called "Argos Gold", sometimes also simply called "Mexican Butternut" - it is much longer than the usual "Waltham" butternut, often almost 2 feet long and has a much sweeter taste and smoother texture.  I've finally found one supplier, see this page. I found another winter / butternut-type squash at Gurney's that looks promising .
	Hubbard This tear-shaped squash comes in several varieties: green (true), golden, blue, and baby blue. It ranges from dark green to orange and weighs from 5 to 50 pounds. Because of its size, Hubbard's popularity has decreased over the years. However, pre-cut portions of green and orange Hubbard can be found in markets. Green Hubbard's are thick, sweet, and dry. Golden Hubbard's; a smaller squash than the green or blue; are fairly sweet, but have a bitter aftertaste.The Blue or gray varietiey make wonder pumpkin pies!
	Spaghetti This oval-shaped yellow squash is also called the vegetable spaghetti. It averages 9 inches in length and may weigh 2 to 3 pounds. When cooked, the crisp, tender fhesh falls a apart into spaghetti-like strands that have a mild lightly sweet and fresh taste. Keep in mind that the larger the vegetable, the thicker the strands and the more flavorful the taste. It really is good with spaghetti sauce on the cooked squash "noodles"
	Sweet Dumpling This solid round squash, formerly known as the vegetable gourd, is a perfect serving for one person. It is about the size of an apple and weighs up to 1 pound. The skin is a warm cream color striped with ivy green, and it changes to butter color and orange during storage. The skin is relatively tender and can be eaten. The pale-yellow flesh is smooth, fine, and dry as a potato and produces a rich starchy, light to mild sweetness, with a slight corn flavor.

 

 

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