2024 Tampa area, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, west Florida Corn U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Corn U-Pick Orchards in Tampa area, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, west Florida in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for corn that we know of in this area. Not all areas of any state, nor even every state, have corn 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.

Hillsborough County

• Berry Bay Farms - onions, strawberries, corn (sweet), cucumbers, peas, Other fruit or veg,
  5135 Bonita Drive, Wimauma, FL 33589. Phone: 813-642-9866. Open: UPDATE for 2021, Their website and Facebook pages are gone - I presume they have closed. Directions: From the intersection of Highway 301 and State Road 674 take 301 South for 2 miles. Turn Left onto Bonita Drive, Berry Bay sign on the right. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Does anyone have current information, are they still offering pick your own or are even open? If so, please write me. In April, we also have PYO onions, strawberries. Bring a container to take your berries home in. The weather and market conditions determine when we are open.
• Big Bear Farms, Inc - ORGANIC, beans, blueberries, broad beans, carrots, corn (sweet), eggplant, okra, onions, peas, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, other vegetables, Other fruit or veg, prepicked produce, restrooms
  7606 Kinard Road, Plant City, FL 33565. Phone: 813-986-1152. Email: bigbearfarms@verizon.net. Open: crops available, days and hours vary with the season; Please check on our website or call for current days and times. Directions: From Tampa take I-4 East to Exit 14 \(Mcintosh Road \) Turn Left \(North\) on Mcintosh and go under overpass to first road on Right. Turn Right on Gore Road and take curve to Left where road turns into Gallagher Road Travel North on Gallagher to Kinard Road on Right. NOT Kinard Cove. Turn Right on Kinard Road and farm is 14 mile on Right. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Fax:. . From Tampa take I-4 East to Exit 14 (Mcintosh Road ) Turn Left (North) on Mcintosh and go under overpass to first road on Right. Turn Right on Gore Road and take curve to Left where road turns into Gallagher Road Travel North on Gallagher to Kinard Road on Right. NOT Kinard Cove. Turn Right on Kinard Road and farm is 1/4 mile on Right. Crops are usually available in March, April, May, June, July, October, November, December. We are certified organic for all crops! Cabbage, Collards, Mustard, Turnips, Lettuce, Spinach, Okra. Big Bear Farms, Inc. is a family owned and operated Certified ORGANIC Fruit and Vegetable farm. We operate under the strict rules of the USDA - National Organic Program (NOP) and are certified by Quality Certification Services (QCS). Unlike many farms that only claim to be organic we are the REAL DEAL and have the documents proudly on display to prove it. Why buy imported fruit and vegetables from unregulated countries that have been sprayed with all types of banned chemicals when you can have better at lower prices.Not only do we supply the commercial market with blueberries, we also take pride in our ability to provide the individual local public comsumer with that personal touch in the growing, processing and packing that they deserve in supplying the needs of their families. (UPDATED: July 28, 2010, by phone)

 

 

Choosing and Picking Corn

Corn reaches it's peak sweetness and flavor when the kernels are full, and just touching each other, like a good set of teeth!  They should not be bloated and smushed so tightly that there is no space left at all. The bloated overripe ears will have a bland, starchy taste.

Here's what to look for:

• The tips of the silks coming out of the ear should be a light brown.
•  If you break a kernel with your fingernail, the liquid should be slightly milky in color.
•  The ears should be filled out and have developed good girth but not bloated.

Harvesting

 To harvest, snap off the ears by hand with a quick, firm, downward push; then twist and pull.
 Avoid twisting or yanking the ears, as this can damage the stalk or the ear itself.

Storing the corn

Corn is at its prime eating quality on the stalk for only 72 hours before becoming over mature. The most important factor is cooling it as soon as possible after harvesting it.  Get it into the fridge or cover it with ice! Many farmers say you should remove the shucks right away, too.  I've found that removing most of the shuck, but leaving a few leaves to cover each ear is best to prevent the kernels from drying out.  See this page for more about storing corn before using it.

Cooking:

The worst mistake people make is overcooking corn.  In fact, corn isn't really cooked; it's just heated up. If you cook it form more than a few minutes (3 minutes), then you are simply breaking down the sugars and turning a nice, crisp sweet ear into bland mush. It's not a pot roast; the purpose of heating it is NOT to break down the cells, just to heat them to bring out the flavor and melt the butter!

Here's how to cook the corn:

1. Fill a large pot (large enough so the shucked ears can fit inside, laying down) about 2/3 full of water and start bring it to a boil
2. Shuck the ears, and snap off the stalk end and the very tip of ear (especially if you will use "corn stickers" , (handles) to hold the ears.
3. When everyone is sitting down at the table and you are serving the rest of the meal, put the corn in the boiling water and set the time for 3 minutes.
4. After 3 minutes, using tongs, retrieve the ears and serve them with butter (Corn boats are wonderful for corn!

 

Freezing Corn

You can easily freeze the sweet corn and have that great taste in the dead of winter! 

• Freezing whole ears of corn on the cob
• Freezing corn, cut off the cob

Canning Corn

This too, is easy... but it DOES require a Pressure Canner.  You cannot safely do this with a water bath canner.  Food poisoning is no joke!

• Here is how to can corn!
•  how to make canned creamed corn.
• Southern Chow-Chow (also called Piccalilli)
• Pickled corn relish

Other corn recipes

• How to make sweet corn ice cream
• Corn bread, or sweet corn muffins (like Chi Chi's)

• Corn fritters (a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast

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