2024 the greater metropolitan Des Moines area of Iowa Asparagus U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Asparagus U-Pick Orchards in the greater metropolitan Des Moines area of Iowa in 2024, by county

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

Polk County

• Upstream Gardens & Orchard - apples, asparagus, beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cherries, corn (sweet), cucumbers, currants (red and black), other berries, pears, peaches, peppers, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (yellow), raspberries (Spring, yellow), raspberries (Autumn, yellow), raspberries (black), raspberries (Spring, black), raspberries (Autumn, black), rhubarb, summer squash, winter squash, strawberries, tomatoes, walnuts, Honey from hives on the farm
  5987 Ne 88th St, Altoona, IA 50009. Phone: 515-957-1303. Email: upstreamgardens@gmail.com. Open: See the main page on our website for hours as they may change on a weekly basis. Directions: From I-80 exit 143, go south to NE 9th Street \(where the median stops\) and turn left. Go 2 miles and turn left again. Farm is on the right side of the road .7 miles from the turn. From Altoona, take 8th Street SW east out of town to NE 88th Street \(East edge of the golf course\) Turn left and go North.1.7 miles. Farm is on right side of the road. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.
  Upstream Gardens & Orchard Facebook page. . Alternate Phone: 515-556-4197. . From I-80 exit 143, go south to NE 9th Street (where the median stops) and turn left. Go 2 miles and turn left again. Farm is on the right side of the road .7 miles from the turn. From Altoona, take 8th Street SW east out of town to NE 88th Street (East edge of the golf course) Turn left and go North.1.7 miles. Farm is on right side of the road. (UPDATED: April 29, 2022, JBS) (UPDATED: April 18, 2016)
• Van Dyke Sweet Corn - asparagus, corn (sweet), Turkeys (organic, not-hormone-fed)
  12270 NE 22nd, Ankeny, IA 50021. Phone: 515-257-0298. Email: robinsvandyke@live.com. Open: Call for hours. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. .

Story County

• The Berry Patch - Integrated pest management, Apples, asparagus, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, currants (red and black), gooseberries, pumpkins, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, and prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, horse-drawn hay rides, tractor-pulled hay rides
  62785 280 Street, Nevada, IA 50201. Phone: 877-382-5138. Email: info@berrypatchfarm.com. Open: Click here for picking updates. Directions: from Des Moines, north on I35 to exit 102,turn east on 210. Go east 5 miles to S14, go north 6 miles to 280 st. Go east 34 miles to Berry Patch Farm. From Ames: East on US 30 8 miles to S14. South 4 miles to 280 Street East 34 miles to Berry Patch Farm Directions and Mapquest on our web site. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard.
  The Berry Patch Facebook page. et, Nevada, IA 50201. . from Des Moines, north on I35 to exit 102,turn east on 210. Go east 5 miles to S14, go north 6 miles to 280 st. Go east 3/4 miles to Berry Patch Farm. From Ames: East on US 30 8 miles to S14. South 4 miles to 280 Street East 3/4 miles to Berry Patch Farm Directions and Mapquest on our web site. Crops are usually available in June, July, August, September, October. please check website for current hours. Heritage Red Raspberries and Fall Gold Raspberries, Apples; Honeycrisp, Earlygold, Gala, Mollies Delicious, Mac Intosh, Priscilla , Liberty, Red Cortland, Jonathon, Lura Red.

 

Asparagus Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

 Asparagus is one of the first crops to harvest in the early Spring. Asparagus is usually green, but there is a white (blanched) version that has been kept covered until harvested, so no light reaches it, and even a purple version.

Pick your own asparagus

Pick your own asparagus is pretty rare in the U.S., much more common in the U.K. and Europe. U-Pick white asparagus is REALLY hard to find in the U.S. Eckerts in Belleville, Illinois, has it.
To pick asparagus, just look for asparagus spears are about 6 to 10 inches above the soil line, are firm, with tightly closed tips.
Then just cut at the base (ground level) or snap each spear; they usually snap off cleanly at the ground level.

Canning, Freezing and Asparagus recipes

• Freezing asparagus
• Canning Asparagus
• Canning pickled asparagus
• Canning one jar of pickled asparagus
• Oven-roasted Asparagus recipe
• Cheesy garlic roasted asparagus
• White asparagus

Grow your own asparagus (white or green)

The Old farmer's Almanac has a good page about how to grow your own asparagus, white or green.  I've been growing it for years.  It's probably the easiest thing you can grow.  And after you harvest in the spring, you let it grow, and it produces 5 ft tall fern-like leaves that make a nice background hedge at the back of the garden. So don't plant it where it will block the sun from other parts of the garden.  The leaves suck up energy from the sun and store it in the roots to produce next Spring;'s crop.

 

 

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