2024 North-Western South Carolina (Spartanburg - York) Corn U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Corn U-Pick Orchards in North-Western South Carolina (Spartanburg - York) 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.

Chester County

• Water Oak Farm - Uses integrated pest management practices, corn (sweet), cucumbers, kale, melons, summer squash, strawberries, other vegetables,
  4730 Ligon Rd, Richburg, SC 29729. Phone: (864) 784-6176. Email: wateroakfarmsc@gmail.com. Open: Call or Text Ahead to reserve a time for you and your family to pick fresh strawberries, Hours during typical growing season Early April - Late July Fri - Sun 10:30am to 5pm Hours days of operation subject to change due to changes in growing season and weather; Please check FB page for updated hours and contact us in advance to ensure staff is available to assist you. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. . Call or Text Ahead to reserve a time for you and your family to pick fresh strawberries, Hours during typical growing season (Early April - Late July) Fri - Sun 10:30am to 5pm Hours days of operation subject to change due to changes in growing season and weather; Please check FB page for updated hours and contact us in advance to ensure staff is available to assist you. We use integrated pest management practices. s is a family-owned farm serving the local Richburg region with a 'you-pick' strawberry market and a variety of seasonal produce. Join us for a family friendly Farm/Ag experience. (ADDED: March 06, 2021)

Spartanburg County

• Thompson Family Farms - sweet corn, carving pumpkins, daffodils, sunflowers, tulips, zinnias, U-pick and already picked, porta-potties, Cell service cell phones work here, picnic area, picnic area you may bring your own food, school tours, group reservations
  13830 Highway 11, Campobello, SC 29322. Phone: (864) 216-1615. Email: ThompsonFamilyFarmsSC@gmail.com. Open: Hours vary considerably; please see our website or Facebook page for current availability and hours. Directions: The Upstate\'s only U-Pick Tulip Field . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, All credit cards. . The Upstate's only U-Pick Tulip Field opens yearly in mid-March; Sunflower Fest take place in July; The Pumpkin Patch opens for U-Pick in October;. Click here for our Instagram page. (ADDED: March 30, 2023)

York County

• Black's Peaches - Strawberries, blackberries, peaches, tomatoes, sweet corn, apples
  IIntersection of Springlake Road and SC 5, York, SC . Phone: 803-684-2333. Email: blackspeaches@aol.com. Open: 8 am to 6 pm on Mondays-Saturdays,from 1 pm to 6 pm, Sundays; Pick Your Own Strawberries in May, Peaches from the 1st of June through 1st of September, Blackberries in July. Directions: On S.C. 5, 3 miles west of York at intersection with Springlake Road. Look for signs. Thirty varieties of peaches; available June 1-October 1. Apples from August through September. Fall pumpkin tours also available. Take-home containers, restrooms, drinking water available. . Click here for a map and directions.
  Black's Peaches Facebook page. . . Price not set. Pick Your Own..(based on availability - call for details) Pick Your Own Strawberries - Spring Pick Your Own Peaches - Summer. Strawberries usually in May. Peaches usually from 1st of June through 1st of September. (UPDATED: January 19, 2021)

 

 

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