Find a local pick your own farm here!

How Much of a Fruit or Vegetable Will I Need to Pick?

How Much of a Fruit or Vegetable Will I Need to Pick?

After you locate a pick-your-own farm near you, the next question that comes to mind is, how much should I pick in order to can, freeze, make jam, etc.? How much jam can I make from 6 quarts of berries?  How much applesauce will 2 bushels make? Then this is the page for you! The conversion and tables below should answer your questions.

I'm always looking for more to add and feedback, so please email me at the address at the bottom of the page!  And if you have a farm and want to add it or correct the information, please click on the link to "add my farm".

Remember to ALWAYS either email, call or click the link to the farm's own website (if they have one) on the morning before you go, to confirm hours, conditions and availability of the specific crops you want!!  

Be sure to also see your state's harvest calendar to know when each crop is usually ready to be picked - just click on your state and look for the harvest calendar / crop availability link.

And if you want simple illustrated, instructions on making and canning many common items, like how to make jam, applesauce, apple butter, spaghetti sauce, salsa, fruit pies, freezing vegetables, putting up peaches, green beans, etc., just click here.


 

Of course, the next logical question is how much does a bushel of a fruit or vegetable produce when canned or frozen?

Weights and Approximate Processed Yields of Common Fruits and Vegetables

Also see this page for current pricing information by fruuit or vegetable

 FRUITS
 If you have this much fresh:

 You  should get this much...

Commonly made products

 Canned
 Frozen
Apples
1 bushel 
(42-48 lbs)
80 to 100 apples (depends upon the size of the apples)
1 bushel = 12 to 15 qt. canned applesauce (no sugar added), 14 - 18 with sugar

1 bushel = 10 to 12 qt. juice

12 - 16 quarts
28 - 36 pints
 3 lbs.
1 quart applesauce
1 quart
2 pints
8 medium apples = 2.25 lbs 1 nine-inch apple pie 
or
3 cups of applesauce
1 peck = 1/4 bushel = 10 to 14 lbs
Berries (general)
(except strawberries)
 
24-quart crate
jams, jellies
12 - 18 quarts
32 - 36 pints
5 - 8 cups
Jam

1 quart

 2 - 3 pints
Blackberries

1 quart = 1.5 lbs
(2 pints)

 Jam 1 pint 3/4 quart
lbs.      
Blueberries 1 quart = 2.3 lbs best frozen 1 pint  1 quart
3 lbs.    1 quart  
1 gallon = 4.5 to 5 lbs      
Cherries 1 quart  jelly, canned cherries, pie filling 1quart, unpitted 1 quart, unpitted
2 to 2 1/2 lb.   1quart, unpitted  
Grapes 1 bushel juice 16 qt. of juice  
2 quarts jelly 1 quart  
Peaches
1 bushel (48 lbs.)
sliced or halves canned, jam, pickled
18-24 quarts
32 to 48 pints

 2 - 2.5 lbs

    
 2 pints
1 peck = 1/4 bushel = 12 lbs      
Pears
1 bushel (56 lbs.)
pitted, peeled and canned
20-25 quarts
40 to 50 pints
 2 - 2.5 lbs.
 
1 quart
2 pints
Plums

1 bushel

jam 24 to 30 qt. canned  
2 to 2 1/2 lb.   1 quart  
Raspberries 1 pint = 3/4 lb jam or frozen 1 cup jam 1 cup (if air is excluded)
1 quart  = 1.25 to 1.5 lbs   2 cups jam 1 pint (if air is ecluded)
Strawberries
24-quart crate
 
12-16 quarts
38 pints
6 - 8 cups
1 batch (10 - 12 half-pint jars) of jam
1 quart
 2 pints
lbs.      
1 gallon = 5 lbs of fresh strawberries 2 batches  (20 to 24 half-pint jars) of jam    
Tomatoes
1 bushel (53 lbs.)
sauce, paste, salsa, canned
15-20 quarts or 10-12 quarts juice
2.5 - 3 lbs.
 
1 quart canned
 
 VEGETABLES
If you have this much fresh: ...you should get this much :
Canned
Frozen
Asparagus      
3 - 4 lbs 1 quart 3 pints
Beans, Lima
1 bushel (32 lbs.)
6-8 quarts
12 to 16 pints
4 - 5 lbs.
1 quart
2 pints
Beets      
 3lbs 1 qt. canned  
Beans, Snap
1 bushel (30 lbs.)
15 - 20 quarts
30 - 45 pints
 1.5 - 2 lbs.
1 quart
2 pints
Cabbage      
1 average head 1 quart sauerkraut  
Corn
(Sweet, in husk)
 1 bushel (35 lbs.)
8 - 10 quarts
14 - 17 pints
 6 -16 ears
1 quart
2 pints
Cucumbers (pickling)      
about 3 7 inch long) 1 pint of pickles (spears or slices)  
Greens
 1 bushel (18 lbs.)
 6 - 9 quarts
 8 - 12 pints
 2 - 3 lbs.
1 quart
2 pints
Peas, Field
 1 bushel (30 lbs.)
 6 - 7 quarts
 12 - 15 pints
4 - 5 lbs.
1 quart
2 pints
Peppers 1 Bushel 25 - 30 lbs.
1 Peck 6.25 - 7.5 lbs.
   
large peppers: 80 - 85 per bushel;
small peppers: 110 per bushel
1 lb fresh = 1 pint canned (pickled) 2/3 lb fresh = 1 pint frozen
Potatoes 1 bushel = 60 lbs 1 bushel = 20 quarts pressure canned potatoes  
Pumpkins one 10-lb pumpkin 2 quarts  
Squash (summer) (yellow, zucchini, crookneck, Patty Pan, etc.) 1 average yellow squash (8 inches long     
3 lbs 1 quart 1 pint
Squash (winter)
(Hubbard, banana, Acorn, Butternut, Buttercup)
 1 bushel (40 lbs.)
 16 - 20 quarts
 32 - 40 pints
3 lbs. 1 quart  

 

Volumes and Conversions

One of these

...is equal to:

1 Bushel

8 gallons (dry)

32 quarts (dry)

64 pints (dry)

4 pecks

2,150 cubic inches

1 Gallon

4 quarts

3.78 liters

8 pints

16 cups

231 cubic inches

 0.43 peck (just under a half-peck)

1 Quart

32 fluid ounces

58 cubic inches

2 pints

4 cups

0.98 liter

1 Pint

16 fluid ounces

29 cubic inches

2 cups

1 Kilo (or kilogram)

2.205 pounds

1 Liter

1.057 quarts (liquid)

0.26 gallon\

Weight per Bushel for Common Fruits and Vegetables

If you like to do a large quantity of canning and once and be done with it for a year, you may want to do what I do, either pick in large quantity, or find the local real farmer's market (like the one in Forest Park, Georgia) and get bulk quantities.  In which case, you need to know, how much is in a bushel of the fruit or vegetables?  this table should help!

 COMMODITY

Approximate weight per bushel, in Pounds

 

 COMMODITY

Approximate weight per bushel, in Pounds

Apples

42 lbs.

Mustard Greens

18 lbs.

Lima Beans (unshelled)

30 lbs.

Onions

57 lbs.

Pole Beans

28 lbs.

Peaches

50 lbs.

Snap Beans

30 lbs.

Field Peas

25 lbs.

Shelled Corn

56 lbs.

Sweet Potatoes (fresh, green)

55 lbs.

Corn (in ear)

70 lbs.

Sweet Potatoes (cured, dry)

50 lbs.

Cowpeas

60 lbs.

Spinach

20 lbs.

Cucumbers

48 lbs.

Tomatoes

53 lbs.

Eggplant

33 lbs.

Turnips (without tops)

54 lbs.

English Peas (in hull)

30 lbs.

Turnip Greens (dry)

16 lbs.

Muscadines

50 lbs.

Turnip Greens (wet)

18 lbs.