2024 Central Illinois Apple And Pumpkin U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

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Apple And Pumpkin U-Pick Orchards in Central Illinois in 2024, by county

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

Champaign County

  • Curtis Orchard & Pumpkin Patch - apples, pumpkins, Honey from hives on the farm, Cider mill fresh apple cider made on the premises, U-pick and already picked, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, birthday parties, school tours
    3902 S Duncan Rd, Champaign, IL 61822. Phone: 217-359-5565. Email: info@curtisorchard.com. Open: July 20 - December 20. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover. . . THRU October - Monday to Saturday 9 am to 6 pm, Sunday 11 am to 6 pm / AFTER October - Monday to Saturday 9 am to 5:30 pm, Sunday 11 am to 5 pm. Store apples: late July to mid December / U-PICK Apples: late July to late October (depending on the year) Click our link for which apples are ready when. / Store peaches: late July thru October / U-Pick and already picked pumpkins: mid-September to mid-November. Spend a little time in the country! Visit Curtis Orchard for a fun, inexpensive & educational farm experience for the whole family. We have apples, pumpkins, kids' activities, a bakery, and a country store. Rain or shine, we're open The Flying Monkey Cafe is open for lunch every day from August 17 - November 27. This 80-acre entertainment farm features the Flying Monkey Cafe, which serves cookout-style lunch. We also bake pies & donuts every day we're open. No admission fee. Sorry - no pets.

De Witt County

  • Wagon Wheel Pumpkin Farm - apples, pumpkins, summer squash,
    7 Miles East Of Clinton, Clinton, IL 61727. Phone: 217-736-2470. Email: rbmartin@dishmail.net. Open: Daily 10 am to 6 pm. Directions: From Clinton take Route # 10 East approximately 7 miles. You will turn right on 17000 (there is a pumpkin sign) go 1 mile then turn right again on airport road (another pumpkin sign) first house on your left (big sign in front yard). . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. 92">Wagon Wheel Pumpkin Farm . Crops are usually available in September, October. We have a variety of pumpkins, gourds, squash, broom corn and Indian corn; Straw maze, corn maze; Open September12th to October31; Hours 10 to 6pm daily; Pumpkin Fun Day - Sunday, October 4th from 1 pm to 5pm; Free pony rides, hayrack rides, face painting and many games; Groups Welcome!!

Jersey County

  • Eckert's Grafton Farm - apples, pumpkins, peaches.
    20995 Eckert Orchard Road, Grafton, IL 62037. Phone: (618) 786-3445. Open: 9 am to 5 pm, daily. Directions: . Click here for a map and directions. . click here for farm directions. Grafton has an expanded entertainment area for both "little" and "big" kids! Watch the goats climb to amazing heights, search for eggs in the real hen house, play a round of miniature golf, bottle feed a calf, swing on an old-fashion tire swing, jump in one of our three inflatable jumping attractions or just relax and enjoy a funnel cake. There is no admission to the entertainment site. Tickets for rides may be purchased.

Macoupin County

  • Broom Orchard - apples, pumpkins, restrooms, picnic area, school tours, events at your location (call for info)
    112803 Broom Road, Carlinville, IL 62626. Phone: 217-854-3514. Email: info@broomorchard.com. Open: See our website for current hours or call. Directions: Broom Orchard is located 2 1/2 miles southwest of Carlinville. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
    Broom Orchard Facebook page. m Road, Carlinville, IL 62626. . Red Haven peaches start the 3rd week in July (usually) . REMINDER: WE DO NOT HAVE STRAWBERRIES ANYMORE; ONLY PYO apples and pumpkins. Visit our website for current approximate ripening dates of our locally grown seasonal fruit or "like" us on Facebook; has an annual Apple Festival in September and a Pumpkin Festival in October with various entertainment and activities. Facebook page. Our Farm Market is open July thru December. This is where we sell our fresh peaches, apples, blackberries, nectarines, plums, pears and pumpkins when in season. The market is also stocked with Amish-made apple butter, Illinois honey, popcorn, preserves, butters and all fruit spreads. Don't forget our award winning sweet cider, too! Peaches are freestone. Early Gold Apples and Bi-Color Sweet Corn are also available. White Lady Peaches, Nectarines, and Blackberries

Apple picking tips:

Apples ripen from the outside of the tree towards the center, so the apples out the outside of the tree will ripen first. Once they are picked, they stop ripening. Picking apples directly from a tree is easy. Roll the apple upwards off the branch and give a little twist; don't pull straight away from the tree. If two apples are joined together at the top, both will come away at the same time. Don't shake the trees or branches. If the apple you are trying to pick drops, (or others on the tree) go ahead and pick it up. They're perfectly fine! But do wash them before you eat them! More info: How to tell when apples are ripe

  • Once picked, don't throw the apples into the baskets, place them in gently, or they will bruise and go bad more quickly.
  • Don't wash apples until just before using to prevent spoilage.
  • For an explanation of why apple slices turn brown and how to stop it, see this page!
  • Keep apples cool after picking to increase shelf life. A cool basement is ideal, but the fruit/vegetable drawer of a refrigerator will work, too. A refrigerator is fine for small quantities of apples. Boxed apples need to be kept in a cool, dark spot where they won't freeze. Freezing ruptures all of an apple's cells, turning it into one large bruise overnight. The usual solution is to store apples in a root cellar. But root cellars often have potatoes in them: apples and potatoes should never be stored in the same room because, as they age, potatoes release an otherwise ethylene gas, which makes apples spoil faster. If you can keep the gas away from your apples, they will keep just fine. Just don't store them right next to potatoes.
    Prevent contact between apples stored for the winter by wrapping them individually in sheets of newspaper. The easiest way to do this is to unfold a section of newspaper all the way and tear it into quarters. Then stack the wrapped apples. See more here: How to store apples at home
  • Apples don't improve or "ripen" after being picked - this is an urban myth - see this page for the truth - with references!

Which apple variety is best?

There are tens of thousands of varieties of apples, developed over centuries. They vary in sugar, acoidity, flavors, storing, crispness and many other attributes. See our guides to apple varieties:

Canning apples - fully illustrated, with step-by-step instructions

Recipes, illustrated with step by step instructions

Using fresh apples and miscellaneous

Pumpkin recipes

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

McSunley Stainless Steel 21QT Canner, Any Stovetop

Pressure Canners for all stovetops

Looking for canning equipment and supplies?

Water bath canner with a jar rack

Electric pressure canner

Pressure canners for gas, electric and induction stoves: Presto 23Qt or T-fal 22Qt

Canning scoop (this one is PERFECT)

Ball Blue book (most recent version)

8oz canning jars for jams

Regular canning lids

Wide mouth canning lids

 


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Find other types of farms:

Highly rated canning supplies:

McSunley Stainless Steel 21QT Canner, Any Stovetop

Pressure Canners for all stovetops