2024 Tucson and Surrounding Counties in Arizona Tomato U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Tomato U-Pick Orchards in Tucson and Surrounding Counties in Arizona in 2024, by county

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

Cochise County

• Apple Annie's Orchard Farm - PYO - PYO apples, pears, peaches, beans, peas, crowder peas, black eyed peas, 4 or 5 kinds of summer squash, cucumbers, sweet peppers(2 or 3 kinds), tomatoes, roma tomatoes, hot peppers, chilis, jalapenos, broccoli, red cabbage, cabbage, cauliflower, okra
  2081 W. Hardy Road, Willcox, AZ 85643. Phone: 520-384-2084. Email: apples@appleannies.com. Open: daily from 8 am to 5:30 pm, mid-July to late November; November hours: 10 am to 4:30 PM. Click here for a map and directions. . Directions off Ft. Grant Road, Willcox, Arizona. Closing for the season in late November. Peaches from July through mid-September; Apples from August 1st through November 23rd and Pears from August 1st through mid-October.
• Apple Annie's Produce and Pumpkins - PYO beans, peas, crowder peas, black eyed peas, 4 or 5 kinds of summer squash, cucumbers, sweet peppers(2 or 3 kinds), tomatoes, roma tomatoes, hot peppers, chilis, jalapenos, broccoli, red cabbage, cabbage, cauliflower, okra, pumpkins and hayrides.
  6405 W. Williams Road, Willcox, AZ 85643. Phone: 520-384-2084. Email: apples@appleannies.com. Open: Daily 7 am to 5:30 pm, July 2nd through November 2nd. Click here for a map and directions. . . (formerly Hunsdon Farms) . Apple Annie's a beautiful family-owned fruit orchard north of Willcox, Arizona, in the southeastern corner of the state. The 4300' elevation with warm days and cool nights make Willcox the premier you-pick fruit and vegetable growing area in Arizona. Apple Annie's Orchard specializes in delicious, tree-ripened fruit, pies and other treats "just like home-baked", apple cider, and good, old-fashioned family fun!
  Comments from a visitor on July 02, 2016: "I go every week and it has been a great season. They are nice people with a beautiful farm and orchard. I am having butternut squash and sliced tomatoes from Apple Annies tonight. They also have a great selection of canned goodies! upick included beans, peas, crowder peas, black eyed peas, 4 or 5 kinds of summer squash, cucumbers, sweet peppers(2 or 3 kinds), tomatoes, roma tomatoes, hot peppers, chilis, jalapenos, broccoli, red cabbage, cabbage, cauliflower, okra. They picked, cantalope, watermelon, sweet corn, a lot of varieties of winter squash, pumpkins and gourds. At the orchard they have upick apples, peaches etc. And a lot of home made canned goodies. They also do hayride and pumpkin pickin. They have a lot of festivals in the summer and fall. I think they do a great job." Another visitor writes: "They have a gazillion types of apples, peaches and Asian pears ready for picking. Wagons are available for you to ride into the specific orchards or you can walk. This is also the place for the apple-smoked burgers and fresh apple pie a la mode to die for."

Graham County

• Narita Farms - beans, carrots, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, flowers, melons, onions, peas, peppers, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, other vegetables
  6965 S. Narita Lane, Willcox, AZ 85643. Phone: 520-384-4805. Email: hsnrs@vtc.net. Open: May. Directions: Take Hwy 186 to Kansas Settlement Road; head south to Arzberger; turn east on Arzberger to Narita Lane. . Click here for a map and directions. . . Click here for a map to our farm. We are open Our hours are: Daily from dawn to dusk Peas, May; strawberries, April; beans, August; corn, Sept.; onions, Sept; squash, June; carrots, Sept; eggplant, Sept; melons, Sept; peppers, Sept; tomatoes, September We sell brown eggs. We sell goat's milk for pet use only.

Pima County

• Howard's Orchard - No pesticides are used, apples, grapefruit, pears, peaches, carving pumpkins, pie pumpkins, summer squash, Heirloom tomatoes, paste or Roma tomatoes, tomatoes, pecans , walnuts, Sage,
  4101 E Pinal St, Tucson, AZ 85739. Phone: (520) 276-6979. Email: myfarm@howardsorchard.com. Open: Thursday to Saturday from 7 am to 1 pm, from early July to late October. Directions: 20 Miles North of Tucson Oracle Road North to Catalina Right on Hawser Left on Columbus Left on Pinal Street Orchard on right hand side. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover.
  Howard's Orchard Facebook page. . . We do not use pesticides on the crops. (UPDATED: July 26, 2022)
  Comments from a visitor on August 27, 2008: "Howard's Orchard, in Catalina, AZ (just North of Tucson) has some blackberries, along with tomatoes, peaches, cucumbers, pecans and apples."

Santa Cruz County

• Agua Linda Farm - Uses natural growing practices, beans, cucumbers, flowers, peas, pumpkins, summer squash, tomatoes,
  262643 East Frontage Road I-19, Exit 42, Amado, AZ 85645. Phone: 520-891-5532. Email: stewart@agualindafarm.net. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: Take Interstate 19 to Exit 42, get onto the East Frontage Road and turn right. This will turn into a dirt road which is our driveway. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. Frontage Road I-19, Exit 42, Amado, AZ 85645. . Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Fall Festival, weekends in October; See website for a complete calendar with times, dates and prices; Garlic and Onion Festival is in June, see website for updates; The farm store is open year round, Saturdays 9 to 3 and Sundays 12 pm to 3; Call information line for current crops. We use natural practices, but are not seeking organic certification. The Farm is also a popular site for weddings and private parties (see November 18 New York Times).

 

Tomato Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Pick tomatoes that are firm and free of blemishes. Cracking is common in very hot weather, especially after a rain, and if you intend to use the tomatoes within 1 day, that will be ok.

During hot summer weather, pick the tomatoes when they have a healthy pink/red (or yellow or orange depending on the variety) color and let them finish the last day or two of ripening indoors. Tomatoes do not need to be in the sunlight in order to ripen. If you have green fruit on the plants in the fall when frost is approaching, pick the tomatoes and store them in a cool, dark place to ripen.

Tomato Varieties

In general paste or Roma-type tomatoes are the best to using for canning, as they have thicker, meatier walls and far less water. And cherry tomatoes are the worst to use, as they are mostly water.  But you can use any type you can get hold of.  You may just have to cook them down longer to boil off excess water.  See our Master list of tomato varieties

Growing tomatoes

• Master list of tomato varieties
• Master List of Heirloom Tomato Varieties
• How to Grow Tomatoes in Your Yard or Patio - Everything you need to know
• Detailed directions to starting tomatoes from seed
• Master List of Roma and Paste Tomato Varieties for the Home Garden
• Master list of disease-resistant tomato varieties
• Tomato plant diseases

Canning, Freezing, Drying, Preserving Tomatoes and more!

Below are links to pages with easy and reliable directions about how to can, preserve, freeze and make other goodies from tomatoes.  Some of these require a Pressure Canner to prevent potential spoilage and food poisoning, due to the low acid content of the food.  For others, you can use a water bath canner OR a Pressure Canner.  I've noted what's required for each, below, following each entry, with
W for water bath,
P for Pressure canner, and
W, P for either may be used!

And don't miss: Answers to common tomato canning problems and see this page about what to do with your unripe green tomatoes!

Prepping tomatoes

• How to quickly and easily remove tomato skins

Canning tomatoes (in water bath canners )

• How to can tomatoes using a water bath canner - W
• Diced, chopped or crushed tomatoes - W
• Bruschetta - W
• Tomato sauce - W
• Tomato paste - W
• Barbecue sauce (BBQ sauce) - W
• Chili sauce from your own tomatoes and peppers - W
• Diced, chopped or crushed tomatoes - W
• Tomato Preserves- W
• Tomato salsa - W
• Spaghetti sauce - without meat - W, P
• Spiced Green tomatoes- W
• Pickled Green Tomatoes - W - another pickled green tomato recipe, this one sweet
• Ketchup.. or if you prefer... How to make catsup - W, P
• NEW! SUPER-EASY homemade ketchup recipe - W
• Salsa from your unripe, GREEN tomatoes! - W
• Tomatillo salsa - W
• How to make roasted tomatoes, boiling water bath canner version - W

Canning Tomatoes in Pressure canners

• Canned tomatoes using a Pressure Canner - P
• Baked  Beans With Tomato or Molasses Sauce - P
• Canning your own chili con carne (with meat) - P
• How to make roasted tomatoes, pressure canner version - P
• Spaghetti sauce - with meat  - P
• Stewed tomatoes - P
• Tomato soup or tomato-basil soup - P
• Tomato sauce - P
• Tomato juice - P
• Tomato juice, like V8 - P

Freezing Tomatoes

• How to freeze tomatoes from you garden or the farm; for that fresh taste this winter!
• Space-saving prepping and freezing extra tomatoes from your garden to can later

Drying tomatoes

• NEW! How to make Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Food drying basics and principles
• How to dry your own herbs
• Food Dehydrators - models, specs and pricing information

Ripening green tomatoes in your garage or basement

If you want to bring your green tomatoes indoors before a freeze in the Fall, and ripen them, see:

• How to ripen your green garden tomatoes indoors in the Fall and Winter.

And if you'd like to start you own tomatoes from seed (you can save a small fortune and grow the heirloom varieties you like) see this page for easy directions for growing your own tomato plants from seed.

Frequently Asked Questions About Canning, Freezing and Preserving Tomatoes

• See this page for answers to many common questions about tomatoes.

 

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