Buying directly from our local farmers benefits everyone, whether it’s at a farmers markets, a fruit stand, or through a CSA (community-supported agriculture) share. If you like to stock up and you’re willing to get your hands dirty, you can save money by picking your own fruits and vegetables at one of our many u-pick farms or orchards.
U-pick season in the Umpqua Valley generally begins toward the end of May and lasts through September or October, depending on the weather. Fruit ripens in roughly the following order: strawberries, raspberries, pie cherries, sweet cherries, blueberries, Marionberries, boysenberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, Gravenstein apples, pears, and other varieties of apples.
By mid-summer you’ll also be able to harvest corn, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, carrots, squash, and other vegetables as well as walnuts and hazelnuts.
U-Pick Newbie?
- If you’ve never picked your own produce before, blueberries are a great place to start. No bending, no thorns, and no ladders!
- The most efficient way to pick small fruits like berries and cherries is to use the bucket-on-a-belt method. Thread a belt through the handle of a small plastic pail and fasten it to another belt on your waist or sling it over one shoulder so you can pick with both hands. Take along a few plastic dishpans or shallow cardboard boxes to empty the berries into when the bucket gets full.
- A wide-brimmed hat or a visor will keep the sun off your face, but don’t try to pick with sunglasses on. It’s too hard to tell which fruits are ripe.
- Make it a family affair and create lasting memories as you pick together.
- Have cold water bottles and wet wipes waiting in the car.
If you need help learning to preserve your fruits and vegetables for year-round enjoyment, contact the Douglas County Master Food Preservers at the OSU Extension Service: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/douglas or https://www.facebook.com/MFPofDouglasCountyOR/
Written by Jennifer Coalwell
About Jennifer: I’ve been buying, u-picking, cooking, preserving, and celebrating the food bounty of the Umpqua Valley for more than 40 years. I am passionate about promoting and supporting our local farmers by sharing recipes, teaching cooking and baking skills, and putting my money directly into the hands that grow my food at our local farmers markets.
If you need local food inspiration, you can find me online at flavorsoftheumpqua.com, Facebook, and Instagram.